Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co.KG

The Broadest and Deepest Portfolio
The technological scope of the PI Group is unique worldwide. PI develops, manufactures and qualifies all its core technologies itself. Thus PI is independent of components available on the market and offers individual solutions that go beyond the state of the art. Through its high measure of flexibility, PI plays a pioneering role in precision positioning and enables PI customers to benefit from distinct competitive advantages.

The broad spectrum of technology and the high vertical range of manufacturing available at PI are the basis for further growth and expansion. Novel drive concepts, products and system solutions have led to a continuous growth in market shares and a healthy company development in the past years.

PI Compact

• Four production sites in Germany, six in total worldwide

• More than 850 employees worldwide

• 13 subsidiaries in key markets

• Privately run company

• 40 years of experience in piezo technology

Product Overview

• Piezo Actuators and Components: Variable Designs, UHV Versions, High Dynamics, Sub-Millisecond Response Time, Picometer Resolution

• Piezo Scanners and Positioning Stages: Nanometer Precision and Millisecond Settling Time

• Precision Linear Actuators and Direct Drives

• Precision Linear Positioning Stages: From Miniature Positioning Stages to Travel Ranges of 1 m

• Rotation Stages: From Miniature Sizes to Ultra-Precision Stages

• Hexapod and Spacefab: Parallel Kinematics for Precise Positioning in Six Axes

Markets

• Basic Research: PI offers special designs for extreme ambient conditions such as UHV to 10-10 hPa radiation or pronounced variations in temperature up the cryogenic range.

• Microscopy: Optical methods have been relying on PI positioning systems for years, e.g. for aligning optical systems or samples. Piezo actuators and motors are increasingly replacing conventional drive systems because they are more compact, more precise and faster. Other non-optical microscopic processes, such as SEM and AFM use PI systems due to their high accuracy and dynamics.

• Industrial Manufacturing and Quality Assurance, Optical Metrology: Inspection systems in the semiconductor industry utilize the performance features of PI systems for surface structures on semiconductors or flat-screen monitors with white light interferometry. PI piezomotor and actuator systems also help in the precise adjustment of wafers, imaging optics and the masks in semiconductor production.

• Astronomy/Aerospace Research: Hexapods from PI align secondary mirrors of telescopes with a precision of 1 ?m or better; piezo-driven active mirrors align the elements of large segmented mirrors.

• Biotechnology/Life Sciences: In nano-dosing and microfluidics, drive system from PI allow the dosing of smallest volumes in procedures, such as PipeJet, or the design of finest structures by means of nanoimprint or 3D lithography.

• Medical Technology: Piezo ceramics to generate ultrasonic waves, actuators for microdosing and the production of nanoliter drops as well as miniature piezomotors for mobile medication devices – all these are tasks for which the PI Group has been offering solutions for many years.

• Photonics Packaging, Silicon Photonics: For manufacturing and testing components and systems that are based on silicon photonics, precise positioning is crucial.