LATS: An Open-Source Linear Actuator-Driven Translation Stage with Micrometer Precision Control

The emergence of the Internet of Things has reduced the cost of easy to use microcontrollers and electronic modules. This has enabled the development of open-source scientific devices at a fraction of the cost of commercial alternatives. In this study, we describe a linear actuator-driven translation stage which integrates open-source hardware, firmware and software. The system is designed to be modular, facilitating the easy construction of multi-axis stages, ubiquitous to optics labs. It is capable of operating in a vacuum and is robust enough to withstand the electrostatic noise generated by laser-produced plasmas. The system is configured to use a MODBUS communication protocol, enabling control of multiple axes of motion from a single PC serial port via a vacuum feedthrough with only four cables. We developed open-source firmware using Arduino IDE and GUI software using Python to control stage position. The system’s positional accuracy was rigorously tested, recording a mean step size of 1.5μm with a standard deviation of 0.001μm. To illustrate a potential use case for this system in an optics lab, we have included the results of an experiment designed to measure the focal spot size of a high-powered pulsed Nd:YAG laser focused through a 20mm aspheric lens.