This paper presents a linear-rotary micro-stage that can generate motions along and about the Z-axis using piezoelectric
elements (PZTs). The small stroke of a PZT is extended by repeating the PZT motions based on a mechanism of impact
friction drive. The friction drive mechanism has a simple driving unit, which only consists of a PZT element and a
friction element. The moving element of the stage, which is a steel cylinder, is supported and actuated by a driving unit,
which consists of two PZTs and a friction component made by permanent magnet. The magnetic force is employed for
holding the moving element and stabilizing the driving condition. The dimension of the stage is 7.0 mm × 8.8 mm × 7.5
mm. The moving ranges of the stage are about 5.0 mm in the Z-direction and 360 degrees in the θz-direction,
respectively. The maximum moving speeds are approximately 30 mm/s and 84 rpm in the two directions, respectively.
KEYWORDS: Spindles, Atomic force microscopy, 3D scanning, Atomic force microscope, Mechanical engineering, Optical testing, Computer programming, Optics manufacturing, Scanning electron microscopy, Imaging systems
A novel atomic force microscope (AFM) system was constructed based on an air slide, an air spindle and a probe unit. It
can carry out high-speed and large-area measurement for micro-structure surface with three scanning strategies of radial
scanning, concentric scanning and spiral scanning. Using the AFM system, the micro-structure surface of a grating was
measured with these scanning strategies. The measuring capability of them was researched by the experiment and the
three measuring results were contrasted. The results show: compared with the other two scanning strategies, the spiral
scanning mode can bring the best measuring image of the micro-structure profile, and it also spend the shortest time, it is
only 50 seconds to finish scanning an circular area with 1 mm diameter.
An atomic force microscope (AFM) system is used for large-area measurement with a spiral scanning strategy, which is
composed of an air slide, an air spindle and a probe unit. The motion error which is brought from the air slide and the air
spindle will increase with the increasing of the measurement area. Then the measurement accuracy will decrease. In
order to achieve a high speed and high accuracy measurement, the probe scans along X-direction with constant height
mode driven by the air slide, and at the same time, based on the change way of the motion error, it moves along Zdirection
conducted by piezoactuator. According to the above method of error compensation, the profile measurement
experiment of a micro-structured surface has been carried out. The experimental result shows that this method is
effective for eliminating motion error, and it can achieve high speed and precision measurement of micro-structured
surface.
Single crystal diamond tools are used for fabrication of precision parts [1-5]. Although there are many types of tools that
are supplied, the tools with round nose are popular for machining very smooth surfaces. Tools with small nose radii,
small wedge angles and included angles are also being utilized for fabrication of micro structured surfaces such as microlens
arrays [6], diffractive optical elements and so on. In ultra precision machining, tools are very important as a part of
the machining equipment. The roughness or profile of machined surface may become out of desired tolerance. It is thus
necessary to know the state of the tool edge accurately. To meet these requirements, an atomic force microscope (AFM)
for measuring the 3D edge profiles of tools having nanometer-scale cutting edge radii with high resolution has been
developed [7-8]. Although the AFM probe unit is combined with an optical sensor for aligning the measurement probe
with the tools edge top to be measured in short time in this system, this time only the AFM probe unit was used. During
the measurement time, that was attached onto the ultra precision turning machine to confirm the possibility of profile
measurement system.
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