Patent ID: 6892444

Claim:
An optical component manipulation system, comprising: first and second opposed jaws for cooperatively engaging an optical component; a first x-axis position detection system for detecting an x-axis position of the first jaw; a first y-axis position detection system for detecting a y-axis position of the first jaw; a second x-axis position detection system for detecting an x-axis position of the second jaw; a second y-axis position detection system for detecting a y-axis position of the second jaw; a first x-axis actuator for positioning the first jaw along the x-axis; a first y-axis actuator for positioning the first jaw along the y-axis; a second x-axis actuator for positioning the second jaw along the x-axis; a second y-axis actuator for positioning the second jaw along the y-axis; a system frame; a first air bearing between the second jaw and the system frame; and a second air bearing between the second jaw and the system frame; wherein a combination of the first x-axis position detection system, the first y-axis position detection system, the first x-axis actuator, the first y-axis actuator for the first jaw and the second x-axis position detection system, the second y-axis position detection system, the second x-axis actuator, and the second y-axis actuator for the second jaw enable the first jaw and the second jaw to be independently positioned in both the x-axis and y-axis directions simultaneously.