9414778 Trumper The award is for research to analyze, construct, and test a precision magnetically-suspended six degree-of-freedom motion control stage with 25 angstrom resolution. The workspace is 25 mm by 25 mm by 100 micrometers. The stage will have a repeatability of 5 nanometers, and an accuracy of 20 nanometers. The stage uses a hybrid magnetic/fluid bearing structure, the oil providing mechanical damping and the electromagnetic actuators imposing control forces. Integrated circuit capacitance displacement probes will be developed as will a multipass laser interferometer with enhanced resolution. Mechanical designs and electromagnetic actuator topologies to achieve the desired travel and actuator goals will also de developed. System integration and control issues will also be addressed. The stage will enable imaging of groups of atoms in conjunction with probed microscopes. In addition, it would be useful for measurements associated with present and future generations of integrated circuits, photo-masks, and micromechaical actuators.
