PI (Physik Instrumente)

Auburn,  MA 
United States
http://www.pi-usa.us

• Booth: 5678

Visit our website www.pi-usa.us or in person Booth 5678

Overview

PI is a privately held, global leading company that designs and manufactures world-class precision motion and automation sub-systems for semiconductor test, metrology and photonics applications.  The company was founded in 1970 and currently employs more than 1700 people worldwide.

Products include air bearing stages, wafer stages, gantries, test & alignment systems for silicon photonics wafers, beam steering systems, nanopositioning stages, piezo motors, piezoelectric transducers and high performance motion controllers.

Applications: Optics & mask alignment, nano-imprint lithography, wafer chuck nanopositioning, interferometry, test & measurement, ultra-high resolution microscopy, nanofabrication, beam scanning and beam stabilization, optical path correction, SiP wafer test and alignment.

R&D, Production and Service: At multiple locations in the USA, Europe, and Asia.

PI customers are leaders in high-tech industries and research labs, in market segments such as semiconductors, photonics, laser technology, life-sciences, industrial automation and aerospace

  Press Releases

• UHV Compatible High-Force Piezo Linear Motor with Nanometer Precision (Jun 14, 2023)

  Designed specifically for semiconductor and physics applications, this high-vacuum compatible piezo linear motor stands out as the fastest and most powerful in its class, boasting exceptional push/pull and holding forces.

  Auburn, MA – Piezo motion and air bearing specialist PI (Physik Instrumente) introduces a new high force piezo linear motor actuator for ultra-high vacuum environments and applications in strong magnetic fields. The new N-331.24U PICMAWalk precision linear actuator is based on patented piezo actuator technology and a patented piezo stepping motion principle.  

  Features of the PICMAWalk V8 Piezo Linear Motors

  • Suitable for vacuum up to 10-9 hPa
  • 55mm travel
  • 4nm sensor resolution
  • Sub-nm actuator resolution
  • 50N drive force
  • 60N power-off holding force
  • 10mm/sec max velocity
  • Robust piezo V8 linear motor with PICMA® piezo stack elements for extreme durability
  • Fastest and strongest piezo linear drive of its size class
  • Precise, nanometer precision positioning of loads up to 5kg
  • Plug-and-play, thanks to PI proprietary controller

  Applications of the N-331 High Force UVH Piezo Linear Motor

  • Precision motion drive in strong magnetic fields and in high vacuum
  • Semiconductor test and manufacturing technology
  • Wafer inspection
  • Lithography
  • Nanoimprinting
  • Nanometrology
  • Physics related R&D

  PI’s PICMAWalk piezo linear motor utilizes a unique V-shaped arrangement of 8 (eight) PICMA® piezo actuators, resembling a classical V8 engine, to deliver exceptional push/pull and holding forces, combined with nanometer precision. These space-tested PICMA® actuators are known for their outstanding reliability, offering a push/pull force of 50N (11lbs) and power-off holding force of 60N (13lbs). The UHV-compatible linear motor can achieve a maximum velocity of 10mm/sec (0.4 inch/sec), and it can accurately position loads weighing up to 5kg (11lbs) with nanometer-level precision.

  In contrast to classical electromagnetic actuators, piezo motor actuators offer the advantage of not creating magnetic fields as well as being unaffected by magnetic or electric fields. This characteristic makes them well-suited for a wide range of applications, from e-beam lithography to MRI technology. In industrial settings where precise positioning of optics, detectors, or cameras is required, it can be beneficial to eliminate power to the actuators once the fine positioning process is completed.  With 60N of power-off position hold performance, the N-331 actuators with their self-clamping design provide a decisive advantage.

  Watch the V8 Power Piezo Linear Motor Video

  https://www.youtube.com/embed/vcdJh-ELcRY?rel=0

  N-331 UHV-Linear Motor Specifications, Datasheets

  https://www.pi-usa.us/en/products/piezo-motors-stages-actuators/linear-piezo-motors-actuators-for-integration/n-331xxu-vacuum-compatible-picmawalk-walking-drive

  PI Americas

  http://www.pi-usa.us | [email protected] | (508) 832-3456

• Motorized Kinematic Mirror Mounts – Piezo Mirror Mounts (Jun 14, 2023)

  High Precision Mirror Mount Family for Ambient and Vacuum 

  PI, world renowned for its piezo-actuated ultra-fast laser beam steering mirror mounts, provides a very compact motorized kinematic mirror mount, the N-480 product family, for beam delivery and laser applications with larger angular and lower-dynamic requirements.

  Driven by high resolution piezo motorized micrometer screws, angular steps as small as 0.3µm in θXθY are feasible. 

  High Angular Stability

  Due to the self-locking capabilities of the piezo motor actuators, the motorized kienmatic mirror mounts provide excellent long-term angular stability, even when powered down. This is critical when optical paths need to be aligned and kept drift-free over long periods of time.

  Tip/Tilt Angles and Aperture Sizes

  The kinematic mounts provide tip/tilt angles up to 16 degrees θX θY. They are available for mirrors and optics diameters fo ½ inch, 1 inch, and 2 inches.

  Standard and Vacuum Versions

  The N-480 precision mirror mounts are available for ambient conditions and vacuum to 10^-6 hPa available

  PI Americas

  http://www.pi-usa.us | [email protected] | (508) 832-3456

• Wafer Metrology / Wafer Dicing Supported by New 5-Axis Air Bearing Nanopositioning Stage (Jun 14, 2023)

  PI offers a new low-profile 5-axis wafer stage for metrology and wafer dicing applications.

  Auburn, MA – PI’s new 5-axis wafer nanopositioning stage is based on frictionless air bearings and high-resolution, absolute encoders. Combining a planar XY stage and a novel, parallel-kinematics Z-tip-tilt stage, the system achieves exceptional precision in a compact, low-profile package. Linear motion with 1nm resolution is available over travel ranges up 300 x 400mm, while the Z-tip-tilt unit provides 5mm vertical travel and 2 degrees of Theta-XY rotation with 0.06 µrad resolution. All axes are driven by 3-phase linear motors and guided by high precision, preloaded air bearings. Motion control is provided by ACS based low-noise servo controllers and driver modules with EtherCat® connectivity.

  PI Solutions for the Semiconductor Industry

  PI’s high precision solutions and motion systems find applications in wafer inspection and metrology, wafer stealth dicing, nano-lithography, laser optics, and mask inspection. PI focuses on global growth markets such as Industrial Automation, Semiconductor Manufacturing (), Silicon Photonics, Quantum Computing, High Resolution Microscopy, and Life Sciences.

  More information on PI Air Bearing Solutions»

  https://www.pi-usa.us/en/products/air-bearings-ultra-high-precision-stages

  PI Americas

  http://www.pi-usa.us | [email protected] | (508) 832-3456

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