The P-733.3CD stage with an E-761 PCI bus piezo controller.

August 10, 2007 — PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. has launched a new 3-axis nanopositioning / scanning stage, the P-733.3CD. The high-resolution stage is designed for nanomanipulation, high-resolution microscopy, imaging applications, and materials research. The unit’s parallel-kinematics design, which involves just one platform for moving in X,Y, and Z axes, reduces the moved mass, and complements the unit’s stability to enable “higher operating speeds than other piezo scanning stages,” according to PI.

The stage features:
+ A travel range of 100 x 100 µm in X/Y and 10 µm in Z
+ Direct metrology with capacitive sensors for up to 0.1 nanometers resolution
+ Parallel kinematics for better multi-axis accuracy and dynamics
+ 50 x 50 mm clear aperture for transmitted-light applications

Typical applications include metrology / interferometry, biotechnology, semiconductor testing, mask and wafer positioning, image enhancement, and stabilization

The stage promises speed, accuracy, and sub-nanometer precision. Its large, clear aperture is an advantage in transmitted-light applications. The high-speed Z-axis (sub-millisecond response time) can actively compensate out-of-plane, Z-axis deviation during XY scans.

Capacitive nano-measuring sensors read the platform position directly and without physical contact. This promises freedom from friction and hysteresis, and very high levels of linearity, up to 99.99% with resolution to 0.1 nanometers. The Parallel Metrology configuration measures all axes against the same fixed reference, providing better precision than serial (individual) metrology.