Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co KG - Worldwide

Main Activity in Nanotechnology

Component Supplier

About Company

PI provides the world’s broadest and deepest portfolio of precision motion technologies from micro-precision to sub-nanometer precision. PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P., is the U.S. operation of Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co. KG. The PI family of companies employs more than 750 people world wide. PI is known throughout the high-tech world for its leadership in the design and manufacture of Nanometer-Level Motion Control Products, Piezo Ceramics and NanoActuators, Hexapod 6DOF Positioning Systems and Micro Robots.

Nanopositioning / Motion Control / Piezo Technology
PI's Nanopositioning products have won many international industry awards for innovative design. Examples are the Hexapod 6 Degree-of-Freedom Micropositioning and Alignment System, the ultra-high resolution Piezoelectric Scanning Stages and Active Optics (Beam Steering Systems). The PI line of piezoelectric actuators and nanopositioning stages are among the most sophisticated nanopositioning systems in the world, allowing extremely precise motion in the shortest possible time.

Nanopositioning Products

• Piezo Nanopositioning Stages
• Ultrafast PZT NanoAutomation Systems
• Fast Beam Steering Systems
• Scanning Stages for Microscopy
• Mask-Alignment Stages
• Ultra-fast Piezo Nanopositioning Actuators & Stages
• Capacitive Sensors, 0.1 nm Resolution
• Closed & Open Loop PZT Translators
• Piezo Drivers and Controllers
• Micropositoning Products
• Photonic Alignment Engines
• Fiber-Alignment Systems
• Hybrid Low-Inertia Micro/Nanopositioning Systems
• Ultra-Low-Inertia Micromotion Robots for Automated Photonic alignment
• 6-DoF Hexpods
• Linear Actuators
• Motorized Translation Stages
• Rotation Stages
• Linear Slides
• Cost-Effective Motion Controllers

Piezo Technology

• Standard & Custom Piezo Ceramics & Actuators
• Closed and Open-Loop Piezo-Ceramic Actuators
• Piezo Drivers and Power Amplifiers
• High Voltage Power Supplies
• High-Load PZT Ceramics (8 tons) for Machining Applications
• Multi-Layer PZT Actuators
• PZT Benders for Valve and Switching Applications
• Special PZT/Piezo ceramics for fiber-optic tuning & filters
• PZT Fine-Alignment-Engines

World-Class Million-$ NanoMetrology Labs
PI's Nanopositioning products are world-known for their precision. To continuously improve our products and to verify the performance, we have designed a six-fold-isolated room-in-room metrology lab, on a separated foundation in the basement of the factory.

Sub-nanometer resolution measurements not only require highest precision measuring equipment (we use world-class laser interferometers and capacitive sensors), but also an environment with extremely high temperature stability and total absence of vibration. The acoustic sound waves of a conversation alone can excite vibration in the range of several 10 nanometers. That's why the door to our metrology lab resembles that of a safe.

PI miCos Vacuum Systems and Custom Motorized Positioning Systems Specialist

PI miCos is a leader in the field of vacuum positioning technology and system integration. Several standard lines of high-precision positioning systems with innovative stepper motor technology and electro-magnetic linear motors are offered. In addition, high-load rotation stages and long-travel linear stages (up to 1000 mm) are also available.  PI miCos also has extensive experience in the field of beamline instrumentation, parallel kinematics and positioning systems for cryogenic environments.

Custom Piezo Ceramic Production Capabilities for Highest Performance Solid State Actuator and Sensor Applications.
PI Ceramic, a member of the PI family of companies, currently employs more than 80 people dedicated to producing world-class PZT ceramic materials for actuators and sensors. Production equipment includes tape casting, sputtering, automated metallization, grinding and cutting machines.

PI Ceramic offers the only ceramic-insulated multilayer PZT actuators in the world.

Number of Employees

750