Vertical Lift Stages / Precision Motorized Z-Stages

PI provides a number of different vertical lift stage designs (often called vertical linear stages, Z-stages, or elevator stages), spanning from stepper motor driven vertical stage platforms to piezo-Z flexure nanopositioning stages. High precision vertical lift stages are used in focusing, metrology or precision positioning and alignment applications. The ability to control the elevation of a platform with sub-micrometer to nanometer precision is often mission-critical in high-end industrial manufacturing and research applications from optics to photonics alignment and semiconductor surface metrology testing. In contrast to a linear stage mounted vertically, vertical lift stages allow 360 degree access to the objects mounted on the Z-platform.

Choose from a Product Group below, or scroll to see all Product Groups

A dedicated Z-stage provides better stiffness and straightness compared to a translation stage mounted vertically on a bracket, and gives full access to the sample to be positioned.

Many Options: PI provides a variety of different Z-stages, from low-cost stepper-motor units to high-accuracy lift stages with closed-loop motors and linear encoders for direct position feedback.

Ultra-High-Precision: Piezo Flexure Z-stages and Z-Tip-Tilt positioners and Piezo-Walk Z-Stages, as well as Hybrid Nanopositioning vertical stages, are also available for nanometer and sub-nanometer precise positioning applications.

Vacuum, too
As a specialist for vacuum motion systems, PI miCos also offers HV and UHV vacuum compatible linear positioning stages.

Motor/Screw Driven Vertical Lift Stages for 360 Degree Access

The L-310 vertical translation stage is available with stepper and servo motors and is driven by a precision ground ball screw and guided by cross-roller bearings. A linear scale option provides higher linearity and repeatability, with resolution to 50 nanometers. L-310 stages can be mounted directly to the L-511 linear stage and L-611 rotary stage series.
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L-310 Precision Vertical Lift Stage
Linear Encoder, Crossed Rollers
  • 26mm travel
  • 0.1µm min. inc. motion
  • 5nm encoder resolution

  • 20mm/sec max. velocity
  • 5kg load
  • Linear encoder option
L-306 Precision Vertical Stage
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L-306 Precision Vertical Lift Stage
Combines with L-406 Linear Stages
  • 13mm travel
  • 0.1µm min. inc. motion
  • 5nm linear encoder resolution
  • 5mm/sec max. velocity
  • 2kg load
  • 63x63mm footprint, combines with L-406 compact linear stages
M-501 Vertical Linear Stage Combines with M-511 Stages
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M-501 Vertical Lift Stage
Combines with M-511 Stages
  •     ½” vertical travel
  •     0.1µm min. inc. motion
  •     5 & 24nm sensor resolution
  •     3 & 1mm/sec max. velocity
  •     5 & 10kg load
  •     20 & 100N holding force

Voice Coil Z-Stages and Frictionless Air Bearing Z/Tip/Tilt Stages

Z-Tip-Tilt Air Bearing Stage
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A-523 Z-Tip-Tilt Air Bearing Stage
Low Profile
  • ⌀250mm table
  • 8 kg load capacity
  • 5mm Z-stroke, to 2° tip/tilt
  • 10nm/0.06µrad incremental motion
  • 1nm sensor resolution
V-308 Fast Nano Focus Voice Coil Scanner, 7mm
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V-308 Fast Nano Focus
Voice Coil Scanner, 7mm
  • 7mm motion
  • Voice coil linear motor
  • Adjustable Z-counterbalance
  • Millisecond settling time
  • 1nm sensor resolution

Counterbalanced High Performance Linear Z-Stage Concepts

PI has experience with a number of counterbalancing technologies for vertical linear stages including springs, magnets, counterweights, and closed-loop pneumatic solutions that adapt to varying loads. The following examples give an overview of what’s possible.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON COUNTERBALANCING OPTIONS, CONTACT OUR ENGINEERS

Custom A-121.050B1 Air Bearing stage with mechanical counterweight counterbalance, 50mm travel, linear motor, absolute encoder

Complete XYZ Air Bearing Granite Motion System.  XY = A-322 Base Model, 500x500mm Travel.  Z Axis is a custom A-123.150B1 Air Bearing stage with pneumatic counterbalance and fail-safe brake, 150mm travel, linear motor, absolute encoder.

A-123.150B1ZB  PIglide AT3 Linear Air Bearing Motorized Stage, 1nm Absolute Encoder with BiSS-C Output, 150mm Travel, with Z Counterbalance and Brake

Custom V-408 Cross Roller Bearing Stage stage with pneumatic counterbalance and fail-safe brake, 50mm travel, linear motor, sin/cos encoder

A-123.050B1ZB PIglide AT3 Linear Air Bearing Motorized Stage, 1nm Absolute Encoder with BiSS-C Output, 50mm Travel, with Z Counterbalance and Brake

Counter-balanced Air Bearing Z-Stage mounted on granite bridge

Complete XYZ Granite Motion System.  XY = V-508 Cross roller bearing linear motor stages, 170x170mm. Z Axis is a Custom V-408 Cross Roller Bearing Stage stage with pneumatic counterbalance and fail-safe brake, 50mm travel, linear motor, sin/cos encoder.

Custom Z-Theta with piezo XY motion system for miniature CT scanning. Z Axis is a custom A-123.200B1 Air Bearing stage with pneumatic counterbalance, which includes automated counterbalance adjustment for varying loads. The rotary stage is a A-623.050B1. The Q-545 XY stage is based on piezo-motor technology and driven through a slipring.

Split XY-Z Granite System based on A-311 XY Air Bearing Stage and A-123 Linear Stage mounted on Granite Bridge

A new granite-based beamline instrumentation system engineered for a customer with A-311 XY stage, A-621 rotary stage, and A-121 vertical stage.

V-308, compact voice-coil driven Z-scanner for optics and microscopy applications.  7mm motion, adjustable magnetic counterbalance, millisecond settling time, 1nm sensor resolution, up to 1kg load.

Piezo/Flexure Guided Z-Stages

Piezo Flexure Z-Nanopositioners
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Piezo Flexure Z-Nanopositioners
Sub-nm Resolution, Zero-Friction
  • <1mm travel
  • <1nm min. inc. motion
  • Millisecond fast step & settle
  • High stability & fast scanning

Related Products and Additional Resources