초록 ▼

This invention deals with novel method and apparatus for positioning and motion control by rapid-response motorless linear motion, angular deflection, and continuous rotational motion utilizing the force due to electrons, ions, and/or neutrals. Thus forces and torques are produced without the use of

This invention deals with novel method and apparatus for positioning and motion control by rapid-response motorless linear motion, angular deflection, and continuous rotational motion utilizing the force due to electrons, ions, and/or neutrals. Thus forces and torques are produced without the use of internal moving parts. Control is achieved without recourse to magnetic fields, by means of high electric fields which may be attained at relatively low voltages. At low voltages, the instant invention exceeds the capability of conventional systems. It can perform dynamic motion control over a wide range of dimensions and signal bandwidth with independent amplitude and frequency modulation. Since there are no internal moving parts, the instant invention is the most adapted for fabrication at the micro and nanotechnology realms. Furthermore it provides less costly and greater ease of manufacture from the nano-to the macro-realm.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A field emission, linear and angular motion control micro-device coinprising a) a first cathodic electrode containing at least one, electron field emission whisker; b) a second transparent grid electrode; c) voltage means to provide potential Vg at said second electrode

The invention claimed is: 1. A field emission, linear and angular motion control micro-device coinprising a) a first cathodic electrode containing at least one, electron field emission whisker; b) a second transparent grid electrode; c) voltage means to provide potential Vg at said second electrode which establishes an electric field between the first and second electrodes; d) said electric field produces a stream of field emitted electrons into the vacuum electric field space between said first and second electrodes; e) a portion of said stream of field emitted electrons passing through said transparent grid electrode, thereby producing a positioning and motion control force on a moveable portion of said device, f) an ultimate collector electrode not physically attached to a moveable portion of said device g) said ultimate collector electrode at voltage V≧Vg for collecting said stream of electrons; and h) the size of said micro-device ranging from nanometers to decimeters, i) where the device comprises a moveable portion and a stationary housing portion; the moveable portion comprising at least the first cathodic element and the second transparent grid electrode; the stationary housing portion comprising at least the ultimate collector electrode and at least partially enclosing the moveable portion. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said force acts on a hydraulic piston to produce force amplification. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said force acts on a cantilever to produce torque. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said force propels a wedge-shaped cathodic electrode of said device into a V-shaped receiving member to produce force amplification. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein there is a second similar device in inverse spatial orientation to provide forward and backward motion. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein there is a second similar device in perpendicular orientation to the first device to provide two axes positioning. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said force propels a protrusion of said device along an indented track to a given detent position. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a receptacle is placed upon said device for carrying and moving a specimen under a microscope. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device is attached to an interferometer for dynamic motion over the range from constructive to destructive interference. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device is fastened to a diffraction grating for dynamic motion of the grating elements. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device is connected to the head of an atomic force microscope to control the spacing between the head and specimen. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device is linked to an active optical element of an adaptive optics telescope to compensate for aberration due to atmospheric fluctuations. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device is attached to the suspension arm which supports the head over an information storage disk to control the spacing of the head over the disk. 14. A negative ion linear and angular motion control, micro-device comprising a) a first cathodic electrode producing negative ions by electron attachment to impinging atoms; b) a second transparent grid electrode; c) voltage means to provide potential Vg at said second electrode which establishes an electric field between the first and second electrodes; d) said electric field producing a stream of negative ions into a low density electronegative gas in the electric field space between said first and second electrodes; e) a portion of said stream of negative ions passing through said transparent grid electrode, thereby producing a positioning and motion control force on a moveable portion of said device, f) an ultimate collector electrode not physically attached to a moveable portion of said device g) said ultimate collector electrode at voltage V≧Vg for detaching and collecting the electrons from said stream of negative ions; and h) the size of said micro-device ranging from nanometers to decimeters, i) where the device comprises a moveable portion and a stationary housing portion; the moveable portion comprising at least the first cathodic element and the second transparent grid electrode; the stationary housing portion comprising at least the ultimate collector electrode and at least partially enclosing the moveable portion. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said force acts on a hydraulic piston to produce force amplification. 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said force acts on a cantilever to produce torque. 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said force propels a wedge-shaped cathodic electrode of said device to produce force amplification upon a V-shaped receiving member. 18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein there is a second similar device in inverse spatial orientation to provide forward and backward motion. 19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein there is a second similar device in perpendicular orientation to the first device to provide two axes positioning. 20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said force propels a protrusion of said device along an indented track to a given detent position. 21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a receptacle is placed upon said device for carrying and moving a specimen under a microscope. 22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said device is attached to an interferorneter for dynamic motion over the range from constructive to destructive interference. 23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said device is fastened to a diffraction grating for dynamic motion of the grating elements. 24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said device is connected to the head of an atomic force microscope to control the spacing between the head and specimen. 25. The apparatus of daim 14, wherein said device is linked to an active optical element of an adaptive optics telescope to compensate for aberration due to atmospheric fluctuations. 26. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said device is attached to the suspension ami which supports the head over an information storage disk to control the spacing of the head over the disk. 27. A positive ion, linear and angular motion control, micro-device comprising a) a first anodic electrode containing at least one whisker; b) a second transparent grid electrode at voltage Vg, which establishes an electric field between the first and second electrodes; c) said electric fleid produces a stream of positive ions into the vacuum electric field space between said first and second electrodes; d) a portion of said stream of positive ions passing through said transparent grid electrode, thereby producing a positioning and motion control force on a moveable portion of said device, e) an ultimate collector electrode not physically attached to a movable portion of said device f) said ultimate cathodic collector electrode at voltage |V|≧|Vg| for neutralizing said stream of positive ions by electron donation; and g) the size of said micro-device ranging from nanometers to decimeters, h) where the device comprises a moveable portion and a stationary housing portion; the moveable portion comprising at least the first cathodic element and the second transparent grid electrode; the stationary housing portion comprising at least the ultimate collector electrode and at least partially enclosing the moveable portion. 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said force acts on a hydraulic piston to produce force amplification. 29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said force propels a wedge-shaped cathodic electrode of said device into a V-shaped receiving member to produce force amplification. 30. A method for producing a motive force in a micro-device comprising the steps of: a) introducing a first cathodic electrode containing at least one, field emission whisker; b) introducing a second transparent grid electrode; c) applying a voltage Vg at second electrode thereby establishing an electric field between the first and second electrodes; d) said electric field producing a stream of negative particles into the electric field space between said first and second electrodes; e) a portion of said stream of field emitted electrons passing through said transparent grid electrode, thereby producing a positioning and motion control force on a moveable portion of said device, f) an ultimate collector electrode not physically attached to a moveable portion of said device g) collecting said stream of negative particles at said ultimate collector electrode which is at voltage V ≧V g, h) the size of said micro-device ranging from nanometers to decimeters, i) where the device comprises a moveable portion and a stationary housing portion; the moveable portion comprising at least the first cathodic element and the second transparent grid electrode; the stationary housing portion comprising at least the ultimate collector electrode and at least partially enclosing the moveable portion. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein said force propels a wedge-shaped cathodic electrode of said device into a receiving member to produce force amplification. 32. The method of claim 30, wherein said force acts on a hydraulic piston to produce force amplification. 33. The method of claim 30, wherein said force acts on a cantilever to produce torque. 34. The method of claim 30, wherein said negative particles are electrons. 35. The method of claim 30, wherein said negative particles are negative ions. 36. The method of claim 30, wherein said device is fastened to a diffraction grating for dynamic motion of the grating elements. 37. The method of claim 30, wherein said device is connected to the head of an atomic force microscope to control the spacing between the head and specimen. 38. The method of claim 30, wherein said device is linked to an active optical element of an adaptive optics telescope to compensate for aberration due to atmospheric fluctuations. 39. The method of claim 30, wherein said device is attached to an interferometer for dynamic motion over the range from constructive to destructive interference. 40. A negative particle, linear and angular motion control micro-device comprising a) a first cathodic electrode containing at least one, electron field emission whisker; b) a second transparent grid electrode; c) voltage means to provide potential Vg at said second electrode which establishes an electric field between the first and second electrodes; d) said electric field produces a stream of negative particles into the electric field space between said first and second electrodes; e) a portion of said stream of field emitted electrons passing through said transparent grid electrode, thereby producing a positioning and motion control force on a moveable portion of said device, f) an ultimate collector electrode not physically attached to a moveable portion of said device g) said ultimate collector electrode at voltage V≧Vb for collecting said stream of negative particles; and h) the size of said micro-device ranging from nanometers to decimeters, i) where the device comprises a moveable portion and a stationary housing portion; the moveable portion comprising at least the first cathodic element and the second transparent grid electrode; the stationary housing portion comprising at least the ultimate collector electrode and at least partially enclosing the moveable portion. 41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said negative particles are electrons. 42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said negative particles are negative ions. 43. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said force acts on a hydraulic piston to produce force amplification. 44. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said force propels a wedge-shaped cathodic electrode of said device into a V-shaped receiving member to produce force amplification. 45. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said device is attached to an interferometer for dynamic motion over the range from constructive to destructive interference. 46. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said device is fastened to a diffraction grating for dynamic motion of the grating elements. 47. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said device is connected to the head of an atomic force microscope to control the spacing between the head and specimen. 48. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said device is linked to an active optical elejuerit of an adaptive optics telescope to compensate for aberration due to atmospheric fluctuations. 49. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said device is attached to the suspension arm which supports the head over an information storage disk to control the spacing of the head over the disk. 50. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein a receptacle is placed upon said device for carrying and moving a specimen under a microscope.