Optical table with embedded active vibration dampers (Smart table)

摘要

This paper describes the actively damped optical table developed and introduced as a standard product, ST series SmartTable™, by Newport Corporation. The active damping system is self-adjusting and robust with respect to changes in payload and vibration environment. It outperforms not only the broadband damped optical tables, but also the top-of-the-line tables equipped with tuned passive vibration absorbers. The maximum resonance vibration amplitudes are reduced about ten times. Additionally, the user has the benefit of being able to monitor and analyze vibration of the table by the conditioned low-noise signals from the embedded vibration sensors. Theoretical background, analysis, design rationale and experimental verification of the system are presented, with emphasis on sensor-actuator pairs architecture, signal processing and adaptive controls.