Electrostatically Controlled Linear Inchworm Actuator for Precise Step and Parallel Motion

摘要

This paper presents electrostatically controlled linear inchworm actuator for precise step and parallel motion. Electrostatically controlled linear inchworm actuator can provide a high accuracy (nm order), a large stroke (mm order) and parallel motion of multi sliders. Micro electro mechanical systems technology allows batch fabricated multi sliders. Batch-fabricated multi sliders can be driven by a proposed strategy based on an inchworm motion. Electrostatically controlled linear inchworm actuator employs an electrostatic clutch mechanism in order to control motion transmission from a piezoelectric oscillator to multi sliders for the inchworm motion. Independent control of motions of multi sliders arranged on a single driving system with the piezoelectric oscillator will be presented. This paper reports design, fabrication and demonstration of a proposed system, followed by a prospect of our study toward dynamic gain equalizer as optical application.