A Monolithic Serial-Kinematic Nanopositioner with Integrated Sensors and Actuators

This article describes the design, modeling and simulation of a serial-kinematic nanopositioner machined from a single sheet of piezoelectric material. In this class of nanopo-sitioners, the flexures, sensors and actuators are completely integrated into a single monolithic structure. A non-trivial electrode topology is etched into the sheet to achieve in-plane bending and displacement of the moving platform. Finite element analysis predicts a sensitivity of 18.6 nmN in the x-axis and 18.1 nm/V in the y-axis with a voltage limit of -250 V to 1000 V. The first resonance frequency is 250 Hz in the Z axis. This design enables high-speed, long-range, lateral positioning in space-limited applications.