Uchicago Argonne, LLC

The University of Chicago

The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Energy

The United States of America as Represented by the United States

U.S. Department of Energy

Deming Shu

Jorg M Maser

Steven P Kearney

Curt Alfred Preissner

Barry Lai

Tuncer M Kuzay

Jayson W Anton

Franz Stefan Vogt

Christian Roehrig

Stanislav Stoupin

Thomas S Toellner

E Ercan Alp

John W Lewellen

Jie Liu

Jin Wang

Andrzej Joachimiak

Gopal Shenoy

Lahsen Assoufid

Gregory Brian Stephenson

Xianbo Shi

Michael J Wojcik

Jonathan Z Tischler

Randy Alkire

Hanfei Yan

Yury Shvydko

Kwang-Je Kim

Daniel Nocher

Robert P Winarski

Sophie C Gleber

Juan Barraza, Jr

Yufeng Han

Joan Vila-Comamala

Peter Lee

Wah-Keat Lee

Zhonghou Cai

Stephan Ginell

Yong Chu

Robert G Schuessler

Nikolai Vinokurov

Juan Barraza

Ross J Harder

Tim M Mooney

William F Toter

Yuri Shvydko

Ruben Khachatryan

Kurt A Goetze

Timothy Roberts

Wenjun Liu

Martin V Holt

A method and a novel flexure interface apparatus are provided for ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) applications for precision nanopositioning systems. An ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) metrology base is integrated with an ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) flange together including a precision and compact flexure interface structure defining a UHV metrology base near-zero-length feedthrough. The UHV metrology base is directly mounted to a flange mounting surface in air with nanopositioning and thermal stability. The precision and compact flexure interface structure has sufficient strength to hold the vacuum force and sufficiently flexible to survive with the thermal expansion stress during bakeout process.

Method and mechanical design of a flexure interface for ultra-high-vacuum nanopositioning Invar base near-zero-length feedthrough

The present disclosure relates to a flexure mechanism that includes a plurality of thin material structures, each thin material structure including a weak-link portion and a separable constraint portion. The separable constraint portion is linked to the weak-link portion and configured to stabilize the weak-link portion. Additionally, the plurality of thin material structures are stacked and secured together to form a laminar structure.

Constrained flexure mechanism and method for manufacturing the same

An enhanced method and precision nanopositioning apparatus for implementing enhanced nanopositioning performance is provided. The nanopositioning apparatus includes a vertical linear nanopositioning flexure stage and a horizontal linear nanopositioning flexure stage. The vertical linear nanopositioning flexure stage includes a stage base, a symmetrically configured flexure linear guiding mechanism with precision motion enhancement structure, and a stage carriage. The horizontal linear nanopositioning flexure stage is mounted on the stage carriage of the vertical linear nanopositioning flexure stage, and includes a middle-bar relative position control mechanism to enhance the stiffness of a flexure linear guiding mechanism.

Method and precision nanopositioning apparatus with compact vertical and horizontal linear nanopositioning flexure stages for implementing enhanced nanopositioning performance

A method and mechanical design for a thin-film diamond crystal mounting apparatus for coherence preservation x-ray optics with optimized thermal contact and minimized crystal strain are provided. The novel thin-film diamond crystal mounting apparatus mounts a thin-film diamond crystal supported by a thick chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond film spacer with a thickness slightly thicker than the thin-film diamond crystal, and two groups of thin film thermal conductors, such as thin CVD diamond film thermal conductor groups separated by the thick CVD diamond spacer. The two groups of thin CVD film thermal conductors provide thermal conducting interface media with the thin-film diamond crystal. A piezoelectric actuator is integrated into a flexural clamping mechanism generating clamping force from zero to an optimal level.

Mechanical design of thin-film diamond crystal mounting apparatus with optimized thermal contact and crystal strain for coherence preservation x-ray optics

An enhanced mechanical design of multiple zone plates precision alignment apparatus for hard x-ray focusing in a twenty-nanometer scale is provided. The precision alignment apparatus includes a zone plate alignment base frame; a plurality of zone plates; and a plurality of zone plate holders, each said zone plate holder for mounting and aligning a respective zone plate for hard x-ray focusing. At least one respective positioning stage drives and positions each respective zone plate holder. Each respective positioning stage is mounted on the zone plate alignment base frame. A respective linkage component connects each respective positioning stage and the respective zone plate holder. The zone plate alignment base frame, each zone plate holder and each linkage component is formed of a selected material for providing thermal expansion stability and positioning stability for the precision alignment apparatus.

Mechanical design of multiple zone plates precision alignment apparatus for hard X-ray focusing in twenty-nanometer scale

A method and high precision robot arm system are provided, for example, for X-ray nanodiffraction with an X-ray nanoprobe. The robot arm system includes duo-vertical-stages and a kinematic linkage system. A two-dimensional (2D) vertical plane ultra-precision robot arm supporting an X-ray detector provides positioning and manipulating of the X-ray detector. A vertical support for the 2D vertical plane robot arm includes spaced apart rails respectively engaging a first bearing structure and a second bearing structure carried by the 2D vertical plane robot arm.

High precision detector robot arm system

A method and an ultrahigh-resolution spectrometer including a precision mechanical structure for positioning inelastic X-ray scattering optics are provided. The spectrometer includes an X-ray monochromator and an X-ray analyzer, each including X-ray optics of a collimating (C) crystal, a pair of dispersing (D) element crystals, anomalous transmission filter (F) and a wavelength (W) selector crystal. A respective precision mechanical structure is provided with the X-ray monochromator and the X-ray analyzer. The precision mechanical structure includes a base plate, such as an aluminum base plate; positioning stages for D-crystal alignment; positioning stages with an incline sensor for C/F/W-crystal alignment, and the positioning stages including flexure-based high-stiffness structure.

Precision mechanical structure of an ultra-high-resolution spectrometer for inelastic X-ray scattering instrument

A method and deformation compensated flexural pivots structured for precision linear nanopositioning stages are provided. A deformation-compensated flexural linear guiding mechanism includes a basic parallel mechanism including a U-shaped member and a pair of parallel bars linked to respective pairs of I-link bars and each of the I-bars coupled by a respective pair of flexural pivots. The basic parallel mechanism includes substantially evenly distributed flexural pivots minimizing center shift dynamic errors.

Mechanical design of deformation compensated flexural pivots structured for linear nanopositioning stages

Enhanced mechanical designs are provided for weak-link rotary mechanisms for implementing angular rotations with a defined angular travel range and positioning resolution, for example, with ten-degree-level travel range and ten-nanoradian-level positioning resolution. A weak-link rotary structure has a predetermined pattern for implementing angular rotations with repeatable and reliable angular travel range and positioning resolution including a plurality of connecting links radially extending from a central portion with a predefined angular separation between the connecting links; each said connecting link having at least one pair of weak-link connections; alternate connecting links being coupled to a respective terminal, each said respective terminal being mounted to a connecting carriage; remaining other connecting links being coupled to a respective mounting portion of a mating part of the weak-link rotary structure.

Mechanical design of laminar weak-link rotary mechanisms with ten-degree-level travel range and ten-nanoradian-level positioning resolution

An enhanced mechanical design for laminar weak-link mechanisms with centimeter-level travel range and sub-nanometer positioning resolution is provided. A multiple parallelogram weak-link structure includes a predefined pattern of a plurality of perpendicularly arranged groups of connecting links, each link having at least one pair of weak-link connections. Each of the plurality of perpendicularly arranged groups includes a terminal for mounting to a fixed base. The multiple parallelogram weak-link structure includes a moving part for mounting on a carriage, providing precisely controlled movement with stability in one direction. A two-dimensional (2D) ultra-precision scanning stages assembly for x-ray nanoprobe applications includes multiple redundantly constrained weak-link structures, a vertical ultra-precision positioning stage, and a horizontal ultra-precision positioning stage.

Mechanical design of laminar weak-link mechanisms with centimeter-level travel range and sub-nanometer positioning resolution

A thin, x-ray-transparent window system for environmental chambers involving pneumatic pressures above 40 bar is presented. The window allows for x-ray access to such phenomena as fuel sprays injected into a pressurized chamber that mimics realistic internal combustion engine cylinder operating conditions.

Radiation-transparent windows, method for imaging fluid transfers

A multidimensional alignment apparatus is provided for multidimensional aligning of two linear multilayer Laue lenses (MLLs) for two-dimensional hard X-ray focusing. The multidimensional alignment apparatus precisely aligns and ensures stability of two linear MLLs performing hard x-ray focusing. The multidimensional alignment apparatus includes a base, a lower stages group controlling a first upstream MLL, an upper stages group positioned over the lower stages group controlling a second downstream MLL and an upper stage support attached to the base. The lower stages group provides five degrees of freedom precision positioning adjustment for the first upstream MLL. The second downstream MLL is mounted on the upper stages group with three degrees of freedom adjustment capability.

Multidimensional alignment apparatus for hard x-ray focusing with two multilayer laue lenses

A multifunctional hard x-ray nanoprobe instrument for characterization of nanoscale materials and devices includes a scanning probe mode with a full field transmission mode. The scanning probe mode provides fluorescence spectroscopy and diffraction contrast imaging. The full field transmission mode allows two-dimensional (2-D) imaging and tomography. The nanoprobe instrument includes zone plate optics for focusing and imaging. The nanoprobe instrument includes a stage group for positioning the zone plate optics. The nanoprobe instrument includes a specimen stage group for positioning the specimen. An enhanced laser Doppler displacement meter (LDDM) system provides two-dimensional differential displacement measurement in a range of nanometer resolution between the zone-plate optics and the sample holder. A digital signal processor (DSP) implements a real-time closed-loop feedback technique for providing differential vibration control between the zone-plate optics and the sample holder.

Optomechanical structure for a multifunctional hard x-ray nanoprobe instrument

A method and robot-based automation system are provided for cryogenic crystal sample mounting, for example, for use for cryogenic crystal sample mounting in the x-ray crystallography station at an x-ray source. The system includes a robot arm carrying a handset. The handset includes a pair of elongated fingers for sample mounting, and each finger carrying a set of strain gauge arrays for providing force sensing. A slim finger design allows a sample mounting process with no interference with the beam stop, cryostreem and x-ray detectors. The handset can detect the contact force intensity and direction; provide a precise gripping action; and feel the results of the gripping. The finger design incorporates a mechanism to maintain the sample temperature well below the cryogenic safety margin for the crystal viability. A Dewar container is provided with an ice control system and liquid nitrogen flow control. A triangular sample magazine maximizes the Dewar space usage. A miniature kinematical mounting sample holder provides near micron positioning repeatability. These capabilities make the robot-arm more powerful, flexible, and reliable.

Robot-based automation system for cryogenic crystal sample mounting

Redundantly constrained laminar structures as weak-link mechanisms and a novel method for manufacturing the redundantly constrained laminar structures as weak-link mechanisms are provided. The method for producing the redundantly constrained laminar structures as weak-link mechanisms is carried out by lithographic techniques. A designed pattern is repeatedly chemically etched with a mask to produce a plurality of individual identical units. The units are stacked together to form the laminar structure and are secured together with fasteners. A high quality adhesive can be applied to the sides of the laminar structure to provide the mechanism equivalent to a single piece mechanism. The redundantly constrained laminar structures as weak-link mechanisms of the invention include a stack of a plurality of thin material structures. The stack of structures forming a laminar structure include multiple weak-link connections providing controllable movements in a plane of the layer and having a desired stiffness and stability. The plurality of thin material structures include predetermined locating-holes used with locating-pins to precisely stack the thin material structures together and are used with fasteners to secure the stack together.

Redundantly constrained laminar structure as weak-link mechanisms

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Darien, IL, United States of America

Deming Shu