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PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)

PI has the broadest and deepest technology portfolio of any supplier worldwide, working with pioneers and titans of industry in semiconductor, aerospace/defense, integrated silicon photonics, industrial measurement and manufacturing, microscopy/medtech, optics, and advanced and electronics manufacturing.
440 Hartford Tpk
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
United States of America
508-832-3456
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More Info on PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)

Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
Pi Logo Piezo Technology Precision Automation 700x550 Highres

PI has the broadest and deepest technology portfolio of any supplier worldwide, working with pioneers and titans of industry in semiconductor, aerospace/defense, integrated silicon photonics, industrial measurement and manufacturing, microscopy/medtech, optics, and advanced and electronics manufacturing.

As a global leader in precision motion control, nanopositioning stages, and automation subsystems, PI technologies include

  • Advanced alignment algorithms
  • FSMs
  • 6-axis fiber alignment systems
  • Hexapods
  • Gantries
  • Air bearings
  • Piezo drives

More than 560 granted and pending patents underline the leadership in the fields of precision positioning and piezo technology.

PI's manufacturing spans the USA, Europe, and Asia, with 1,900+ employees worldwide — built to stay close to our customers.

» Applications Overview—Articles, Videos, Webinars, Products

» Engineering Blog: Motion, Automation & Nanopositioning Solutions

YouTube Videos

Photonics Alignment, FSMs, Hexapods, Nanopositioning Stages, at the PI Booth, Photonics West 2026
Feb. 18, 2026
Precision Motion Solutions for Photonics, Semiconductor, Life Science, Automation - Photonics West
Feb. 17, 2026
PI Photonics Alignment Solutions for Test and Production at Photonics West 2026
Feb. 6, 2026

Products

Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
Large Aperture Xy Motion Stage V783 Pi Highres
The V-783 XY linear-motor stage delivers 310 × 310 mm travel in a monolithic design built for semiconductor inspection, photonics alignment, metrology, laser microprocessing...
Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
X-365 Precision XY Gantry System
The X-365 precision XY gantry system is a modular linear-motor gantry platform designed for advanced manufacturing, robotics, and laser processing. It delivers precise, repeatable...
Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
Parallel Miniaturized Piezoelectric Alignment Engines With Fly Height Sensors Enable Faster Pic Wafer Testing
Parallel piezo aligners with fly height sensors enable faster PIC wafer testing. San Francisco, CA – PI (Physik Instrumente) announced a new technology platform for electro...
Courtesy of PI (Physik Instrumente) LP
F-713
Single-Sided and Double-Sided, Upright and Low-Profile, Fully Automated Array Alignment Routines Integrated scan/align routines for SiPh wafers, photonic devices, PICs, and fiber...
Courtesy of PI (Physik Instrumente) LP
E-713 Motion Controller
Maximum Flexibility for High-Precision Motions The modular concept makes it possible to assemble E-713 Motion Controllers exactly according to customer requirements. An E-713 ...

Press Releases

Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
Motorized air bearings linear slides, such as the A-123, combine long travel ranges with nanometer precision and excellent geometric performance (straightness, flatness, pitch, yaw, roll).
Frictionless architecture delivers unmatched velocity stability for precision metrology and semiconductor manufacturing SHREWSBURY, Mass., June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PI...
Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
PiezoWalk actuators deliver high precision, stability, energy efficiency, non-magnetic operation, and radiation resistance.
An alternative to conventional actuator designs for precision motion control in advanced technology applications, like optics, astronomy, semiconductor, and radiation-sensitive...
F-572, 6-DOF high-speed fiber-alignment stage for loads to 2kg.
Modular multi-axis nanopositioning platform with ACS-based motion controller accelerates active alignment processes. SHREWSBURY, Mass., May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Physik...
Matt Reck, Co-Managing Director of PI USA, presents PI’s award-winning Shrewsbury expansion pitch at the MassEcon Economic Impact Awards ceremony.
Recognition ceremony attended by 400 business leaders. FOXBOROUGH, Mass., May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Physik Instrumente (PI), a global leader in precision motion control...
The stackable design of the L-886 goniometer series preserves a common center of rotation, a great advantage in multi-axis alignment applications.
Stackable Design Preserves a Common Center of Rotation SHREWSBURY, Mass., May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Physik Instrumente (PI), a global leader in precision motion control...

Videos

Tn Pi
Sponsored
PI’s expertise in Performance Automation, Nanopositioning, and Piezo Technology are the basis for sustainable growth in photonics. Working together with customers, we push the...
Pi Tn
PI at Photonics West: Multiple alignment engines for SiP; compact gantries for photonics automation; a new 5-axis air bearing system for laser processing; 6DOF Hexapods for photonics...

Resources

Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
White paper
How PI's FMPA Photonic Alignment Technology Enabled an Industry - and Will Benefit Yours

Blogs

Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
Hexapod 6DOF nanopositioning systems can provide advantages in low-temperature quantum photonics applications.
Unlocking Precision in Extreme Environments Driven by the rapid advances in quantum technology, there has been a growing demand for motion systems capable of precise optical alignment...
Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
PRIME
“Disco Ball” Fiber Manufactured with Ultrafast Lasers; Multi-Axis Precision Motion Delivered by Pi’s A-311 Planar Air-Bearing XY Stage and V-308 High-Speed Nanofocusing Stage ...
Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
Goniometer principle with fixed piviot point
In photonics and precision optics, alignment is crucial. Whether coupling a fiber array to a silicon photonics chip, steering a laser beam onto a mirror array, or positioning...
Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
Rearward and forward facing, oblique view of F-141 PINovAlign42 Robotic Photonics Aligner
Design Considerations for Maximizing Alignment System Performance Under Real-World Disturbances: Vibration, Thermomechanical Drift, and Structural Integrity
Courtesy of PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)
Lightning-fast first light capture is now available with this new technology.
“This technology promises to improve alignment time by orders of magnitude. It is outpacing any other technique currently used for automated photonics alignment in the market...

Articles

FIGURE 1. The latest PICMA designs in multilayer piezo actuators ­feature co-fired ceramic encapsulation, providing a wider operating temperature range, superior protection from moisture and zero outgassing-ideal for vacuum applications.
Many high-tech industries have come to rely on the continuing progress in ­piezoelectric nanopositioning and micropositioning technologies.
FIGURE 1. Optimized for high-volume applications in fluid delivery, endoscopy, and embedded zoom and autofocus functions in cameras, this patented mechanism is a motor and stage in one high-speed, ultraminiature package.
Novel piezoelectric technology provides essentially unlimited travel distances, along with high axial force, exceptional speeds, compactness, and stable position-hold without ...
Credit: PI (Physik Instrumente)
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The F-690.S1 SpaceFAB 6-axis motorized positioning stage offers six degrees of freedom based on a parallel-kinematic platform.
Credit: PI
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The L-511 linear micropositioning stage provides minimum incremental motion down to 20 nm.
Credit: PI (Physik Instrumente)
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The V-625 direct-drive rotation stage combines frictionless, advanced direct-drive motor technology with a 100-mm clear aperture.
(Courtesy of Piezosystem Jena USA)
FIGURE 1. The MICI80-KMI53 microscopy stage from Piezosystem Jena, available in both open- and closed-loop versions, can be used for positioning or scanning with sub-nanometer resolution. The ultrastiff flexure design drives the digital micrometer heads with a resolution of 1 µm, a manual range of motion of 25 mm in the x-y axes, and a piezo-based range of motion of 80 µm. A proprietary frame design links the x-y axes in a single piece of metal for superior orthogonality and flatness. A special coil spring system delivers a constant force throughout the manual travel range of the stage, allowing preload optimization over the entire range of travel for extremely low drifting behavior.
Manufacturers have made strides in stages and flexure design to enable fast, accurate, nanometer-scale motion control in high-resolution microscopy and other short-travel applications...
(Image credit: PI)
f141_4dof6dofphotonicsalignmentsystems_pi_highres
The F-141 photonics alignment system provides high throughput with motion in 4 and 6 degrees of freedom for industrial test and assembly of photonic integrated circuits (PICs)...
(Image credit: PI)
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The P-545 PInano piezo stage family has uses in photonics testing, 3D imaging, and super-resolution microscopy.
(Image credit: PI)
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V-574 series linear positioning stages use frictionless 3-phase linear motors and are offered with 60-, 130-, and 230-mm travel ranges.
Irina Shibanova/1210633001/Getty Images
FIGURE 1. By the end of the decade, 100,000 satellites may orbit Earth.
Highly precise fast steering mirrors are essential to keep the optical signal between satellite transmitters and receivers aligned to ensure stable and efficient communication...

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Additional content from PI Americas (Physik Instrumente)

A direct-drive, high-speed, high-precision gimbal system for beam steering and tracking applications, made by PI USA.
National Harbor, MD – At Defense + Security, PI will showcase a portfolio of high-performance motion solutions supporting aerospace, communication and defense applications...
PI’s nanometer-precise P-733 XY scanning stage supports image stabilization, pixel shifting, and super-resolution microscopy.
Fast, nanometer-precise XY motion enables active image and laser-beam stabilization, pixel shifting, and super-resolution imaging in advanced optical systems. Shrewsbury, MA ...
(Image credit: PI)
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N-332 nanometer-precision linear stages are configurable to multi-axis setups of XY, XZ, and XYZ.
(Image credit: PI)
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The P-616 XYZ piezo nanopositioning stage, based on a parallel-kinematic design, features a single lightweight moving platform for all three axes.
(Image credit: PI)
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H-824 6-DOF hexapods align and mount optical components for launch into space on the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA).
(Image credit: PI)
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High-speed actuators for micro- and nanodispensing applications are based on in-house manufactured PICMA piezoceramic drives.
(Image credit: PI)
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The A-361 PIglide air bearing XY-Theta-Z nanopositioning stage allows travel in X and Y directions ±2.5 mm.
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The F-712.HAx fiber alignment systems are based on motion hardware and an E-712 controller.
(Photo credit: SPIE)
Attendees at SPIE Photonics West 2023.
Here's a snapshot of what will be shown on the SPIE Photonics West 2024 exhibit floor.
Pi
The V-622, V-623, and V-625 rotary stages have frictionless electromagnetic torque motors, precision ball bearings, and multi-orientation mounting.
Pi Physik Instrumente
V-855 and V-857 direct-drive linear modules can be operated as high load stages or linear actuators.
Pi Physik Instrumente
The F-142 automated multi-axis photonics alignment system is a 3-DOF alignment stage based on friction-free air bearings and linear motors.
Photo 29530279 © Ivelinr | Dreamstime.com
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PI executives discuss their market outlook and the company’s commitment to innovation.
(Photo credit: PI)
Markus Spanner, CEO of Physik Instrumente (PI)
In this interview, Jose Pozo, Optica’s CTO, talks to CEO Markus Spanner about his experience taking over his father’s company and leading it through a global pandemic.
Pi Physik Instrumente
The V-931 two-axis fast steering mirror platform (FSM) uses a frictionless, precision flexure guiding mechanism.
Photo 242617254 © Penchan Pumila | Dreamstime.com
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Let’s recap all the business announcements in photonics from August 2022.
Pi Physik Instrumente
The L-836 stackable, universal linear micropositioning translation stage is suited for industrial applications in X, XY, and XYZ.
Pi
The N-480 series kinematic motorized optical mirror mounts have use in applications where large angles, high stability, and lower dynamics are required.
Pi Physik Instrumente
The hexapod H-840.G2IHP micropositioning robot also provides 6 degrees of freedom and step resolution of 20 nm.
Photo 239008597 © Penchan Pumila | Dreamstime.com
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It’s time to recap all the photonics business news that was announced in May 2022.
(Courtesy of PI)
FIGURE 1. In the development of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, a nanopositioning system created by PI features a high-precision, 6-axis robotic hexapod, used to align the telescope’s 18 large mirror segments.
As biotechnology, laser processing, astronomy, and other applications advance, the evolution of nanometer-precise motion control and positioning with high throughput will be crucial...
Pi Physik Instrumente
The A-630 series includes A-634 and A-638 model direct drive rotary stages with 150 and 350 mm table diameters, respectively.
Pi Physik Instrumente Cropped
The E-709 closed-loop piezo controller and integrated driver provides a 20 kHz sampling rate for image processing, scanning, and microscopy applications.
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P-725 PIFOC piezo flexure stages are available in 100, 400, and 800 µm travel ranges.
PI (Physik Instrumente)
Silicon Valley Tech Center Opening In Ca Pi Highres
The Fremont, CA-based Tech Center will house innovation creation, permanent product demos, and conference and training space.
Pi
The A-142 nanopositioning and linear alignment stage delivers 10 mm of hysteresis-free linear travel and supports 3 kg loads.
(Credit: PI)
Changzhou Research Development Manufacturing Center Pi Highres
The new R&D and manufacturing center in Changzhou, China has the goal of providing faster delivery and support of its precision motion control and nanopositioning solutions to...
(Credit: PI)
Pi Pgw Pressrelease Granite Image
The acquisition will provide granite plates with high flatness and system integration capabilities for PI’s nanopositioning solutions used in the semiconductor, life sciences,...
Pi
The X-417 multiaxis motion subsystem is an x-y system made of two 3-phase motor-powered V-417 linear stages.
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The V-817 linear stage has a load capacity of 600 N, travel range from 204 to 813 mm, and velocity to 3000 mm/s.
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The RS-40 V7 miniature rotary stage provides angular velocity of 20°/sec. and minimum incremental motion and repeatability of 87 µrad.
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The V-817 linear stages have a load capacity of 600 N, travel ranges from 204 to 813 mm, and velocities to 3000 mm/s.
Pi (physik Instrumente)
The F-712.IRP1 and two-channel F-712.IRP2 optical power meters convert optical signals in the 600–1700 nm range with optical power from 230 pW to 1.3 mW.
Pi
The L-509 vacuum stage series is offered for three different vacuum levels up to 10-9 hPa with linear motion ranges of 26, 52, and 102 mm.
(Image credit: PI)
FIGURE 1. Example alignment system for high-throughput industrial automation, based on a gantry, gripper, and two hexapods.
A fully parallel gradient search simultaneously aligns multiple couplings, multiple degrees of freedom, and multiple channels, even if they interact.
Pi Updated
The A-688 custom rotary stage features air bearings, a frameless, slotless torque motor, and optical encoders.
Pi
The A-351 gantry motion system is driven by linear motors and guided by precision mechanical linear bearings.
Pi
The V-610 rotation stage is equipped with a high-force, three-phase, torque motor.
1905 Lfw Pro 8
The V-417.336025E1 long travel linear motor stage provides 32 in. of travel.
1903 Lfw Pro 15
The E-619 high-power piezo amplifier is designed to drive high-capacitance multilayer piezo actuators with rapid rise times or high frequencies.
1811 Lfw Pro 7
The V-738 XY linear translation stage is a computer-controllable, two-axis positioning system with a clear aperture.
FIGURE 1. Aligning parts that have become misaligned because of stress, creep, or settling processes is an application for active shims, when submicron or even nanometer precision and stability are required.
Because of the down-to-nanometer-range resolution of their piezo elements, active shims cover applications in precision engineering and alignment of optical components.
(Courtesy of Cascade Microtech, a FormFactor company)
FIGURE 1. Two H-811 miniature hexapods made by PI for fast, multichannel parallel alignment (FMPA) are mounted on a Cascade Microtech silicon-photonics wafer prober.
Hexapods come in high-precision, high-accuracy, and high-load versions and serve to align optics for assembly, simulate or isolate vibration, and many other tasks.
The new process allows simultaneous control and movement of the galvanometer scanner and the x-y stage.
(Courtesy of PI)
FIGURE 1. Silicon photonics couplings often deviate from clean predictable Gaussian coupling cross-section. Profiles of this sort cannot be reliably optimized with traditional alignment algorithms. Otherwise, the optimization risks locking onto one of the local optima rather than the global optimum. This can be efficiently achieved by performing an areal scan of the target area, thereby mapping the coupling cross-section across its full extent. A piezo-based scanner can achieve this in fractions of a second.
To make silicon photonics devices profitably at scale, automation subsystems require alignment processes that support steps from device characterization at the wafer level to ...
1710 Lfw Pro 12
The U-723 compact linear stage provides >0.8 in. travel per axis (22 x 22 mm), with a footprint of 42 x 42 mm.
Content Dam Lfw Online Articles 2017 07 1708lfw Pro 8 Web
The H-811.i2 compact hexapod has a parallel-kinematic design that provides six degrees of freedom, making it more compact and stiff than serial-kinematic systems.
(Credit: ESO)
One segment of the giant primary mirror of the Extremely Large Telescope undergoing testing at ESO’s facility in Germany in 2012.
The PACTs will adjust the positions of the 798 hexagonal segments of the primary mirror of Extremely Large Telescope.
1706 Lfw Pro 10
The L-239 linear actuator can handle pushing forces of up to 300 N (66 lbs).
1704 Lfw Pro 13
The E-754 nanopositioning controller is designed for closed-loop piezo mechanisms with capacitive position feedback sensors.
1701 Lfw Pro 5
The PiHera P-620.1–P-629.1 piezo flexure nanopositioning stages feature X-Y travel to 1800 μm.
PI has acquired 80% of ACS Motion Control, a developer and manufacturer of controllers and drives for multi-axis systems.
Scott Jordan (left) and PI's vice president of sales and marketing, Stephane Bussa (right).
PI (Physik Instrumente) has appointed Scott Jordan as head of the company's Photonics Market Segment.
(Courtesy of PI)
FIGURE 1. An aerial image of a building is shown with (right) and without (left) image stabilization and resolution enhancement.
Fast mechanical systems are available to the optical engineer for improving image resolution and stability, as well as providing multi-axis motion simulation methods for testing...
Content Dam Lfw Online Articles 2016 08 Pi M122 C863 1500w
The M-122 low-profile motorized positioning stage, which has a 60 × 86 mm footprint and a 25 mm travel range, has uses in research and industrial applications.
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The E-873.3QTU three-axis controller features integrated power amplifiers and an interpolator, and is macro-programmable for standalone functionality of each channel.
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The H-140 and H-860 hexapods derive 6-axis movement from actuators placed in parallel between a top and bottom platform.
1607 Lfw Pro 14
With speed up to 200 mm/s, the U-521 compact linear positioning stage is driven by a patented ultrasonic piezo electric motor.
Content Dam Lfw Online Articles 2016 03 Pi Web
The P-915KWEF miniature hexapod is designed for dynamic error correction in all three linear and rotation axes.
Content Dam Lfw Online Articles 2015 October Pi Web
The PIHera Z flexure-guided piezo nanopositioning stage has travel ranges of 50 to 250 µm or 400 µm open-loop. Flexure-guided piezo positioning stages provide vibrationless motion...
1501prod Pi
The M-417 linear stage has a motorized precision positioner for computer-control of automation and precision assembly applications.
Pi (physik Instrumente)
The N-725 nanopositioning system combines the performance a fine-focus piezo drive and a stepper motor positioner for coarse, long-travel motion.
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Parallel precision positioning specialist PI (Physik Instrumente) has added a new building with more production floors, metrology labs, and R&D office space to its Karlsruhe, ...
C-884 four-axis digital servo controller from PI (Physik Instrumente)
The C-884 four-axis digital servo controller was designed to control motorized linear translation stages and rotary positioners.
(Courtesy PI)
Piezoelectric actuators and positioning stages from Physik Instrumente (PI) and the now PI miCos are accompanying the instrumentation aboard the Mars Curiosity rover to keep it moving and functioning smoothly.
Piezoelectric actuators from PI and positioning stages from the now PI miCos are making sure that the Mars Curiosity rover functions smoothly.
(Image courtesy of PI)
FIGURE 1. Z-tables-such as the PIFOC z-axis microscopy piezo focusing stage from PI accommodates most specimen holders, enabling high-resolution sample positioning and scanning.
Nanopositioning is a key enabler for such super-resolution microscopy techniques as photoactivated localization microscopy, spatially modulated illumination, and stimulated emission...
FIGURE 1. A nanopositioning stage equipped with inferred-metrology piezoresistive sensors (PRSs; a) is compared to a more precise unit with direct-metrology capacitive feedback (b). In the latter, the stage platform is measured directly, greatly improving stability and position linearity and eliminating crosstalk errors.
Nanometer resolution for motion-control devices is becoming increasingly necessary in many areas of photonics. Advances in piezo motion control are eliminating traditional tradeoffs...
Motion-control specialist Physik Instrumente (PI) and piezo-ceramics specialist PI Ceramic are planning to invest approximately $13 million for the third extension of their piezo...