Abstract: A system for transporting substrates and precisely align the substrates horizontally and vertically. The system decouples the functions of transporting the substrates, vertically aligning the substrates, and horizontally aligning the substrates. The transport system includes a carriage upon which plurality of chuck assemblies are loosely positioned, each of the chuck assemblies includes a base having vertical alignment wheels to place the substrate in precise vertical alignment. A pedestal is configured to freely slide on the base. The pedestal includes a set of horizontal alignment wheels that precisely align the pedestal in the horizontal direction. An electrostatic chuck is magnetically held to the pedestal.

Abstract: A fault tolerant virtual elliptical electric motor has at least four coil elements constrained in a stator case. A drive plate is supported by a fulcrum for nutating motion and has at least four core segments each associated with a respective one of the at least four coil elements for attraction upon activation. A control processor provides independent current control to each of the at least four coil elements for activation responsive to a received position command and a received wobble angle input, inducing the at least four coil elements to operate in a pure torque sum configuration upon the drive plate.

Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus of a vibration-type actuator for generating an elliptical motion of contact portions by a common alternating current signal including a frequency determining unit for setting a frequency of the alternating current signal. The frequency determining unit sets the frequency of the alternating current signal for changing an ellipticity of the elliptical motion, within a frequency range such that ellipticity changing frequency ranges set for the vibrators are overlapped, and the ellipticity changing frequency ranges are set for the vibrators as frequency ranges between an upper limit and a lower limit, such that the lower limit is a maximum resonant frequency at a time of changing the ellipticity, and the upper limit is larger than the lower limit and is a maximum frequency for the relative movement of the driving member.

Abstract: An exemplary piezoelectric driving module includes a movable barrel, a fixed barrel receiving the movable barrel, a piezoelectric actuator, and a spring member. The piezoelectric actuator is configured for moving the movable barrel relative to the fixed barrel. The piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric body mounted on the sidewall of the fixed barrel and a friction member mounted on the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body is configured for driving the friction member to generate elliptical vibration. The friction member is in frictional contact with the movable barrel. The spring member connects the movable barrel to the fixed barrel. The spring member is configured for providing an resilient force to make the movable barrel be in frictional contact with the friction member such that the friction member can be driven by the piezoelectric body to move the movable barrel along the central axis of the fixed barrel.

Abstract: Positioning apparatus comprises: a first surface; a tubular body having a longitudinal axis and a first end surface at a first end of the tubular body, the first end surface being arranged in contact with the first surface; and surface wave generation means arranged to generate a first travelling surface wave on the first end surface, the first travelling surface wave travelling along a first portion of the first end surface in a first direction around the first end surface, and, while the first travelling surface wave is travelling along the first portion of the first end surface, to generate a second travelling surface wave on the first end surface, the second travelling surface wave travelling along a second portion of the first end surface in a second direction around the first end surface, the second direction being opposite to the first direction.