PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P.
Auburn, MA 01501

Fast Piezo Focusing Systems enhance microscopy applications.
Designed to enhance fast focusing and lens positioning as well as deconvolution/3D imaging, PIFOC® piezo objective scanner system packages consist of closed-loop piezomechanic objective positioners and digital servo controller/driver units. Features include choice of 100, 250, 400 Â-µm travel ranges; sub-nm resolution; and choice of piezoresistive or capacitive position feedback...
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Linear Actuator features ultrasonic motor technology.
Based on maintenance-free PILine® ultrasonic ceramic motor, closed-loop Model M-272 combines motor, actuator, linear encoder, guiding system, and brake functionality for automation applications. Unit provides travel range of 50 mm, 5 Â-µm resolution, and velocities up to 200 mm/sec. Motor is self-locking at rest with zero heat generation, eliminating need for additional motor brake....
Read More »Electrophysiology: Piezos Enable Faster Solution Switching
Electrophysiological studies require fast motions of a double-bore (theta-glass) pipette across cell membranes. With a cell held in a patch clamp and monitored electrically, one bore of the pipette flows a buffer solution, while the other carries a drug or other chemical. By quickly sweeping the pipette so one bore or the other suffuses the cell, its electrophysiological response can be...
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Faster Laser/Piezo Autofocus System Offers Throughput with Flexibility
Partnership between specialists in automation can yield important benefits to research and OEM users. With each player bringing specific expertise, teamwork often surpasses what a single organization can achieve. A case in point: the engineers at Motion X and PI have developed a novel, laser-based system that combines Motion X's high-bandwidth autofocus sensor with PI's high-speed piezo driven...
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Miniature 6-Axis Robot at MD&M Show
Anaheim, CA - nanopositioning specialist PI exhibits its latest 6-axis robotics positioning system at the MD&M West show, the world's largest medical design & manufacturing event. The miniature hexapod system provides more than 10 lbs of force and motion in all six degrees of freedom. It can be used for manufacturing and placing of parts requiring very high precision, for microscopy applications...
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Linear Piezo Motors provide push-pull forces to 130 lb.
Offering travel ranges to 20 mm and holding forces to 177 lb, N-216 NEXLINE® Nanopositioning Actuators are based on coordinated motion of preloaded linear and shear piezo elements acting on ceramic runner. Closed loop versions are equipped with linear encoder for direct position measurement of moving runner. Encoder features 5 nm resolution over full travel range. In open-loop operation,...
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Slide Scanner Piezo Stage suits high-resolution microscopes.
Featuring 5 msec step and settle, and travel ranges up to 200 Â-µm with sub-nanometer closed-loop resolution, P-736 high-speed microscope slide Z-scanner piezo stage is suited for microscopy and imaging applications. Unit features 0.8 in. profile and is designed for inverted microscopes from Leica, Nikon, Olympus, and Zeiss. Stage is packaged with digital controller, which includes USB,...
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Piezomotor Rotary Stage has low-profile, high-speed design.
Based on PILine® piezomotor drive technology, M-660 direct-driven rotary stage has 0.6 in. profile and reaches speeds of 720°/sec while offering resolution to 40 Â-µrad (8 arcsec). Self-locking ceramic direct drive holds position steady at rest, with no energy consumption or heat generation, while direct coupling optical encoder provides phase lag-free, backlash-free feedback to...
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Nanopositioning Stages suit super-resolution microscopy.
Designed for Leica, Nikon, Olympus, and Zeiss inverted microscopes, PI nano1x3(TM) series XY and XYZ nanopositioning stages offer subnanometer resolution over travel ranges of 200 Â-µm. Featuring 20 mm profile, they include 24-bit controller with USB, Ethernet, and RS-232 interfaces and wide-band analog interface. Units also have 24-bit DAC converters, in addition to piezoresistive sensors...
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Stage Controllers support 100 picometer command resolution.
Nanopositioning stage controllers feature USB interface and 24-bit DA/AD converters to work with piezo nanopositioning systems from 1 mm and up. It also includes RS-232 interface and analog interface for compatibility with NI cards. Software libraries and GUIs provide support for LabView, Matlab, and text-based programming languages while programmable data tables allow random waveform generation....
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