Directing Innovations In Direct Drive Motors - High Resolution Inspection Systems Demand New Technology

摘要

New high performance servo applications are demanding very smooth, relatively low-speed servo motor performance, with miniscule velocity jitter and torque ripple signatures. This emerging class of digital servos, the direct drive rotary servo technology, has been in use since the 1960s. Known as torquers or torque motors, their use was then limited to aerospace and military-defense applications. More recently, slotless motor technology has added to customer options for direct drive enhancing the desired characteristics. Today, new applications from U.S. industry demand high precision motion solutions at an affordable cost. Applimotion Inc. is one of the innovators in the emerging field of direct drive rotary stage servo solutions. High resolution inspection systems are one example where Applimotion's direct drive rotary systems are being used today. High resolution inspection systems assist manufacturers in increasing and maintaining the highest possible production yields. These digital inspection systems also allow real time statistical process control, whether fabricating an integrated circuit or inspecting a nanometer level component. For example, critical IC line width dimensions are expected to shrink down to and beyond 0.10 micrometers in the near future. At the same time larger batch processes and semiconductor sizes make high yield critical, lowering the overall cost of quality. There are three general functional requirements: detect and classify defects; monitor and analyze defects; and statistical control.