Sensors

Closed loop nanopositioning actuators deliver sub-nm repeatability

16th October 2015
Jordan Mulcare
0

Queensgate Instruments’ latest Digital Piezo Translator (DPT) series of actuators incorporate capacitive sensors in order to deliver precise positioning and rapid settling. These highly advanced actuators can be implemented in a wide variety of applications, including interferometry, semiconductor mask-wafer chuck alignment, beam alignment, cavity tuning, adaptive optics, scanning probe microscopy and a multitude of different metrology tasks.

There are two recent series of DPT, the DPT-D with the best in class positioning performance and the more compact DPT-E which is a low voltage replacement for the previous generation DPT-C series. Air and Ultra High Vacuum variants are available as standard. Their Super-Invar construction gives superior thermal properties (with a thermal expansion coefficient of 0.25nm/Kelvin) which enhances position stability. Position resolutions down to 0.09nm (RMS) are offered as each unit delivers a response time under 2ms with 0.5nm (RMS) repeatability. They are able move loads of up to 60kg across their entire closed loop range, with closed loop ranges from 20 to 110μm.

DPT devices benefit from a built-in calibration function, derived from the Queensgate ID chip arrangement. These ID chips store calibration data on the actuator itself and thereby facilitate plug-and-play operation with the digital controller. Controllers and actuators can be interchanged as required, avoiding the need for recalibration, important when the actuator is incorporated into a mechanism or is inaccessible.

Among the array of accessories accompanying these actuators are various end pieces, mirror holders and mounting blocks. An operational temperature range from -30 to +80°C is supported as standard, but higher temperature variants can be offered.

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