How do the Picomotor drivers work?
Our drivers generate the 120-V waveforms required to drive the piezo in the Picomotor. These drivers alter the direction of the screw rotation by changing the rise and fall times of an electrical pulse. Due to inertia, the screw doesn’t turn during fast rise or fall times. During slow rise or fall times, the screw rotates. Therefore, a pulse with a fast rise time and slow fall time results in a counterclockwise rotation, while one with a slow rise time and fast fall time results in a clockwise rotation. In order to avoid applying a reverse bias that would damage the piezo, the waveform is offset by 120 V when going in one of the two directions.
