Theoretical calculation of the reading output from a micro thermal sensors for precision positioning

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical analysis of heat flow in a linear encoder system, in which a micro thermal sensor is employed to read line pattern structures on a scale grating. A simple heat transfer model of the interface between the micro thermal sensor and a scale grating is established, and the heat flow at the sensor-grating interface is estimated for the cases of employing scale gratings having line pattern structures with a sinusoidal profile and a triangular profile, respectively, to search for the possibility of employing the output signal from the micro thermal sensor for displacement measurement.