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US5568003A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for producing repeatable motion from biased piezoelectric transducers

Assignee: Zygo Corp
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Filing: 1994-09-28
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Granted: 1996-10-22
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Expires: 2014-09-28
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Abstract

Abstract A method and apparatus for producing a repeatable motion profile from a biased piezoelectric transducer (28) in which a first set of stored calibration voltage values corresponding to points in a predetermined voltage profile on the transducer (28) are retrievably accessed from a random access memory (20) by sequentially addressing (30,32,34) the memory (20) in order to drive the piezoelectric transducer (28) with the retrievably accessed calibration voltage values. Gain current values associated with motion of the piezoelectric transducer (28) at the same measurement points on the voltage profile associated with the stored values are measured (48,50,52) and compared against the stored calibration values and any differences are corrected for in order to produce the repeatable motion profile. The measurement points are preferably in a region of constant rate of change of voltage in the voltage profile, such as corresponding to the crossover point (54) in a motion profile of linear slope.

Inventors

  • 👤 Leslie L. Deck

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 17:17
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N30/00; H10N30/80; H10N30/802

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 147 words
A method for producing a repeatable motion profile from a biased piezoelectric transducer comprising the steps of: retrievably accessing a first set of stored calibration voltage values corresponding to points in a desired predetermined voltage profile for said piezoelectric transducer comprising associated gain current values for predetermined points along said voltage profile; driving said piezoelectric transducer with said retrievably accessed calibration voltage values for producing said repeatable motion profile; measuring a gain current associated with said motion at measurement points in said motion profile for providing corresponding measured values, said measurement points corresponding to said points associated with said stored calibration values; comparing said measured gain current values with said stored calibration values for detecting any changes in gain of said piezoelectric transducer from said stored values, and correcting for any differences in said gain from said stored values; whereby said repeatable motion profile may be produced.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 147 words
A method for producing a repeatable motion profile from a biased piezoelectric transducer comprising the steps of: retrievably accessing a first set of stored calibration voltage values corresponding to points in a desired predetermined voltage profile for said piezoelectric transducer comprising associated gain current values for predetermined points along said voltage profile; driving said piezoelectric transducer with said retrievably accessed calibration voltage values for producing said repeatable motion profile; measuring a gain current associated with said motion at measurement points in said motion profile for providing corresponding measured values, said measurement points corresponding to said points associated with said stored calibration values; comparing said measured gain current values with said stored calibration values for detecting any changes in gain of said piezoelectric transducer from said stored values, and correcting for any differences in said gain from said stored values; whereby said repeatable motion profile may be produced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said measurement points corresponds to a crossover point in said motion profile.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said motion profile comprises a motion profile having a linear slope containing said crossover point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said voltage profile comprises a region of constant rate of change of voltage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said measuring step comprises the step of measuring said gain current at measurement points in said region of constant rate of change of voltage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of compensating for any leakage current variations on said gain current for removing any change in leakage relative to any measured leakage associated with said stored calibration values.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said compensating step comprises the step of measuring said leakage when the voltage is fixed at a bias value for said piezoelectric transducer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 44 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said correcting step further comprises the step of saving said measured leakage current at said bias voltage and subtracting the difference between said measured leakage current and said saved leakage current from said measured gain current.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said accessing step comprises the step of sequentially addressing said stored calibration voltage values out of storage for driving said piezoelectric transducer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said accessing step further comprises the step of sequentially addressing said stored calibration values by clocking said stored calibration values out of said storage.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of providing said stored calibration voltage values by varying the voltage while monitoring displacement of said piezoelectric transducer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein said displacement monitoring step further comprises the step of monitoring said displacement with a distance measuring interferometer means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein said displacement monitoring step further comprises the step of monitoring said displacement with a capacitive sensor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein said displacement monitoring step further comprises the step of monitoring said displacement with an inductive sensor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 66 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric transducer is used to provide motion for an optical interferometric profilometer, said motion profile having an associated slope, a change in said motion profile slope acting like a change in illumination wavelength for said profilometer, said method further comprising the step of compensating for any slope errors in accordance with said changes in said illumination wavelength.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 239 words
A system for producing a repeatable motion profile from a biased piezoelectric transducer, said transducer having an input and an output, said system comprising memory means for retrievably storing a first set of stored calibration voltage values corresponding to a complete set of points in a desired predetermined voltage profile for said piezoelectric transducer comprising associated gain current values for predetermined points along said complete voltage profile, said memory means having an input and an output; means operatively connected to said memory means input for retrievably accessing said stored calibration voltage values from said memory means for providing a plurality of driving voltages for said piezoelectric driver from said memory means output; means operatively connected between said memory means output and said piezoelectric transducer input for providing said driving voltages to said piezoelectric transducer input, said transducer exhibiting an associated motion in response to said driving voltages; means operatively connected to said piezoelectric transducer output for measuring a gain current associated with said motion at a plurality of measurement points in said motion profile for providing corresponding measured values, said measurement points corresponding to points associated with said stored calibration values; means for comparing said measured gain current values with said stored calibration values for detecting any changes in gain of said piezoelectric transducer from said stored values; and means for correcting for any differences in said gain from said stored values; whereby said repeatable motion may be produced.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 239 words
A system for producing a repeatable motion profile from a biased piezoelectric transducer, said transducer having an input and an output, said system comprising memory means for retrievably storing a first set of stored calibration voltage values corresponding to a complete set of points in a desired predetermined voltage profile for said piezoelectric transducer comprising associated gain current values for predetermined points along said complete voltage profile, said memory means having an input and an output; means operatively connected to said memory means input for retrievably accessing said stored calibration voltage values from said memory means for providing a plurality of driving voltages for said piezoelectric driver from said memory means output; means operatively connected between said memory means output and said piezoelectric transducer input for providing said driving voltages to said piezoelectric transducer input, said transducer exhibiting an associated motion in response to said driving voltages; means operatively connected to said piezoelectric transducer output for measuring a gain current associated with said motion at a plurality of measurement points in said motion profile for providing corresponding measured values, said measurement points corresponding to points associated with said stored calibration values; means for comparing said measured gain current values with said stored calibration values for detecting any changes in gain of said piezoelectric transducer from said stored values; and means for correcting for any differences in said gain from said stored values; whereby said repeatable motion may be produced.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 254 words
A system for producing a repeatable motion profile from a biased piezoelectric transducer, said transducer having an input and an output, said system comprising memory means for retrievably storing a first set of stored calibration voltage values corresponding to points in a desired predetermined voltage profile for said piezoelectric transducer comprising associated gain current values for predetermined points along said voltage profile, said memory means having an input and an output; means operatively connected to said memory means input for retrievably accessing said stored calibration voltage values from said memory means for providing a plurality of driving voltages for said piezoelectric driver from said memory means output; means operatively connected between said memory means output and said piezoelectric transducer input for providing said driving voltages to said piezoelectric transducer input, said transducer exhibiting an associated motion in response to said driving voltages; means operatively connected to said piezoelectric transducer output for measuring a gain current associated with said motion at a plurality of measurement points in said motion profile for providing corresponding measured values, said measurement points corresponding to points associated with said stored calibration values, said gain current measurement means comprising means for measuring said gain current at a crossover point in said motion profile; means for comparing said measured gain current values with said stored calibration values for detecting any changes in gain of said piezoelectric transducer from said stored values; and means for correcting for any differences in said gain from said stored values; whereby said repeatable motion may be produced.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 254 words
A system for producing a repeatable motion profile from a biased piezoelectric transducer, said transducer having an input and an output, said system comprising memory means for retrievably storing a first set of stored calibration voltage values corresponding to points in a desired predetermined voltage profile for said piezoelectric transducer comprising associated gain current values for predetermined points along said voltage profile, said memory means having an input and an output; means operatively connected to said memory means input for retrievably accessing said stored calibration voltage values from said memory means for providing a plurality of driving voltages for said piezoelectric driver from said memory means output; means operatively connected between said memory means output and said piezoelectric transducer input for providing said driving voltages to said piezoelectric transducer input, said transducer exhibiting an associated motion in response to said driving voltages; means operatively connected to said piezoelectric transducer output for measuring a gain current associated with said motion at a plurality of measurement points in said motion profile for providing corresponding measured values, said measurement points corresponding to points associated with said stored calibration values, said gain current measurement means comprising means for measuring said gain current at a crossover point in said motion profile; means for comparing said measured gain current values with said stored calibration values for detecting any changes in gain of said piezoelectric transducer from said stored values; and means for correcting for any differences in said gain from said stored values; whereby said repeatable motion may be produced.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 34 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said gain current measurement means comprises means for measuring said gain current along a region of constant rate of change of voltage in said velocity profile.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 34 words
A system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said gain current measurement means comprises means for measuring said gain current along a region of constant rate of change of velocity in said voltage profile.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 20 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said memory accessing means comprises means for sequentially addressing said memory means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 16 words
A system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said sequential addressing means comprises clock generator means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 17 words
A system in accordance with claim 21 wherein said memory means comprises a random access memory means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 17 words
A system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said memory means comprises a random access memory means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 17 words
A system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said memory means comprises a random access memory means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3278770A Cited
US4263527A Cited
US4748365A Cited
US4689515A Cited
US5051646A Cited
US5136199A Cited
US5384507A Cited

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