N-331 PICMAWalk Walking Drive

Fields of application

• Industrial precision positioning
• Semiconductor technology
• Semiconductor tests
• Wafer inspection
• Lithography
• Nanoimprinting
• Nanometrology
• Motion in strong magnetic fields and in a vacuum

Outstanding lifetime thanks to PICMA® piezo actuators

The patented PICMA® piezo actuators are all-ceramic insulated. This protects them against humidity and failure resulting from an increase in leakage current. PICMA® actuators offer an up to ten times longer lifetime than conventional polymer-insulated actuators. 100 billion cycles without a single failure are proven.

Nanometer precision and high feed force with PiezoWalk® walking drives

Several piezo actuators perform a walking motion in the PiezoWalk® walking drive that leads to forward feed of a runner. Control of the actuators allows the smallest step and forward feed motion at a resolution of well under one nanometer.

Highly accurate position measuring with incremental encoder

Noncontact optical encoders measure the position directly at the platform with the greatest accuracy. Nonlinearity, mechanical play or elastic deformation have no influence on the measurement.

Suitable for sophisticated vacuum applications

Piezo motors from PI are principally vacuum-compatible and suitable for operation in strong magnetic fields. Special versions of the drives are available for this purpose. Piezo walking drives can also be used in cleanrooms or in environments with strong ultraviolet radiation.