Low Profile XY Stages / XY-Theta Stages with Air Bearings

Global nanopositioning systems leader PI now offers extended travel ranges for its popular A-311 compact, low-profile XY-stage family of planar air bearing stages. Available travel ranges cover 50x50mm, 100x100mm, 150x150mm, 200x200mm, 300x300mm, and 300x400mm. Planar XY scanning stages are ideal for semiconductor inspection, laser marking, optical metrology, and other precision motion applications.

XY-Theta Stage Option

The planar XY-stages can be upgraded with a low-profile Theta-Z rotary stage to form a 3-axis XY-Theta air bearing motion system.

Compact, Lightweight, Precise

The compact A-311 air bearing planar XY stage series uses a hard-coated aluminum base and two linear motors, reducing size, weight, and cost compared to traditional granite-based planar XY stages. Excellent motion fidelity is achieved, for example 1µm straightness over 300mm (and 10nm per 10mm) and 10µrad orthogonality over 300mm. Both incremental and absolute encoders are offered. The Integrated absolute linear encoders provide:

• 1nm resolution
• 0.1µm bidirectional repeatability
• 0.2µm accuracy

The XY-stages and XY-theta stages are controlled by a high performance, EtherCat^® based motion controller with advanced features such as ServoBoost^® and NanoPWM^® for higher resolution and adaptability to a wider load range.

Why Use Planar Air Bearings in Precision Positioning Equipment?

Air bearing nanopositioners float on air to provide completely frictionless motion, resulting in negligible hysteresis or reversal error, excellent velocity stability, and zero-wear of mechanical components. Due to the surface averaging effect, straightness and flatness, along with pitch, yaw, roll, are significantly better than with conventional mechanical bearings. Requiring no maintenance or lubrication, air bearings are ideal for use in cleanrooms.