Advancing Precision: Mechatronic Principles from Semiconductor Manufacturing to Next-Generation Beamline Equipment
by
Maxwell Auditorium
ALBA Synchrotron
Abstract
Next-generation experiments demand both rapid and precise sample positioning, along with ultra-stable optics alignment. Moving from classical quasi-static (point-to-point) positioning to advanced scanning applications requires a different class of equipment and a different design approach. Implementing these changes requires substantial time and expertise, as it involves developing and integrating new technologies to meet the high performance with sufficient reliability.
One industry that has successfully embraced ultra-precision mechatronic equipment for decades is semiconductor manufacturing. Beginning in the 1980s, semiconductor manufacturing instrumentation has seen rapid advancements in mechatronics over the past 15 years. Today, this equipment can achieve speeds of several m/s with accelerations reaching tens of m/s², while maintaining nanometer-level positioning accuracy. To meet high throughput requirements, these systems must be extremely reliable to maintain stringent uptime targets. Over time, specific design principles have been developed to achieve these exceptional performances, principles that can also be applied to next-generation beamline equipment.
This lecture will explore these mechatronic principles as demonstrated in semiconductor lithography systems and backend equipment, illustrating how they have been adapted in recently developed beamline equipment such as a high-dynamic double-crystal monochromator (DCM), a scanning nanoprobe positioning stage, and a six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) magnetically controlled tomography stage.
MI-Partners is an engineering firm specializing in innovative mechatronic solutions. We focus on highly innovative projects, offering services from analysis and concept generation through to design, prototyping, realization, and validation. Based in Veldhoven, The Netherlands, MI-Partners serves a global client base, from multinational corporations to research institutes, including synchrotrons.
Carles Colldelram
