Implementation of a Non-Contact X-Y Mover With High Temperature Superconductors

One of the unique characteristics of high temperature superconductors (HTS) is its flux trapping capability associated with the so-called type II superconductors, which enables a stable levitation/suspension over a permanent magnet (PM). In this paper, a non-contact X-Y mover that utilizes single-grained Y-Ba-Cu-O bulks and their flux trapping character is proposed and implemented. This X-Y table consists of a mover with three Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors (SCs) and a stator composed of a matrix of electromagnets and permanent magnets. Due to the magnetic levitation of the Y-Ba-Cu-O bulks (mover) above the stator, there is no mechanical contact or wear between the mover and the stator in the vertical direction. This passive stable levitation is achieved by a net balanced force in vertical direction including the gravitational force of SC and the repulsive/attractive forces between the PM and SC. In the horizontal direction, lateral moving forces can be achieved by exciting electromagnets during the positioning procedure. Due to this independent operation in horizontal axis, the mover can be manipulated to and positioned at any location in a 2-D hexagonal lattice. Implementation results show the basic concept of this new type of non-contact X-Y mover is validated.