High vacuum compatible air bearing stage

Claim 1

A high vacuum compatible air bearing comprising: an air-tight housing having four apertures; two moveable carriages mounted interior said housing, a first carriage having means for constraining its movement to a first direction, and the second carriage having means for constraining its movement to a second direction, the first direction being orthogonal to the second direction; a central plate mounted interior said housing intermediate said two carriages; two air inlet ports, one each mounted on a carriage and extending through one of said apertures; two air outlet ports, one each mounted on a carriage and extending through an aperture; a plurality of orifices mounted about the portion of the exterior of each carriage facing closely adjacent surfaces; two first communicating passageways, one each mounted interior to each carriage and extending between the air inlet port and each of said orifices; two second air communicating passageways, one each extending between the exterior of a carriage, through said carriage and to a outlet port; an airtight bellows, flexible in the direction of freedom of movement, mounted between each aperture and the port extending therethrough and forming an airtight seal therebetween; and a source of pressurized air communicated to said air inlet ports; the interfaces between the exterior of said carriages and closely adjacent surfaces forming a compensated air bearing therebetween.