Abstract
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.
