PI Actuator Wins Circle of Excellence Award

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 30 -- Nanopositioning and piezo specialist PI (Physik Instrumente) received a 2004 Photonics Circle of Excellence Award, sponsored by Laurin Publishing, for its PICMA nanopositioning actuators. The awards were presented during Photonics West 2005, held last week in San Jose.

The PICMA's cofired ceramic encapsulation resists humidity better than traditional polymer coatings, PI said. "Inherently vacuum-compatible, its flat, hard surface is ideal for sensors. PI's blank-sheet approach optimizes stiffness, capacitance, thermal dynamics, electrode configuration and other parameters. Consequently, PICMA improves performance and reliability in all environments and is measurably superior in high-duty/high-endurance situations," according to the company; it said a Curie temperature of 320°C facilitates operation in hotter environments with higher dynamics.

PICMA is now offered to OEMs and is the foundation of PI's fast nanopositioners and optic mounts, for applications including semiconductors, data storage, photonics, microscopy, life sciences, aerospace and other high-tech fields.

The Photonics Circle of Excellence Award is bestowed annually on the 25 most technically innovative new products of the year, based on a peer review by members of the Photonics Spectra Magazine editorial advisory board.

For more information, visit: www.pi-usa.us