Empowering Photonics with Industry-Leading Alignment Technologies

Light is an exceptionally versatile and efficient carrier of information. To fully use its potential, the individual elements for producing and detecting light (e.g., lasers and photodiodes) as well as light-carrying, -modulating and -processing elements, such as glass fibers, waveguides, lenses, or prisms, must be aligned exactly. Fast and precise alignment plays a decisive role both in the quality assurance of individual elements and in the testing and packaging of components and (sub)systems.

Until recently, the process of optical alignment had been relegated to generic positioners and rudimentary automation techniques dating back to the 1980s. This resulted in tedious, costly, poorly reproducible couplings as well as persistently poor yield and scalability. PI addressed this deficiency with an ever-expanding modular portfolio of mechanisms ranging from fab-class to space-qualified, each one animated by advanced controls provisioned with intelligent, built-in alignment functionality. Our unique intelligent algorithms offer swift, autonomous first-light capture and automated optimization simultaneously across multiple channels and degrees-of-freedom. With these built-in functionalities, complex alignments that formerly took minutes to accomplish using legacy tools can be reduced to one single command that concludes in typically one second. Geometric and optical dependencies are managed automatically, allowing the system to complete a consensus optimization with sub-micron or even nanoscale accuracy in one quick step.

Our precision mechanisms and controls are now at the heart of leading silicon photonics testing and assembly processes for photonic integrated circuits (PIC) and are deployed in tools around the world. PI’s space-qualified fast steering mounts orbit the globe to deliver on the promise of universal connectivity. The common thread: mission-critical fast alignment automation. With knowledgeable application guidance and fab-qualified hardware support deployed globally, PI is a resource for making your photonics applications succeed—and scale.

Over its history of more than half a century, PI has evolved along with the semiconductor industry, partnering with its earliest pioneers to provide industrial-class fast nanopositioning for crucial processes from microlithography to ball bonding. In the early 2000s, PI enabled the genomics industry with delicate mechanisms that perform the molecular-scale scanning needed to illuminate genetic secrets. In 2016, PI addressed the testing and assembly costs for photonic integrated circuits by revolutionizing active alignment automation, allowing multichannel and multi-degree-of-freedom alignment in one quick step, significantly faster than legacy approaches. Around 2022, PI started to build on its history of supplying mechanisms for deep space research and mission-critical alignment and tracking to deliver large quantities of launch-qualified fast steering mirrors to enable global constellations of low-earth-orbit satellites for global internet connectivity. Today, there is no advanced chip without PI componentry providing mission-critical functionality somewhere along the process chain. Our commitment to the success of photonics in all its forms continues as new applications emerge: Enabling new industries is part of our DNA.

• Motion technologies: Our motion control systems are designed to enhance the speed and accuracy of the photonics alignment process. We use advanced technologies to ensure that the alignment time can be reduced significantly compared to conventional techniques.
• Expertise: Our team of specialists has decades of experience in developing and implementing motion control systems and photonics alignment solutions.
• Customized solutions: We collaborate closely with our clients to understand their unique requirements and to provide customized solutions that meet their specific needs.
• Unique algorithms: Our motion control and alignment algorithms provide unique ways to find first light, to characterize a beam profile, and to simultaneously align inputs and outputs.
• Global support: To be close to our customers, PI operates design, production, and service centers in North America, Asia, and Europe.