Design for an x-ray nanoprobe prototype, with a sub-10-nm positioning requirement

We are developing a new hard x-ray nanoprobe beamline with 30 nm resolution at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). Imaging and spectroscopy at this resolution level require staging of x-ray optics and specimens with a mechanical repeatability of better than 10 nm. We have developed a prototype instrument with a novel interferometrically controlled scanning stage system. The system consists of nine DC-motor-driven stages, four picomotor-driven stages, and two PZT-driven stages. An APS-designed custom-built laser Doppler displacement meter system provides two-dimensional differential displacement measurement with subnanometer resolution between the zone-plate x-ray optics and the sample holder. Also included is the alignment and stable positioning of two stacked zone plates for increasing the focusing efficiency. The entire scanning system was designed with high stiffness, high repeatability, low drift, flexible scanning schemes, and possibility of fast feedback for differential motion....