High bandwidth recoiless microactuator
US6323483A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 20, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 27, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 20, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/872
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The bandwidth of a microactuator for a surface modification instrument or a surface measurement instrument is improved by inertially-balancing the microactuator to prevent the transfer of any net forces from the microactuator to its support structure by counteracting momentum generated upon operation of the microactuator, thereby inhibiting induced resonances in the support structure. Net force transfer prevention can be achieved using either 1) a multi-actuator assembly including a primary microactuator and a counteracting actuator operating substantially out-of-phase with respect to the primary microactuator, or 2) a single microactuator mounted on the microactuator's support structure so as to prevent momentum transfer to the support structure during microactuator operation. The instrument also preferably includes high internal damping to minimize the effect of any slight inertial misbalances on instrument operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.