Integrated multidimensional positioner for precision manufacturing

Reliable low-cost positioning for precision manufacturing processes requiring clean-room, extreme-temperature or vacuum environments is key for microelectronics manufacturing, packaging, machine tool and high-precision inspection industries. The integrated multidimensional positioner presented herein is a major technological breakthrough and may offer competitive advantages in both cost and performance relative to current practices. Specifically, this integrated positioner can generate all required fine and coarse motions with only one levitated moving part, namely the platen, and have potential to satisfy the dynamic performance specifications necessary for next-generation deep-submicron microelectronics manufacturing equipment. Absence of particulate contamination without mechanical contact between the single moving part and the machine frame makes this technology highly suited to clean-room operation. In this paper, the design concept, electromechanical design and fabrication and assembly of all the key parts in the development of this multidimensional positioner are presented. A dynamic model and feedback controllers were derived and implemented. This prototype positioner currently has a planar travelling range of 160 mm × 160 mm with a position resolution of 30 nm, position repeatability of 30 nm, position noise of 10 nm r.m.s. and platen dimensional stability of 32.7 (mu)m. The maximum velocity achieved so far is 0.4 m\s with 2 m\s2 acceleration. Various experimental results verified the utility of this positioner in precision manufacturing applications.