A six-DOF prismatic-spherical-spherical parallel compliant nanopositioner.
A nanopositioner using a 6-prismatic-spherical-spherical parallel (PSS) linked compliant mechanism driven by 6 multilayered piezoelectric actuators (PZT) is presented. Compared with a traditional Gough-Stewart platform in which each actuator was installed between the end effector and the base, this nanopositioner installed the PZT directly on the base to achieve much smaller mechanical loop, higher stiffness, faster response, and compactness. This nanopositioner consists of one fixed plate; three 2-PSS compliant mechanisms; and one end effector. The kinematics characteristics of the nanopositioner were analyzed through the pseudo-rigid-body model. The behavior of the compliant mechanism was intensively simulated by the finite element method (FEM). Tracking a 5 nm radius circle of the 15 x 15 x 5 cm(3) prototype was experimentally demonstrated. The measurement results showed the nanopositioner achieved 8 microm travel with 5 nm resolutions and 200 microrad rotation with 0.7 microrad resolutions. The nanopositioner can be used to manipulate nano scale devices, fabricate nano components, or operate nano machines.
Wu
Tung-Li
TL
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan, ROC.
Chen
Jia-Hao
JH
Chang
Shuo-Hung
SH
D000465:Algorithms; D004867:Equipment Design; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D019563:Mechanics; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008961:Models, Structural; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*