To make the right decisions and to ensure satisfactory performance in a positioning system, it is necessary to first have a grasp of performance parameters and an understanding of their definitions.Newport CorporationAbbe Error — Linear off-axis errors introduced by angular deviations coupled to a moment arm at the point of interest on stage mounted devices (θ in Figure 1). The effect of Abbe error will appear as linear runout δx, but unlike true linear runout, it can be minimized by reducing...Read full articleRelated content from Photonics MediaARTICLESBristol Instruments Moves to New HeadquartersPrecision instrument developer Bristol Instruments Inc. has relocated to a 20,000 sq-ft facility to expand its production and R&D laboratory space. 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LASER COMPONENTS...Photonics.com 2/7/2018WEBINARSNanometer-Level Positioning: A Mechatronic & System Design ApproachNanopositioning, or moving objects with atomic-scale precision, is a key enabling technology in areas such as semiconductor processing, microscopy and nano imaging, hard-drive and electronics...Photonics.com 3/11/2015Techniques in Biophotonic ImagingFREE WEBINAR Sponsored by: Hamamatsu & Applied Scientific Instrumentation Additional Questions & Answers from the webinar are below: Dr. Kimani C. Toussaint Jr. Quantitative...Photonics.com 3/21/2013Advances in Rapid 3D Imaging of Large Tissue SamplesThis webinar will discuss rapid 3D, multiplexed imaging of large tissue samples, based on recent advances in light-sheet fluorescence microscopy, multiplexed molecular labeling, and optical tissue...Photonics.com 1/24/2019Shareable Advanced Light-Sheet Microscopy Using FlamingoThis webinar will discuss a new model for advanced microscopy, based on shareable, modular instruments. This model, called Flamingo, is designed to bridge the gap between biology and technology....Photonics.com 10/25/2018PHOTONICS DICTIONARY TERMSCrayford focuserA high-quality focuser that uses rollers rather than gears and offers smooth, precise motion while reducing or eliminating image shift and backlash.EDU.photonics.com 9/8/2009backlashIn a mechanical system, any lost motion between driving and driven elements due to clearance between parts.EDU.photonics.com 9/8/2009nanopositioning actuatorA positioning device capable of producing repeatable motion in increments as small as 1 nm or less. Nanopositioning actuators are frictionless devices that are typically piezoelectrically driven....EDU.photonics.com 9/8/2009air bearingA support device in which a column or chamber of air permits the free travel of a mobile part. In optical mounting and positioning equipment, air bearings are of two types, linear or rotary,...EDU.photonics.com 9/8/2009PHOTONICS HANDBOOK ARTICLESNanopositioning: A Step Ahead: It is almost a cliché among students of creativity that innovation occurs at the intersection of fields. Since nanopositioning is a discipline that has enabled swiftly evolving application arenas as diverse as materials science, genomics, photonics, defense, biophysics and semiconductors, it’s unsurprising that its pace of innovation is nothing short of blistering in recent years.By its original definition, a nanopositioning device is a mechanism capable of repeatedly delivering motion in increments as small as one nanometer. Lately demands from industry and research have...Photonics HandbookMicroassembly: Minimizing Error and Maximizing Precision: Optimizing positioning systems for microassembly processes requires an understanding of the potential errors that can cause precision part placement to go awry.Progressive assembly operations such as guiding, gluing and bonding often take place around a static package in three-dimensional space. Integrating the different mechanical systems to ensure that...Photonics HandbookVibration Control: Limiting Mechanical Noise: Vibration control plays a critical role in research and industry. Mechanical noise, for example, can obscure high-resolution images and affect the quality of nanotechnology processes. Fortunately, vibration can be controlled through proper experimentation, process design and the use of specialized equipment.In general, there are three common approaches to reducing mechanical excitation of photonic systems. The first is identifying the sources of vibration and implementing ways to eliminate or reduce...Photonics HandbookOptical Delay Lines: Key to Time-Resolved Measurements: To obtain an accurate means of creating reliable delays in any time-resolved spectroscopy or dynamic experiment, several factors about the delay line stage must be considered to reduce or eliminate errors associated with linear stages.One of the most critical elements of any time-resolved spectroscopy and dynamics experiment is the optical delay line. A typical optical delay line consists of a retroreflector or folding mirrors on...Photonics HandbookPHOTONICS BUYERS' GUIDE CATEGORIESOptical MountsAstronomical InstrumentsLinear EncodersOptical PyrometersAn optical pyrometer is a system that, by comparing a source whose temperature is to be measured to a standardized source of illumination (usually compared to the human eye), determines the...COMPANIESNewport CorporationNewport – an MKS Instruments Brand Newport is a brand within the MKS Instruments Light & Motion division. The Newport product portfolio consists of a full range of solutions including...Photonics Buyers' Guide