Development of a flexure-based XY positioning stage for micro/nano manipulation

This paper presents the design and modeling methodologies of a novel flexure-based positioning stage with capable of traveling along two translational directions. A 4-PP parallel configuration is utilized to implement two planar translational motions. Each prismatic joint is achieved using a translational flexure hinge with a large deformation for smooth motion. The two layers are assembled in a top-down and stacked manner for a compact structure. Furthermore, the flexure-based stage has a totally decoupled kinematic characteristic in theory, which is crucial in micro/nano scale manipulation. Classical beam theory is utilized to conduct the statics, stiffness and dynamics modeling to predict the primary response of the flexure-based stage. Finite element analysis (FEA) is performed to examine the mechanical performances and validate the established models. The finite element simulation shows that the proposed flexure-based stage can achieve a large displacement within the millimeter level, and high natural frequencies of about 134 Hz for two translational vibrations.