Sensitivity analysis of the nanoparticles on substrates using the atomic force microscope with rectangular and V-shaped cantilevers

The dynamic model of the nanoparticles pushing on a substrate based on the atomic force microscope with a rectangular cantilever (RC) and a V-shaped cantilever (VSC), which includes 12 nonlinear and coupled equations, has been analysed, by using the graphical and automatic differential sensitivity analysis (SA) methods, and the sensitive and non-sensitive parameters and their sensitive ranges have been identified. The results indicate that the output variables of manipulation are very sensitive to the cantilever´s dimensions. The two parameters, length and thickness of cantilever, are very sensitive, which the results of the graphic SA confirm. In addition, the results of the graphic SA show that the degree of sensitivity depends on the apparent values of input parameters, such that by changing the magnitude of a specific parameter, it could be possible to increase or decrease the sensitivity. Moreover, the results indicate that, in general, by changing the cantilever from RC to VSC, the sensitivity to geometrical dimensions decreases, and through the proper selection, the effect of cantilever geometry on manipulation could be controlled.