Single crystal silicon is 10x stronger than steel, perfectly elastic and stable

• Stage is robust, repeatable, precise

Machining tolerance is <1 micron

• Providing nearly perfect alignment of moving platform to reference frame

High aspect ratio flexures

• >20:1 aspect ratio
• Providing design flexibility

Stiffness in travel direction is >1,000 times softer than in all other degrees of freedom

• Ensures precise control of linear motion

MEMS actuator is based on a comb drive

• Comb drives are capacitive actuators that utilize electrostatic forces that act between two electrically conductive combs
• Combs are arranged so they never touch
• When voltage is applied, it causes the combs to be drawn together, causing movement
• The force (and movement) is proportional to the square of the applied voltage between the combs