High-precision flexure-based XY-stage with high stiffness and load capacity

Typical flexure-based XY-stages have a serial design, and their layout results in the flexures being loaded in flection in face of heavy payloads or vertical loads. This paper presents a design with zero parasitic shift in which all flexures are loaded in traction/compression, resulting in a high-precision and high-load-capacity flexure-based XY-stage. A proof-of-concept demonstrator validates the concept and numerical simulations indicates sub-micron straightness error.