US Patent 7751171 - Nanoscale grasping device

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7751171.html

Nanotweezers were developed over 10 years ago using dual carbon nanotubes to grasp matter on the nanoscale. This patent from NanoLab, Inc. teaches an improved version of nanotweezers using 3 nanotubes controled by an ac driving voltage to improve stability of control. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanoscale grasping device for the manipulation of microscopic objects, comprising

at least three electrostatically actuated grasping elements;

wherein each of said at least three grasping elements is independently supplied with a voltage sufficient to induce electrostatic forces between at least two of said grasping elements, whereby to close or open said grasping elements; and

wherein an oscillating voltage is applied to at least one of said grasping elements.