A dual step precision multi-DOF stage for maskless digital lithography

A design and implementation of a dual step position align stage for digital exposure process and analytical analysis of the presented hardware architecture are introduced in this paper. A mobile plate of the proposed dual step position align stage is connected to its base with four independent dual degree of freedom (DOF) decoupled actuator assembly. The dual DOF decoupled actuator assembly is driven with a brushless DC motor, two pneumatic locking devices, and four kinematic mechanisms. Thanks to the dual degree of freedom independent actuation unit combined with pneumatic locking device, the proposed mechanism provides fully decoupled vertical and horizontal motions. The design specification for the operational accuracy and the repeatability are determined by the primitive digital pattern generation scheme based upon a point array method. A kinematic formulation using a geometric approach is provided for the proposed dual step position align mechanism. In addition a numerical simulation for the mechanism is also carried out and a series of system testing is followed.