Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for referencing a near-field measurement, e.g. in a scanning probe microscope.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coolable optical table with a table top and at least three table legs. Securing means for securing objects such as optical elements are provided in a table surface of the table top. The table legs are equipped with a damping device for damping vibrations.

Abstract: An electromechanical actuator includes a base part and an oscillation resonator having the shape of a rod. The electromechanical actuator further includes amount for mounting the oscillation resonator to the base part. The mount is configured to bear the oscillation resonator so as to be rotatable around an axis of the oscillation resonator rod relative to the base part. A driver member is mechanically coupled to the oscillation resonator. A slider or a rotator is configured to be moved by the driver member when the oscillation resonator is excited.

Abstract: The invention relates to a table having a tabletop and including a refrigerating machine, at least one section of the tabletop being coolable by means of the refrigerating machine via a thermal contact; an upper vacuum chamber, which can be evacuated, for thermally insulating the thermal contact from a surrounding area of the table, said chamber connecting an upper face of the refrigerating machine facing the tabletop and the section to be cooled, and which has at least one flexible upper chamber section; a lower vacuum chamber, which can be evacuated, which is connected to a lower face of the refrigerating machine facing away from the tabletop, and which has at least one flexible lower chamber section; and a rigid stiffening structure, which is connected to the refrigerating machine via the flexible upper chamber section and via the flexible lower chamber section.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stick-slip drive comprising a base and a rotor which are in contact with one another via a friction surface and are coupled to one another in such a way that the rotor can perform an inertial motion relative to the base, characterized in that two materials, a noble metal and a ceramic material, are paired up on the friction surface between the base and the rotor.

Abstract: Interferometer (10) for the real-time measurement of absolute distances and/or relative position movements between a first and a second machine part, comprising a measurement unit (20) and a reflector unit (40). wherein the measurement unit (20) comprises a housing (21) with at least one wall made of heat-conducting material, wherein several measurement elements are arranged in the housing (21), wherein the measurement elements comprise: a laser source (22), a Peltier element (24) and a digital control (23) wherein the measurement elements are thermally coupled to the wall of the housing (21) made of heat-conducting material.

Abstract: An electromechanical actuator includes an oscillation resonator having the shape of a rod. The oscillation resonator is divided by a dividing plane that is not parallel to the longitudinal direction of the oscillation resonator into a first resonator portion and a second resonator portion. At least the first resonator portion includes electromechanical means which, when activated, are configured to generate a 3-dimensional acoustic bulk wave are with a mode shape asymmetric with respect to the dividing plane.

Abstract: A device for absolute distance measurement includes a first tunable light source for emitting a first wavelength light of a first tunable frequency modulated by a first modulating frequency and a second light source for emitting a second wavelength light of a second frequency modulated by a second modulating frequency. An optical coupler couples the first wavelength light and the second wavelength light into an interferometer cavity. An interferometer detector provides an interference measurement signal based on a detected interference pattern. A demodulator unit generates a first demodulation signal based on the interference measurement signal by demodulation with the first modulating frequency and a second demodulation signal based on the interference measurement signal by demodulation with the second modulating frequency. A computation unit computes an absolute distance by evaluating the first demodulation signal acquired during a sweep of the first tunable frequency and the second demodulation signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a table having a tabletop and including a refrigerating machine, at least one section of the tabletop being coolable by means of the refrigerating machine via a thermal contact; an upper vacuum chamber, which can be evacuated, for thermally insulating the thermal contact from a surrounding area of the table, said chamber connecting an upper face of the refrigerating machine facing the tabletop and the section to be cooled, and which has at least one flexible upper chamber section; a lower vacuum chamber, which can be evacuated, which is connected to a lower face of the refrigerating machine facing away from the tabletop, and which has at least one flexible lower chamber section; and a rigid stiffening structure, which is connected to the refrigerating machine via the flexible upper chamber section and via the flexible lower chamber section.

Abstract: A device for absolute distance measurement includes a first tunable light source for emitting a first wavelength light of a first tunable frequency modulated by a first modulating frequency and a second light source for emitting a second wavelength light of a second frequency modulated by a second modulating frequency. An optical coupler couples the first wavelength light and the second wavelength light into an interferometer cavity. An interferometer detector provides an interference measurement signal based on a detected interference pattern. A demodulator unit generates a first demodulation signal based on the interference measurement signal by demodulation with the first modulating frequency and a second demodulation signal based on the interference measurement signal by demodulation with the second modulating frequency. A computation unit computes an absolute distance by evaluating the first demodulation signal acquired during a sweep of the first tunable frequency and the second demodulation signal.

Abstract: Device and method for acquiring position with a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer. In a general aspect, the device for acquiring position may include an arrangement for acquiring position where the acquiring arrangement has a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer. In another general aspect, a method for acquiring position may include generating an interference pattern dependent on a position of an object by a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer; detecting the interference pattern to obtain a measuring signal; and evaluating the measuring signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for position finding, including a light source to produce a wave field in a measurement section, a wave field variation device to generate a variation of a wavelength of the wave field over time, an interferometer to produce an interference pattern for the wave field which is dependent on the length of the measurement section, a detector to produce a measurement signal on the basis of the detected interference pattern, and an evaluation circuit to evaluate the measurement signal on the basis of the variation over time.

Abstract: Device and method for acquiring position with a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer. In a general aspect, the device for acquiring position may include an arrangement for acquiring position where the acquiring arrangement has a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer. In another general aspect, a method for acquiring position may include generating an interference pattern dependent on a position of an object by a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer; detecting the interference pattern to obtain a measuring signal; and evaluating the measuring signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for position finding, including a light source to produce a wave field in a measurement section, a wave field variation device to generate a variation of a wavelength of the wave field over time, an interferometer to produce an interference pattern for the wave field which is dependent on the length of the measurement section, a detector to produce a measurement signal on the basis of the detected interference pattern, and an evaluation circuit to evaluate the measurement signal on the basis of the variation over time.

Abstract: A positioning device has a first unit and a second unit arranged so as to be displaceable relative to the first unit. A slip-stick drive acts between the first unit and the second unit to produce a translatory movement (P) of the two units. The positioning device has a solid-body joint which is coupled to the first unit and the slip-stick drive and which mechanically protects a translation shaft of the slip-stick drive against rotation and/or lateral displacement.

Abstract: An inertial positioning device comprising: a base plate (10); a top plate (20) for mounting an element to be rotated; a rotation member (16) having a column (18) on which the top plate is mounted in frictional engagement for slip-stick rotational motion; and a pair of piezoelectric actuators (12) each secured to the base plate at one end and to lateral extensions (17) of the rotation member at their other ends. Simultaneous actuation of the piezoelectric actuators rotates the column of the rotation member about its axis. When a suitable asymmetric drive signal is supplied to the piezoelectric actuators, the top plate is rotated by slip-stick motion. The device is compact, has a good load capacity for an inertial motor and is operable in extreme environments such as liquid helium temperatures, high vacuum and high magnetic fields.