Nanomotion’s Z-Axis Auto Focus Stage provides positioning and focussing for microscope and imaging applications

The Z Axis Auto Focus Stage assembly combines Nanomotion’s unique standing wave, inverse piezoelectric ceramic motor technology and a high resolution encoder in a miniature but robust translation stage housing with integral precision bearings and a spring counterbalance. The zero backlash, direct-drive stage features a travel range to 25 mm, selectable standard resolution from 10 nanometres to 100 nanometres (with 1 nanometre optional), a wide dynamic speed range (up to 250mm/second) and static loading to 400 grams. Nanomotion’s ceramic servo motor technology suits the demands of high-speed move and settle positioning required by microscope focussing applications, providing a typical focussing move of 1 to 10 microns in under 5 milliseconds, settling within 100 nanometres.

Ultra fast settling times and the inherent ability to lock the stage’s position at rest and under power-of conditions ensures excellent levels of optical stability with minimal thermal drift. Typical applications for the Z Axis Auto Focus Stage include managing the demanding high speeds, accelerations and positioning reversals in cell terrain imaging, semiconductor and biomedical microscopy, and on-the-fly focussing. The stage may also be used in a horizontal orientation for step and repeat imaging.