Vacuum applications, and technologies that can only be applied in vacuum or cryogenic environments have grown in importance within scientific research and industry applications. Optics technologies use vacuum environments to manufacture components such as fiber laser optics and sensitive detectors. Other applications that use vacuum environments include small epitaxy processes, semiconductor manufacturing, and X-ray or UV applications.
With the aim to cause patients as little discomfort as possible, minimal invasive surgery (MIS) techniques use endoscopes integrated with a miniature drive to achieve variable focusing so that objects can be in sharp focus at all times. These endoscopes are used in larynx diagnostics or laparoscopy where optics and special instruments can then be introduced to the abdominal cavity through working trocars. Patients will then experience less post-operative pain and are able to be discharged earlier from the hospital. This application note describes the focus and zoom control functions within these miniature drives, and provides information on available PI piezo miniature drives for endoscopy applications.
Closed-loop galvanometers, or galvos, offer a combination of speed, accuracy, low cost, and flexibility. To achieve optimal performance in any galvo application, one must understand the parameters for positioning speed and accuracy, plus proper design and selection of the galvo, mirror, and servo driver.
As photonic and electronic devices began to converge, bandwidth, efficiency, and functionality improved significantly. On the flip side, testing and packaging these silicon photonic (SiP) devices has proven to be a challenge. Testing conventional microcircuits can be done through physical contact, conventional positioning control devices, and visual inspection. On the other hand, photonic devices require non-contact and nanoscale alignment between the hybrid device under test and a probe fiber or other element. And we haven’t even begun discussing the complications involved in packaging such devices.
PI’s H-206 positioning system uses fast alignment algorithms, six-axis positioning, virtualized rotation and fast optical or analog metrology to achieve double-sided fiber optic alignment.
Hexapod systems can be used to provide precision movement and positioning in the manufacturing process of opto-mechanical components. Often times though, this type of manufacturing process calls for precise motion in all six degrees of freedom.
Cameras and scanning systems used in applications involving fluorescence microscopy, white-light interferometry OCT, or aerial photography need to be high resolution. When resolution needs to be increased, there are only a few options
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