Piezo-Driven Translation Mechanisms Utilizing Linkages

Abstract

This paper describes two types of piezo-driven translation mechanisms, which are composed of a flexure-hinged linkage and cut from a monolith. The natural frequency and accuracy of motion of the mechanisms are examined in detail to assess the applicability of both of the mechanisms to the scanner of STM (scanning tunneling microscope). Design formulae of the natural frequency, derived from the strain energy method, are presented to optimize the mechanism design for maximizing the natural frequency. Experimental investigation confirms the validity of the formulae derived. It is demonstrated that a scanning range of 65μm is attained with a parasitic rotation smaller than 0.3 arcsec and natural frequencies amounting to 508 Hz and 2508 Hz in the directions parallel to and perpendicular to the motion of moving platform, respectively.