Electrostatic Controlled Linear Inchworm Actuator

Abstract

This paper describes Electrostatic Controlled Linear Inchworm Actuator (ECLIA) for advanced positioning. Besides accuracy, large stroke motion and high throughput become important to improve positioning efficiency. This paper presents ECLIA that can provide high accuracy (nm order) due to a piezoactuation, large stroke (mm order) through an inchworm motion, and high throughput of parallel motion of several actuators. Furthermore, vertical motion type of ECLIA is also designed and presented. Design, implementation and demonstration of a variety of ECLIA will be reported.