Electron-beam stage X-Y positioning instrumentation
AssigneeControl Data Corporation
InventorTheodore W. Tucker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electron-beam stage X-Y positioning instrumentation is provided. The electron-beam stage has a number of metal blocks affixed to its bottom. Fixed orthogonal noncontact gage heads are used to sense the distance of the heads from the parallel faces of a proximate metal block. The position of the metal block vis-a-vis the position of the fixed referenced gage heads yields the X-Y coordinates of the stage. The stage is first coarsely positioned adjacent a preselected block.Thereafter the exact position of the stage is computed from the distances sensed by the gage heads. The electron beam electronics are automatically adjusted to the actual position of the stage thereby eliminating the relatively slow, fine positioning of the stage.
Claims12
A positioning instrument for a body moveable in an X-Y plane, said body having one section adapted for mounting thereon a workpiece comprising:
- at least one horizontal planar section mounted on said body and spaced from said one section adapted for mounting a workpiece;
- a plurality of pairs of orthogonal faces mounted at predetermined positions on said planar section, the respective faces of each pair in parallel planar alignment with each other;
- a pair of noncontact gage heads fixedly and orthogonally mounted adjacent said planar section;
- sensing means connected to each gage head for sensing the distance from the gage head to a face of a one of said pairs of orthogonal faces in proximity therewith.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.