Advanced scanning patterns have advantages for techniques such as AFM as they increase the scanning speed and enable movement without abrupt changes in velocity, however high precision positioning during the scanning is also required. Other applications such as nanolithography, semiconductor testing and photonics use advanced scanning patterns and require precision positioning. A stage that can operate at highspeed with precision has the potential to deliver higher throughput and reduce costs providing a significant commercial advantage. The objective of this project is to characterise the performance of Queensgate nanopositioning XY stages for advanced scanning patterns. The company have developed a number of unique capabilities such as velocity control and spatial correction which allow very highspeed raster scanning with high precision. Typically four or five times faster than our competitors while maintaining nanometre precision. Firmware will be developed to generate advanced scanning patterns from a matrix of coordinates. Error data collected will be used to modify our firmware to ensure smooth transition from coordinate to coordinate along the prescribed trajectory. This will provide sophisticated scanning routines or feed patterns for many applications with minimal user programming. Similarly, the performance of the highspeed interface will be error tested, this is necessary for industrial applications requiring real time generation of advanced patterns. In this project we will combine advanced scanning patterns with velocity control and highspeed digital interfacing to provide a low cost, low noise solution for highspeed scanning profiles.

Prior Scientific are looking for an innovative solution to develop Queensgate control for Z/tip/tilt and tip/tilt nanopositioning stages and effective strategies for calibration. The project proposed will require further development of the NPL nanopositioning test rig using a combination of interferometers and autocollimators to measure angular displacement where angular movements are dominant. This equipment will map the performance of the Z/tip/tilt and tip/tilt stages such that control strategies and appropriate calibration rigs can be developed for Queensgate Z/tip/tilt stages. It is anticipated that this will allow us to further develop semiconductor and photonics solutions with potential for multi-axis solutions with five and six axes.

Prior Scientific are looking for an innovative solution which allows Queensgate nanopositioning stages to continue to meet the increasing demands for semiconductor, hard disc testing and atomic force microscopy which are anticipated to routinely require low-picometre accuracies. The project proposed will develop and test higher-order automatic linearity compensation for on-axis stage calibration. A new algorithm will be developed which can be applied to existing stages, together with appropriate calibration methods. To maintain production efficiency, there must be minimum additional overhead for test and measurement with these methods. It is anticipated that this will allow us to produce precision stages with the highest linearity in the industry whilst maintaining high yields, reducing re-work and maintaining manufacturing costs.

Queensgate have unique control capability with expertise in high speed, high precision applications. Ultra-low noise electronics allow operation at higher bandwidths; over 40% of the stage resonant frequency with low picometre resolutions. Control of acceleration and deceleration enables the fastest step settle times, and recently velocity control was introduced which has significant advantages for fast imaging. As part of Prior Scientific, Queensgate have developed longer-range stages providing significant advantages for image acquisition using multiphoton microscopy. Piecewise adaptive linearity compensation will improve linearization for longer range (400 µm to 800 µm) multi-axis stages (XY and XYZ) and stages with local linearity errors. Improved linearization will extend the use of the long-range multi-axis stage to surface imaging applications which require sub-nanometre resolutions and reduce image distortion. This has application in life science, semiconductor wafer testing and manufacture and has potential for quantum photonics.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Awaiting Public Project Summary