High-Speed XYZ Nanopositioners by PI: Unmatched Precision with 99.97% Linearity for Increased Productivity in Industry and Research

XYZ piezo nanopositioner with driving ranges of up to 300 µm and subnanometer resolution (photo: PI) 

Thanks to their unparalleled performance, PIMars systems offer significant added value for precision-critical applications. Achieving 99.97% linearity and 2 nm repeatability, these systems combine travel distances of up to 300 µm with step-and-settle times under 10 ms. Excellent planarity (±30 nm straightness and flatness in Z-motion) enables extremely high accuracy, even in complex setups. 

Efficiency and Process Reliability 

Industrial applications and challenging research environments require long-term stability and process reliability, ensuring minimal downtime and reduced maintenance costs. Owing to their piezoelectric drives with parallel position measurement, the PIMars systems enable nanometer-level motion accuracy at high speeds. The combination of speed and precision boosts productivity, even when it comes to critical applications. The motion technology remains permanently wear-free, stiff, and robust—regardless of vibration, shock, or temperature changes. Zero-play flexure guides also play a key role. 

Wide Range of Applications in Research and Industry 

PI’s highly precise XYZ nanopositioning systems support a multitude of application fields. In microscopy and life sciences, they enable ultra-level precision in superresolution and confocal microscopy, AFM, as well as live-cell imaging. In photonics and optics, they address challenges such as fiber and optical alignment, interferometry, and precision optics adjustment. Furthermore, the clear aperture offers additional flexibility while facilitating beam alignment tasks and a multitude of other photonic and microscopic applications. In the semiconductor and metrology sectors, XYZ nanopositioning systems are used in scenarios such as wafer inspection, lithography, mask alignment, and defect detection. PI's systems also contribute significantly to nanotechnology, for example in the precise manipulation and assembly of nanostructures. 

For more information, please visit: >> P-561 • P-562 • P-563 PIMars Nanopositioning Stage 

Physik Instrumente (PI) in Brief 

PI with headquarters in Karlsruhe, Germany, is the market and technology leader for high-precision positioning technology and piezo applications in the market segments of Industrial Automation, Photonics, Semiconductor, and Microscopy & Life Sciences. In close cooperation with customers from all over the world, PI’s more than 1,900 specialists have been continuously pushing the boundaries of what is technically feasible for more than fifty years. Various drive technologies, internally developed sensor technology, electronics, and control technology provide the basis for this. PI’s portfolio ranges from components to subsystems to tailor-made complete solutions. More than 560 granted and pending patents underline the company’s claim to leadership in the fields of precision positioning and piezo technology. PI operates on a global scale, with nine production sites in Europe, North America, and Asia, as well as sixteen sales and service subsidiaries.