Piezoelectric multiaxis micropositioner

A piezoelectric translation apparatus comprising

• means defining a part of a sphere having a surface which is equally distant from a geometrical center at all points and which is adapted to be incrementally moved in a selected direction relative to said geometrical center;
• an electromechanical translation apparatus adapted to produce incremental movement of said means for defining a part of a sphere having
• a mounting means positioned in a predetermined spaced relationship from said means defining a part of a sphere;
• at least three housings operatively coupled to said mounting means;
• at least three engaging members each being formed of a hard material and having a selected driving end at one end thereof and a driven end formed on a surface opposite to said one end having said selected driving end, said engaging members being positioned in the predetermined space between said mounting means and said means defining said part of a sphere and adapted to have the one end thereof having the selected driving end urged into driving engagement with said means defining said part of a sphere;
• at least three sets of three piezoelectric driving elements positioned with one set thereof between one of said at least three housings and one of said at least three engaging members with said one set of three piezoelectric driving elements positioned in engagement with the driven end of one of the engaging members and in a predetermined spaced, angular relationship to each other, each of said piezoelectric driving elements being capable of responding to an applied electrical signal having a predetermined frequency and an amplitude which varies between a first polarity and second polarity to expand and contract to change its geometrical dimensions, said piezoelectric driving elements being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a first polarity to urge its associated engaging member into driving engagement with said means defining said driven member to apply a driving force thereto in a selected direction and being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a second polarity to withdraw the at least one engaging member from driving engagement with said means defining said driven member;
• and
• means operatively coupled to each of said three piezoelectric driving elements for selectively applying a said electrical signal to each of said three piezoelectric driving elements for expanding and contracting one or more piezoelectric driving elements at the same time;
• said electromechanical translation apparatus being responsive to said electrical signals being selectively applied to one or more of said three piezoelectric driving elements of each of the three sets thereof to urge said engaging members into engagement with said means defining said part of a sphere to apply a driving force thereon to incrementally translate said means defining said part of a sphere in a selected direction along one of two or more predetermined axes.

An adjustable, multiposition spherical deflection apparatus comprising

• a sphere having a polished outer surface and a planar mirror affixed to the outer surface thereof to define an optical reflecting surface;
• a mounting means positioned in a predetermined spaced relationship from said sphere;
• at least three piezoelectric driver assemblies positioned in the space between said sphere and mounting means, said three piezoelectric driver assemblies being arranged into a circular, predetermined, spaced, angular relationship relative to said sphere, each of said piezoelectric driver assemblies including
• a housing operatively coupled to said mounting means;
• an engaging member formed of a hard material and having a selected driving end at one end thereof and a driven end formed on the end opposite to said one end having said selected driving end, said engaging member being positioned with the one end of the selected driving end being urged into driving engagement with said sphere to apply one or more driving forces thereto to incrementally translate the same in a selected direction along any one of two or more axes;
• at least three piezoelectric driving elements being positioned between the housing and engaging member wherein the driven end of said engaging member is in contact with the three piezoelectric driving elements, each of the three piezoelectric driving elements being positioned in a predetermined angular relationship to the others, each of the piezoelectric driving elements being capable of responding to an electrical signal being applied thereto having a predetermined frequency and an amplitude which varies between a first polarity and second polarity to expand and contract to change its geometrical dimensions, said piezoelectric driving elements being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a first polarity to urge the selected driving end the engaging member into driving engagement with said sphere to apply a driving force thereto in a selected direction and being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a second polarity to withdraw the at least one engaging member from driving engagement with said means defining said driven member;
• means operatively coupled to each of said three piezoelectric driving elements for selectively applying a said electrical signal to each of said three piezoelectric driving elements for expanding and contracting one or more piezoelectric driving elements at the same time to apply a driving force to the driven end of said engaging member;
• said spherical deflection apparatus being responsive to said electrical signals being selectively applied to one or more of said three piezoelectric driving elements to develop a rotational force on said sphere to incrementally rotate said sphere in a selected direction about any one of two or more predetermined axes.

A precision deflecting system adapted to deflect a laser beam in incremental steps wherein each step is a fraction of a minute of arc, said system comprising

• a source of coherent radiation having a predetermined frequency for directing a coherent radiation beam along a first predetermined path;
• an adjustable spherical deflecting apparatus located along said first predetermined path for intercepting said radiation beam and for selectively deflecting the same along a variable angle second predetermined path, said adjustable spherical deflecting apparatus having
• a sphere having a polished outer surface and a planar deflection member affixed to the outer surface thereof to define an optical reflecting surface;
• a mounting means positioned in a predetermined spaced relationship from said sphere;
• at least three piezoelectric driver assemblies positioned in the space between said sphere and mounting means, said three piezoelectric driver assemblies being arranged into a circular, predetermined, spaced, equiangular relationship relative to said sphere, each of said piezoelectric driver assemblies including
• a housing operatively coupled to said mounting means;
• an engaging member formed of a hard material and having a selected driving end at one end thereof and a driven end formed on the end opposite to said one end having said selected driving end, said engaging member being positioned with said selected driving end being urged into driving engagement with said sphere to apply one or more driving forces thereto to incrementally translate the same in a selected direction along any one of three axes;
• at least three piezoelectric driving elements being positioned between the housing and engaging member wherein the driven end of said engaging element is in contact with the three piezoelectric driving elements , each of the three piezoelectric driving elements being positioned in a predetermined angular relationship to each other, each of piezoelectric driving elements being capable of responding to an electrical signal being applied thereto having a predetermined frequency and an amplitude which varies between a first polarity and second polarity to expand and contract to change its geometrical dimensions, said piezoelectric driving elements being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a first polarity to urge their associated engaging members into driving engagement with said sphere to apply a driving force thereto in a selected direction and being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a second polarity to withdraw the at least one engaging member from driving engagement with said means defining said driven member;
• means operatively coupled to each of said three piezoelectric driving elements for selectively applying a said electrical signal to each of said three piezoelectric driving elements for expanding and contracting one or more piezoelectric driving elements at the same time;
• said precision deflecting system being responsive to said electrical signals being selectively applied to one or more of said three piezoelectric driving elements to develop a rotational force on said sphere to incrementally rotate said sphere in a selected direction about any one of two or more predetermined axes;
• programmable control means including a power supply for generating said electrical signals and for selectively applying the same to said three sets of three piezoelectric driving elements, said programmable control means including input means for programming said programmable control means to selectively apply said electrical signals to each of said piezoelectric driving elements in each of said three sets of three piezoelectric driver assemblies in a programmed sequence to cause said piezoelectric driving elements to incrementally rotate said sphere in a selected direction about any one of two or more predetermined axes to position said sphere at a programmed fraction of a minute of arc enabling the planar deflection member affixed to said sphere to deflect said radiation beam along a selected variable angle second predetermined path.

An electromechanical translation apparatus comprising

• means defining a surface and which is adapted to be incrementally moved in a selected direction;
• a piezoelectric translation apparatus adapted to produce incremental movement of said means for defining a surface in said selected direction, said piezoelectric translation apparatus having at least one piezoelectric driver assembly wherein said at least one piezoelectric driver assembly includes
• a housing positioned in operative relationship to and spaced from said means defining a surface;
• an engaging member which is formed of a hard material and which has a selected driving end at one end thereof and a driven end formed at the other end thereof, said engaging member being positioned between said means defining a surface and housing and with the selected driving end thereof adapted to drivingly engage said means defining a surface;
• three piezoelectric driving elements positioned in a driving engagement with the driven end of the engaging member, each of said piezoelectric driving elements being capable of responding to an applied electrical signal having a predetermined frequency and an amplitude which varies between a first polarity and second polarity to expand and contract to change its geometrical dimensions, said piezoelectric driving elements being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a first polarity to urge the at least one engaging member into driving engagement with said means defining said driven member to apply a driving force thereto in a selected direction and being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a second polarity to withdraw the at least one engaging member from driving engagement with said means defining said driven member;
• and
• means operatively coupled to each of said three piezoelectric driving elements for selectively applying a said electrical signal to each of said three driving elements for expanding and contracting one or more piezoelectric driving elements at the same time;
• said electromechanical translation apparatus being responsive to said electrical signals being selectively applied to one or more of said three piezoelectric driving elements to develop a driving force on said means defining a surface in a selected direction to incrementally translate said means defining said surface in a selected direction along one of two or more predetermined axes.

A piezoelectric multiaxis micropositioner adapted to produce incremental movement of a means for defining a driven member in said selected direction, said piezoelectric multiaxis micropositioner including

• a mounting means positioned in a spaced relationship from a means defining a driven member;
• at least one piezoelectric driver assembly positioned in the space between the mounting means and a means defining the driven member and having
• a housing operatively coupled to said mounting means;
• an engaging member formed of a hard material and having a selected driving end at one end thereof and a driven end formed on the end opposite to said one end having said selected driving end, said one end of the engaging member being capable of selectively engaging and translating a means defining the driven member in response to a driving force applied to said one end;
• and
• at least three piezoelectric driving elements positioned between said housing and said driven end of said engaging member and positioned in a predetermined spaced, angular relationship to each other, said piezoelectric driving elements being capable of responding to an applied electrical signal having a predetermined frequency and an amplitude which varies between a first polarity and second polarity to expand and contract to change its geometrical dimensions, said piezoelectric driving element being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a first polarity to urge the engaging member into driving engagement with said means defining said driven member to apply a driving force thereto in a selected direction and being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a second polarity to withdraw the engaging member from driving engagement with said means defining said driven member.

An electromechanical translation apparatus comprising

• means defining a driven member which is adapted to be incrementally moved in a selected direction;
• a piezoelectric micropositioner adapted to produce incremental movement of said means for defining a driven member in said selected direction, said piezoelectric micropositioner including
• a first and second mounting means positioned in a spaced opposed relationship from each other and having said means defining a driven member located in the space therebetween;
• at least three piezoelectric driver assemblies positioned in a predetermined pattern on each of said first and second mounting means and positioned thereon to be directed towards each other and extending into the space between the first and second mounting means and in driving engagement with said means defining the driven member;
• each of said piezoelectric driver assemblies having
• an engaging member formed of a hard material and having a selected driving end at one end thereof and a driven end formed on the end opposite to said one end having said selected driving end, said one end of the engaging member being capable of selectively engaging and translating said means defining the driven member in response to a driving force applied to said one end;
• at least three piezoelectric driving elements positioned between said mounting means and said driven end of said engaging member and positioned in a predetermined spaced, angular relationship to each other, said piezoelectric driving elements being capable of responding to an applied electrical signal having a predetermined frequency and an amplitude which varies between a first polarity and second polarity to expand and contract to change its geometrical dimensions, said piezoelectric driving element being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a first polarity to urge the engaging member into driving engagement with said means defining said driven member to apply a driving force thereto in a selected direction and being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a second polarity to withdraw the engaging member from driving engagement with said means defining said driven member;
• and
• means operatively coupled to each of said three piezoelectric driving elements on each of said first and second mounting means for selectively applying a said electrical signal to each of said piezoelectric driving elements for expanding and contracting one or more of said piezoelectric driving elements at the same time;
• said electromechanical translation apparatus being responsive to said electrical signals being selectively applied to one or more of said a piezoelectric driving elements to urge said at least one engaging member into engagement with said means defining a driven member to apply a driving force thereon to incrementally translate said means defining said driven member in a selected direction along one of two or more predetermined axes.

A piezoelectric micropositioner comprising

• means defining a driven member which is adapted to be incrementally moved in a selected direction;
• first and second mounting plates positioned in a spaced parallel opposed relationship from each other and having said means defining a driven member located in the space therebetween;
• at least three piezoelectric driver assemblies operatively mounted in a predetermined pattern on each of said first and second mounting plates and positioned thereon to be directed towards each other and extending into the space between the first and second mounting plates and in driving engagement with said means defining the driven member, each of said piezoelectric driver assemblies having
• an engaging member formed of a hard material and having a selected driving end at one end thereof and a driven end formed on the end opposite to said one end having said selected driving end, said one end of the engaging member being capable of selectively engaging and translating said means defining the driven member in response to a driving force applied to said one end;
• and
• at least three piezoelectric driving elements positioned between one of said first and second plates and said driven end of said engaging member and positioned in a predetermined spaced, angular relationship to each other, said piezoelectric driving elements being capable of responding to an applied electrical signal having a predetermined frequency and an amplitude which varies between a first polarity and second polarity to expand and contract to change its geometrical dimensions, said piezoelectric driving elements being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a first polarity to urge the engaging member into driving engagement with said means defining said driven member to apply a driving force thereto in a selected direction and being responsive to an electrical signal having an amplitude of a second polarity to withdraw the engaging member from driving engagement with said means defining said driven member.