Microscope Stage Sensor Base Thermal Expansion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing XY stages in microscopes face challenges in maintaining accurate observation position management due to thermal expansion, which causes errors in position detection, especially when sensors are not robust against temperature changes and are positioned away from the optical axis.
Innovation Solution
A stage apparatus with sensors fixed to a base using sensor bases made from materials with lower thermal expansion coefficients, arranged to minimize the impact of thermal expansion on position reading, ensuring accurate observation position management by maintaining sensor positions relative to the optical axis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sensor is arranged away from the optical axis to avoid the opening portion, then the sensor can be fixed on the stage structure, but thermal expansion causes the sensor position to shift relative to the optical axis, creating position detection errors
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor base made of a material with a smaller thermal expansion coefficient than the stage structure is introduced as an intermediary component. The sensor is fixed to this sensor base, which in turn is fixed to the stage structure. This intermediary sensor base compensates for thermal expansion differences, maintaining the sensor's position relative to the optical axis while allowing the sensor to be fixed away from the optical axis opening.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor is placed near the optical axis for accurate position management, then position detection accuracy improves, but the opening portion in the optical axis prevents sensor fixation
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor base serves as a mediator that enables sensor fixation at positions away from the optical axis while maintaining measurement precision. By using a material with lower thermal expansion, the sensor base ensures that the sensor remains at a stable, known position relative to the optical axis, compensating for the distance from the axis and the presence of the opening portion.
3Strength
If the stage structure is made robust to support sensor fixation, then structural strength improves, but thermal expansion of the stage causes sensor position shifts
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the system use different materials with appropriate properties. The stage structure uses a robust material for structural strength, while the sensor base uses a material with a smaller thermal expansion coefficient specifically for maintaining sensor position stability. This local differentiation of material properties allows both structural strength and position stability to be achieved simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor base acts as an intermediary that decouples the thermal expansion characteristics of the robust stage structure from the sensor position requirements. By placing the sensor on this intermediate platform with different thermal properties, the system achieves both the structural strength needed for support and the position stability needed for accurate measurement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively reduces thermal expansion errors in XY stage position management, allowing for precise control and accurate observation position management, even under temperature variations, thereby enhancing the reliability of microscopic observations.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor base 15 formed from a material having a smaller thermal expansion coefficient than the fixed base 3
Data Source
AI summary
A stage apparatus includes a first stage, a second stage movable in a first direction relative to the first stage, a sensor which reads a scale moving in the first direction together with the second stage and a sensor base which is formed from a material having a smaller thermal expansion coefficient than the first stage and fixes the sensor to the first stage. The sensor base is fixed to the first stage at two fixing positions located near a second axis having a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and passing through a specific position and sandwiching the specific position, and is fixed to the first stage at a fixing position located near a first axis having the first direction and passing through the specific position and the arrangement position of the sensor so as to be movable in the first direction.