Positioning mechanism for specimen inspection and processing

Abstract

A specimen positioning mechanism includes a movable stage movable along multiple axes, a plate connected to and supporting a specimen mounting chuck, multiple linear displacement mechanisms coupling the plate to the movable stage and mutually spaced apart at different locations between the movable stage and the plate and separately controllable to change distances between the movable stage and the plate, and a flexible member coupling the movable stage and the plate. The flexible member is motion compliant in three axes of motion. The flexible member in response to linear displacements of the linear displacement mechanisms allows linear and rotational movement of the specimen mounting chuck in the three axes of motion compliance.

1 . A high resolution, dynamic specimen positioning mechanism, comprising: 
 a movable stage operable for movement in directions along multiple axes;    a plate operatively connected to a specimen mounting chuck to support it;    multiple linear displacement mechanisms coupling the plate to the movable stage, the linear displacement mechanisms positioned in a space between the movable stage and the plate and controllable to change distances in the space between the movable stage and the plate;    a flexible member operatively connected to the movable stage and the plate, the flexible member being motion compliant in three axes of motion, one of which defines a direction of linear displacement of the linear displacement mechanisms, and the flexible member in response to linear displacements of the linear displacement mechanisms allowing linear and rotational movement of the specimen mounting chuck in the three axes of motion compliance;    a dynamic positioning mechanism including first and second base portions operatively coupled to, respectively, the movable stage and the flexible member; and    a drive mechanism operatively coupled to the first and second base portions to impart relative movement to them and thereby angular displacement of the specimen mounting chuck about the direction of linear displacement.