A SIMPLE SELF-PROPELLED 2-DIMENSIONAL MICROPOSITIONER

A quartz tube is propelled horizontally along a quartz track by the st ick-slip inertial slider method, activated by the longitudinal mode of a piezoelectric tube mounted inside the quartz tube. Two-dimensional motion is achieved by rotation of the quartz tube, activated by the be nding mode of the piezo. With a sample attached to the quartz tube, th e device is an excellent replacement for the electrostatic-clamp type of walker used as the coarse approach mechanism in scanning probe micr oscopes (SPMs). Alternatively, by attaching the tip (or sample) to the piezo tube, the device can function as a very simple SPM in which the same piezo tube is used for coarse approach and for scanning. The dev ice performs reliably in air and high vacuum, and is ultrahigh vacuum compatible. Step sizes from 10 to 1000 nm, and speeds up to 0.2 mm/s a re possible.