• ISA provides technical resources and standards to help industrial automation professionals advance their careers and the field. We enable automation professionals worldwide to solve problems and enhance their skills by bringing people together to create new technologies and share best practices with future automation professionals.
    • Industry Insights

  • We attract over 140,000 unique automation professionals monthly, making us the premier online content provider and the only dedicated electronic magazine in the automation industry.

    Monthly Magazine

    • More things to read

    Back
    Back
  • M logo for Automation.com Monthly. Link to current issue.

PI Provides Angstrom-Level Resolution Piezo Stage for AFM, Metrology and Advanced Imaging

Source: PI North America
26 August, 2026
Feature Image for PI Provides Angstrom-Level Resolution Piezo Stage for AFM, Metrology and Advanced Imaging
The P-733 flexure-guided stage offers wear-free motion, fast response and a clear aperture for transmitted-light microscopy.

SHREWSBURY, Mass., Aug. 25, 2026 — PI (Physik Instrumente), a global leader in piezo nanopositioning and air bearing technology, offers the P-733 XYZ piezo nanopositioning stage, delivering 0.1 nm (1 Å) positioning resolution for demanding applications in super-resolution microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface nanometrology, and advanced imaging.

The P-733 combines frictionless flexure guidance with high-accuracy capacitive position feedback to achieve sub-nanometer positioning performance and highly repeatable motion. Travel ranges of up to 100 × 100 µm in X and Y and 10 µm in Z enable precision sample scanning and measurement across comparatively large areas. A 50 × 50 mm clear aperture supports transmitted-light microscopy and other optical imaging techniques.

High-stiffness direct-drive version for maximum throughput

For applications that demand the highest scanning speeds and fastest settling times, the P-733.3DD direct-drive version provides 30 × 30 × 10 µm travel with the same 0.1 nm resolution. Its high-stiffness design supports rapid scanning and dynamic positioning, with resonant frequencies exceeding 1 kHz.

The stage architecture incorporates parallel kinematics and parallel metrology, ensuring that all motion axes are measured relative to a common fixed reference. This design actively compensates for crosstalk and guiding errors, helping maintain nanometer-level tracking accuracy during high-speed scanning and precision measurement tasks.

Key features:

  • 0.1 nm (1 Å) positioning resolution
  • UHV-compatible and nonmagnetic versions available
  • XYZ motion with travel ranges up to 100 × 100 × 10 µm
  • 50 × 50 mm clear aperture for transmitted-light microscopy
  • Capacitive feedback sensors with up to 99.97% motion linearity
  • Parallel kinematics and parallel metrology for enhanced multi-axis accuracy
  • High-stiffness direct-drive variant for fast scanning and shortest step-and-settle times
  • Ideal for wafer metrology, super-resolution microscopy, nanoimprinting, surface metrology, and image stabilization
  • Wear-Free Design for Long-Term Stability

The P-733 employs wear-free, zero-play flexure guides and PICMA multilayer piezo actuators, eliminating mechanical friction and backlash. Noncontact capacitive sensors provide highly linear position measurement with exceptional long-term stability and typical linearity of 99.97%.

Applications and industries served

The P-733 is designed for a broad range of industrial and scientific applications, including super-resolution and confocal microscopy, AFM, surface characterization, wafer positioning, nanoimprinting, micromanipulation, precision optics and image stabilization. Ultra-high-vacuum-compatible and nonmagnetic configurations are available for specialized environments. 

Trending Articles

Advertisement

Related Industry Products

View all Industry Products
Advertisement
Advertisement