Precision XY Measuring Stage with Nanometer Resolution for Industrial Applications

Physik Instrumente (PI): The new MCS XY stage from PI miCos for industrial measurement technology combines high guiding and positioning accuracy with loads of up to 20 kg and high dynamics.

Its areas of applications include industrial surface measurement technologies such as topology measurements on workpieces and optics or structural measurements on semiconductor wafers. Its high load capacity of 20 kg allows further axes to be mounted on the platform, such as vertical, rotary or tilting stages.

The MCS system achieves its performance characteristics through selective combination of mechanical and electronic precision components. With an optionally available linear encoder based on an interferometric displacement measuring system, the MCS achieves a resolution of 5 nanometers at a repeatability of 0.2 µm and a positioning accuracy of 3 µm over the entire travel range of 102 mm per axis.

Its low straightness and flatness deviations in the XY motion plane of less than 2 µm confirm the high precision of the system. The MSC is driven by DC motors, stepper motors or magnetic linear motors, as desired. In the system equipped with the SMC Hydra Motion Controller from PI miCos, the XY stage achieves velocities of up to 200 mm/s and is also capable of moving constantly at a velocity below 1 µm/s.

PI miCos in Brief
The miCos GmbH was founded in Eschbach near Freiburg, Germany, in 1990. As PI miCos, it now belongs to the company group of PI (Physik Instrumente), located in Karlsruhe, Germany. With currently more than 50 employees, the company develops, produces and markets innovative motion systems and components for high-precision positioning applications throughout the world. A main focus is on optical measurement technology in research and industry. For this purpose, PI miCos offers customized system solutions with multiple axes in addition to a comprehensive standard program. Wide-ranging application know-how guarantees the implementation of technically demanding solutions. Flexible positioning systems for ultra-high vacuum applications are an example of this, as are parallel-kinematic hexapods with six degrees of freedom and systems with air bearing axes for highest running accuracy.