A new method for precision displacement measurement based on the heat-flow detection by a micro thermal sensor combined with grating pattern structures

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18798
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 18:Mechanics of materials, production engineering, design engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Shimizu Yuki 東北大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (70606384)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 熱収支場 / エンコーダ / マイクロパターン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A new principle of a compact linear scale for displacement measurement, in which a heat flow generated between a micro thermal sensor and precision three-dimensionla micro pattern structures prepared on a scale surface is employed to read the scale displacement, has been proposed. A reading head composed of several micro thermal sensors patterned on a glass substrate has been fabricated based on the photolithography process. A prototype linear scale has been developed by combining the reading head with a diffraction grating, and the experimental results have demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed linear scale based on the detection of the heat flow between the micro thermal sensor and a scale grating.

Free Research Field

生産工学・加工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で提案する「マイクロ熱収支場検知式エンコーダ」は，マイクロ熱検知素子-回折格子スケール間に生成した安定熱収支場をもとにスケール格子パターンを読み取ることで素子-スケール間相対変位の高精度読み取りを実現するものである．「熱」を積極的に精密計測に援用する本手法は学術的にも意義があるもので，従来はリニアスケールを設置できなかった狭小スペースにおいても高精度な変位検出を実現できる可能性を有することから，その産業的波及効果も期待できる．