Miniaturized Precision Stages with Piezo-based Inertia Drives

There are a number of areas in automation technology where precise positioning is necessary. This particularly applies to laser technology. High-precision beam steering and focusing is just as indispensable in ophthalmology as in super-high resolution microscopy, interferometry or photonics where the objective is to align fibers precisely. At the same time, laser beam steering and focusing also requires the drive systems used to be dynamic, reliable, and compactly dimensioned, so that they can be easily integrated into applications. Now, small positioning systems based on piezo inertia drives offer possible new solutions. In miniaturized design, they offer a high resolution at theoretically unlimited travel ranges, are self-locking and on top of that, they are also inexpensive.