Levitated micro-manipulator system

1. A method of propelling a magnetic manipulator above a circuit substrate, comprising:

arranging a magnetic manipulator on a low friction, diamagnetic layer on a surface of the circuit substrate;

generating drive signals using a controller;

applying the drive signals to at least two conductive traces arranged in at least two different layers, separated by an insulating layer, in the circuit substrate below the diamagnetic layer, and applying the drive signals includes applying higher current to traces farther away from the diamagnetic layer than the current applied to traces closer to the diamagnetic layer; and

using the drive signals to slide the magnetic manipulator on the low friction, diamagnetic layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive traces are arranged in a pattern such that two interleaved sets of traces are spatially offset in a first direction and applying the drive signals in a time sequence causes the manipulator to move parallel to the first direction.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive traces are arranged in a zigzag pattern spatially offset in a first direction and applying the drive signals in a time sequence causes the manipulator to move in the first direction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying drive signals to the conductive traces comprises applying the drive signals in discrete steps, wherein a discrete step results from applying one of a positive current or a negative current to each of the conductive traces independently.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein applying drive signals comprises microstepping in which current in one of the traces is set to zero to achieve intermediate locations between the discrete steps.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the drive signals comprises:

driving traces in a first zone to generate a first current in the first zone;

driving traces in a second zone to generate a second current in the second zone; and

using the first and second currents to create a continuous magnetic field pattern between the first and second zones.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the drive signals comprises:

applying a positive current in a first direction parallel with the surface of the circuit substrate on one side of a particular position;

applying a negative current in a second direction parallel with the surface of the circuit substrate and in a direction opposite the first direction on a second side of the particular position;

applying a positive current in a third direction parallel with the surface of the circuit substrate on a third side of the particular position; and

applying a negative current in a fourth direction parallel with the surface of the circuit substrate and in a direction opposite the third direction on a fourth side of a particular position, causing a manipulator to remain stationary at the particular position.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating drive signals comprises generating quadrature drive signals.

9. A circuit substrate to control movement of a magnetic manipulator, comprising:

a low friction diamagnetic layer on a surface of the substrate;

a conductive current damping layer on the diamagnetic layer; and

conductive traces arranged in the circuit substrate under the diamagnetic layer, the conductive traces arranged in a parallel line pattern in at least two separate layers of the circuit substrate separated by an insulator, wherein the parallel line patterns in the separate layers are offset from each other.

10. The substrate of claim 9 , wherein the parallel line pattern comprises an interleaved pattern.

11. The substrate of claim 10 , wherein the interleaved pattern comprises a first conductive layer having two interleaved patterns, wherein a second parallel line pattern is offset spatially from a first parallel line pattern in a first direction.

12. The substrate of claim 10 , wherein the second parallel line pattern is offset spatially from the first parallel line pattern one half of a trace-to-trace distance in the first parallel line pattern.

13. The substrate of claim 9 , further comprising a second layer having vias, the vias arranged to make connections out of the first layer in regions where the first and second parallel line patterns would otherwise make contact.

14. The substrate of claim 13 , further comprising a third layer, the third layer having third and fourth parallel line patterns, rotated ninety degrees from the first and second parallel line patterns, the fourth parallel line pattern offset spatially from a third parallel line pattern.

15. The substrate of claim 9 , wherein the conductive traces are arranged in a zigzag pattern.

16. The substrate of claim 15 , wherein the zigzag pattern comprises:

a first zigzag pattern in a first layer of the circuit substrate;

a second zigzag pattern in a second layer of the circuit substrate, the second zigzag pattern being offset spatially in a first direction from the first zigzag pattern;

a third zigzag pattern in a third layer of the circuit substrate, the third zigzag pattern being rotated ninety degrees from the first zigzag pattern; and

a fourth zigzag pattern in a fourth layer of the circuit substrate, the fourth zigzag pattern being offset spatially in a second direction from the third zigzag pattern.

17. The substrate of claim 16 , further comprising a rotator pattern having corners aligned with alternating corners of the first zigzag pattern.