Fiber optic interferometric sensors for

micro-positioning applications
Kai-Yu Cheng*, Yu-Yi Su, Yen-Liang Chen, Hung-Ming Tai, Jung-Tsung Chou
Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute
321 Kuang Fu Rd., Sec. 2, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, R.O.C.

ABSTRACT

The precision displacement control in high-resolution instrument is influenced by non-linearity effects of PZT actuators.
The capacitive sensor within PZT actuator is often used as a displacement sensor for feedback control, but the calibration
and traceability of capacitive sensor are hardly to be accomplished. The optic fiber sensor is a useful high-resolution
displacement sensor to perform the measurement in space-limited instrument, and it’s also capable of a non-contact
function. In this paper, the structure of an optic fiber sensor was introduced, and the hysteresis characteristic of PZT
actuator was evaluated. In addition, the performance of the capacitive sensor within PZT actuator for close-loop control
was compared with those of the optic fiber sensor, and the differences ratio between both was less than 0.12 %.
Following the scanned images by interference microscope, the images have some distortions before applying the
compensated curve function for non-linearity. Thus, the optic fiber sensor could be provided a calibration service for
displacement measurement of interference microscope.

Keywords：fiber sensor, hysteresis, interference microscope(IM)

1. INTRODUCTION

For high precision measurement instruments, a high accuracy positioning actuator, like piezoelectric transducer (PZT), is
often playing a micro or nano positioning role. However, the hysteresis characteristic of PZT is induces nonlinear effect
influencing precision positioning control [1]. Especially in interference microscope, the surface profiles of test sample
were taken by CCD image sensor with different specified position locations. If the accuracy position control weren’t
performed well by PZT actuators, the measured images would be distortive.

There are many advantages for optic fiber sensors; most important are non-contact and flexible setup in small space
[2]. The working principle of this kind of optic fiber sensor is followed by the Michelson interferometry [3]. Between the
applications in atomic force microscope (AFM) there is are for phase control sensor of PZT motion [4]. The working
distance of optic fiber sensor was simulated form 10 µm to 1000 µm, and better interferometric signals were less than
200 µm [5]. The nonlinear influences of two kinds of PZT actuators (open loop and closed loop control types) would be
measured by optic fiber sensor in this paper, and the correction equation would be established for further work of
precision control.

2. MEHTHODOLOGY OF EXPERIMENT

The structure of optic fiber sensor follows the principle of Michelson interferometry as in Figure 1. The wavelength of
laser source is 1310 nm, and all the devices were connected by plurality of optic fibers. The optic wave was inserted into
optic fiber coupler, i.e. separation ration is 50/50 in 2×1 type, and its fiber ferrule end was a sensor tip to measure the
displacements of test sample. The mirror was linked with the PZT actuator, and the periodic motions were recorded by
sensor tip.

Owing to the electric division technique, there should be inserted two signals having the phase difference of ∆φ = 90°

Third Intl. Conf. on Experimental Mechanics and Third Conf. of the Asian Committee 921
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 into counter card, IK220 [6]. Thus, the optic fiber sensor is designed as twin channels, and two ferrule ends were inserted
a micro-adjusted mechanism to generate phase differences as in Figure 2. The IK220 encoded the input signals and
subdivided a period of the sinusoidal signal up to 4096-fold (12 bits). The PZT actuator was driven from 0 V to 100 V at
10 Hz. The counter card converted the interferometric signals to displacement values, and the hysteresis loop
characteristics were recorded and plotted.

The schematic of the interference microscope is presented in Figure 3 [7]. The capacitive sensor is attached onto the
surface of Z-axis PZT while optic fiber sensor being coaxial alignment below the PZT actuator for 2 mm. When the PZT
actuator elongates, its deformation is simultaneously measured by the aforementioned sensors.

I1
I2
1310 nm laser I3
Fiber PZT actuator

Plate stage
ferrule

mirror
Photo detector

PC PZT driver
Counter card

Fig. 1. The schematic of single channel optic fiber sensor

∆φ=90°
Channel A mirror

Photo detector
Laser source

Fiber coupler PZT actuator

Channel B ferrule
moving

Counter card PC

Fig. 2. Top view of twin channels optic fiber sensor

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 Array intensity detectors
Light beam adjustment system

White light source

Displacement module
moving
(PZT actuator with capacitive sensor)

Mirau interferometer

Optic fiber sensor module Sample stage

Fig. 3. The interference microscope and optic fiber sensor is for displacement measurement

3. EXPERIMENT RESULTS

In first experiment, the displacements of mirror driven by PZT actuator were measured by optic fiber sensor, and the
results were recorded as in Figure 4. The PZT actuator made by NEC Tokin Corporation [8], was driven by a triangular
wave of electronic signals from –25 V to 20 V at the frequency of 10 Hz. The interferometric fringes were counted as 4.5
periods, while PZT actuator was driven within an expansion or contraction travel at once. According to equation of
D = m • λ / 2, where D is measured displacement, m is counting number, and λ is the wavelength of laser source.
The resulting displacement is approximately 2.95 µm.

Then the PZT actuator was driven from 0 V to 100 V at 10 Hz again, and the displacements of round trips were recorded
by optic fiber sensor. The hysteresis loop was plotted as in Figure 5. The specification of PZT actuator is (11.6 ± 2) µm at
100 V; the displacement value at 100 V was 11.46 µm, fitting the manufacture specification. The non-linear characteristic
is very clear, and the compensated curve would be established for correction control.

Fig. 4. Interferometric fringe of displacements measured by Fig. 5. Hysteresis loop plotted and measured by optic fiber
optic fiber sensor sensor

Finally, the optic fiber sensor was to interference microscope to measure the displacement of PZT actuator. The PZT
actuator was driven from 0 µm to 100 µm; the results of both capacitive sensor and optic fiber sensor recorded as in
Figure 6. The data of round trips was very consistent, and the differences of both were plotted as in Figure 7. The biggest

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 difference ratio for round trip was 0.12 %. The compensation curve for non-linearity was
y=3•10-5 x2 - 3.5•10-3 x + 5.2×10-2. The compensation curve would be a reference for further precision control

0.08
displacement - fiber sensor(µm)

100
0.06 y = 3E-05x2 - 0.0035x + 0.0517
80 0.04

Difference (µm)
60 forward
0.02
forward

backward 0 backward

40 curve-fitting

-0.02 0 20 40 60 80 100
20 -0.04
-0.06
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 -0.08
displacements - capacity sensor (µm) Position points(µm)

Fig. 6. Displacements of both capacitive sensor and optic Fig. 7. Differences at specified points and non-linear
fiber sensor compensation curve

The 3D images were scanned by interference microscope, and figure 8(a) and 9(a) were the begore applying the
compensation curve and after applying. The details of 3D images were that the fringes were showed as 8(b) and 9(b). The
space of fringes 8(b) was larger than 9(b), and then the results are induced image distortions. Thus, the compensation
curve is very important for corrections of real positioning control.

(a) 3D image (a) 3D image

(b) Fringe image (b) Fringe image

Fig. 8. Before applying compensation for PZT non-linearity Fig. 9. After applying compensation for PZT non-linearity

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 4. CONCLUSIONS

In this paper, the structure of an optic fiber sensor was developed, and the hysteresis characteristic of PZT actuator was
measured and plotted. In addition, the performance of capacitive sensor within PZT actuator for close-loop control was
compared with those of the optic fiber sensor, and the differences ratio between both was less than 0.12 %. Following the
scanned images by interference microscope, the images have some distortions before applying the compensated curve
function for non-linearity. Thus, the optic fiber sensor could provide a calibration service for displacement measurement
of interference microscope. For further applications, the vibration monitoring or some space-limited AOI (automatic
optical inspection) instruments could be integrated with optic fiber sensor for advanced purposes.

REFERENCES

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Reciprocal Interferometry, Optics Communications, Vol. 176, pp.105-112, 2000.
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* KaiYuCheng@itri.org.tw ; phone 886-3-5743765; fax 886-3-5726445

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