A one-dimensional piezoelectric-driven inertial micropositioner with vertical capabilities

We have developed a novel piezoelectric-based linear inertial slider to achieve remote micropositioning in any orientation. It is particularly suitable for SPM in cryogenic and ultra-high vacuum environments and the simple, coaxial design results in a rigid structure. Speeds of up to 2 mm s super(-1) have been achieved vertically against gravity, and the ability to lift up to 100 g has been demonstrated. A computer simulation for the system has been developed and used to investigate the effects of different driving waveforms. In particular an exponential ramp was shown to be most effective, this was corroborated by experimental results.