Abstract: An apparatus for the rotational coating of a surface of a substrate with a fluid, in particular the surface of a wafer with a polymer liquid, especially with a photoresist includes a rotary plate (2) for receiving the substrate (11), a drive device (3) for rotating the rotary plate (2), a dispensing nozzle (4) for the application of a predeterminable quantity of fluid onto the surface of the substrate (11) for the purpose of forming a layer (12) and also a pump (5) for conveying the fluid, the pump being connectable, on the one hand, to a source (20) for the fluid and, on the other hand, to the dispensing nozzle (4). A viscosimeter (6) is provided with which the actual viscosity of the fluid can be determined by physical measurement prior to the application of the fluid. Furthermore a corresponding method is proposed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means to reduce holding current and driving current of EMVD's effectively and practically and to provide soft landing of a valve. The invention incorporates a nonlinear mechanical transformer as part of an EMVD system. The nonlinear mechanical transformer is designed for the spring and the inertia in the EMVD to have desirable nonlinear characteristics. With the presently disclosed invention, the holding current and driving current are reduced and soft valve landing is achieved. The nonlinear characteristics of a nonlinear mechanical transformer can be implemented in various ways. The concept of the invention can be applied not only to EMVD's but also to general reciprocating and bi-stable servomechanical systems, where smooth acceleration, soft landing, and small power consumption are desired.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means to reduce holding current and driving current of EMVD's effectively and practically and to provide soft landing of a valve. The invention incorporates a nonlinear mechanical transformer as part of an EMVD system. The nonlinear mechanical transformer is designed for the spring and the inertia in the EMVD to have desirable nonlinear characteristics. With the presently disclosed invention, the holding current and driving current are reduced and soft valve landing is achieved. The nonlinear characteristics of a nonlinear mechanical transformer can be implemented in various ways. The concept of the invention can be applied not only to EMVD's but also to general reciprocating and bi-stable servomechanical systems, where smooth acceleration, soft landing, and small power consumption are desired.

Abstract: A high precision friction drive positioning stage system is described. The friction drive positioning stage system uses three special actuation systems, each having a tip in contact with the stage and being capable of generating directional elliptical motion which allows the stage to move in any direction in the plane of the stage and in rotation. In one embodiment, each actuation system includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements in contact with a hat-shaped element at which the tip of the actuation system is located.

Abstract: A fuzzy controller controls a track seeking operation and a track following operation for an actuator in accordance with a position error between a present position value and a reference value. When the actuator is in track seeking operation, the actuator is accelerated or decelerated based on a velocity error value between an actual velocity value of the actuator and a target velocity value determined from a velocity profile according to the position error. In a deceleration control of the actuator, a fuzzy inference value generated based on the velocity error value and its differentiated velocity error value is used for a control of the actuator, thereby reducing an occurrence of overshooting at a target track.