A six-degree of freedom flexural positioning stage

A novel, low-cost positioning stage was constructed using a six-axis compliant mechanism driven by three two-axis electromagnetic actuators. The mechanism's monolithic, planar geometry is easily fabricated with low-cost manufacturing processes (such as waterjet machining). The manipulator tolerates ±1 mm actuator misalignment with less than 0.1% full-scale position error. Measurements over a 100x100x100 nm3 work volume displayed resolution better than the sensing capability, 5nm, and open-loop linearity errors less than 0.005% of the full-scale range (100 [mu]m). Measurements over a 100x100x100 [mu]m3 work volume exhibited linearity errors less than 0.20% full-scale. The mechanism's equilateral symmetry and planar geometry restricted thermal drift rates at start-up to 23nm and 4 [mu]tradians over 30 minutes and 0.1°C temperature change. The manipulator, built for $ 2000 (excluding electronics), was successfully tested in a fiber optic alignment application.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2003

Author dc:creator

• Anderson, Gordon A. B. (Gordon Alexander Brewster), 1977-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Martin Culpepper.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/17585

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/17585