Piezo Stages
Piezo stages are used for precise and dynamic motion in a single axis or multiple axes (X, Z, XY or XYZ stages). Flexure frames are solid state with high stiffness, zero backlash, no particulate and practically infinite life. Flexure stage travels range from approximately 20µm to 1000µm. With a low-noise drive signal, the precision is limited only by the feedback resolution; ideal for nanopositioning.
Contact us for customized solutions.
Axes of motion:
X-axis is parallel to stage surface
Z-axis is normal to stage surface
Benefits of Piezo Flexure Stages
- Analog position resolution can be as good as drive signal and feedback resolution
- Single axis or combine for multi-axis motion
- Low off-axis roll and tilt of output
- High dynamic performance
- No backlash in motion
- High load capability and configurable output platform
- Customizable mounting configurations
Piezo Stages for your Application
DSM is your "one-stop" solution for design, manufacturing, and product support. For over 20 years, DSM has created OEM flexure based designs. Examples of custom designs include combinations of the following:
- Ultra-high vacuum environments
- Magnetic environments (e.g. MRI machines)
- High, low or wide operating temperature range
- Integrated position sensors for closed loop control
- xy scanning stage
- Special mechanical interfaces for mounting
- Customizable cables (wire lengths and connectors)
DSM engineers design the piezo stage structures, optimize using software tools, manufacture then extensively test for your application. Contact us to learn more.
Below are examples of piezo stages designed and produced by DSM. We take protection of customer data very seriously! Much of what we make is not available for sharing on the website. Example data and images below shared with permission and/or limited to protect intellectual property.
Examples of Piezo Stages Produced by DSM
XSA-250E - X Stage
Nominal Displacement: 250 µm
Unloaded Resonant Frequency: 350 Hz
Footprint: 70 mm OD x 20 mm H
The XSA-250E was designed to provide precise linear motion with positional repeatability of +/- 15 nanometers at low bandwidth (0‑20Hz). Custom form-factor.
XSA-300E-S-0727 - X Stage
Nominal Displacement: 300 µm
Unloaded Resonant Frequency: 250 Hz
Stiffness: 0.7 N/µm
Footprint: 50 mm x 50 mm x 12 mm
The XSA-300E-S-0727 was designed for precision optical positioning.
ZSA-300 with Aperture - XY Stage
Nominal Displacement (open loop): 300 µm
Nominal Displacement (closed loop): 250 µm
Unloaded Resonant Frequency: 350 Hz
Footprint: 237 mm x 156 mm x 24 mm
Aperture opening: 113 mm x 74 mm.
The ZSA-300 was designed for a scanning application with 2-axis, closed-loop control. The encoder resolution is 0.5 µm and the closed loop nominal displacement is approximately 250 µm. The lateral stability of the piezo stage was measured to be 1.8 µm in the x-axis and 3.7 µm in y-axis with a 600-gram load at full stroke.
ZSA-400 - Z Stage
Nominal Displacement: 400 µm
Unloaded Resonant Frequency: 200 Hz
Stiffness: 0.7 N/µm
Footprint: 100 mm x 85 mm x 22 mm
The ZSA-400 was designed for precise positioning in an ultra-high vacuum environment.
RSA-500 - Rotary Stage
Nominal Linear Displacement: 500 µm
Rotation of primary stage: ±0.25°
Rotation of tilt stage (not shown): ±2°
Footprint: 60 mm x 25 mm x 18 mm
With mounted tilt stage (not pictured): 60 mm x 25 mm x 35 mm
This rotary piezo stage is a multi-axis design for closed loop operation. The stage is controlled with DSM's SA closed-loop linear amplifier and an eddy-current displacement sensor. This design is scalable for larger or smaller motions.
Full Service Solution - Contact an Engineer
DSM wants to help you get a positioning system for your specific application. We can help provide a full working system; hardware, position sensors, drivers, controllers and software.
Example Applications
- Industrial automation processes
- Materials testing
- Microscope Slide Positioner
- Your use case, with a solution engineered by DSM. Contact us!
Why use a piezo stage instead of a piezo actuator?
Both piezo stages and piezo actuators use one or more piezoelectric stacks inside a metal frame. The metal frame provides preload and amplifies the stroke of the stack. Piezo stages use extra material around the actuator frame to guide the path of motion in a desired manner, either by making the displacement more stable, or by coupling multiple actuators into a more complex system. In this way, a single stage can be designed to have combinations of linear and rotational motion, such as XY stages, or Z stages with tilt. Piezo stages have more linear stability, higher load capacity, and larger mounting surfaces compared to non-stage actuator architectures.
DSM produces stages with linear and rotary motion; with single-axis or multi-axis control:
Piezo Stage vs Piezo Motor Stage
DSM offers both Piezo stages and piezo motor stages. Flexure stages rely only on piezoceramic stack expansion to move and so have limited travel. DSM's piezo motor stage has practically limitless travel by using piezo structures in a step-and-repeat configuration to take steps along the axis of motion. See DSM’s I-20 piezo motor and MD-90 closed-loop piezo motor driver.
Integrated Feedback and Closed Loop Control
Closed loop control mitigates the hysteresis and thermal effects that typically occur with a piezoelectric device. DSM can integrate position sensors into most architectures for closed loop control. Example: DSM can assemble your piezo stage with an integrated optical encoder (or other device) removing the need to choose and install it yourself. Contact DSM for closed loop control options.
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