Faster Laser/Piezo Autofocus System Offers Throughput with Flexibility

ELECTRONICS: Motion X and PI have developed a novel, laser-based system that combines Motion X’s high-bandwidth autofocus sensor with PI’s high-speed piezo driven PIFOC® objective and Z positioners to provide a big step forward in autofocus responsiveness, stability and accuracy. The modular and configurable architecture avoids image degradation and is suitable for commercial and custom microscopes, and for substrates ranging from wafers with sensitive coatings to live biological samples. The teamwork between PI and Motion X married Motion X’s unique FocusTrac™ system to PI’s proven controls and piezo mechanics for plug-and-play autofocus capability. PI’s PIFOC® piezo objective and Z positioners are typically 10 times faster than stepper or servo focusers and can realize the full bandwidth capability of the Motion X laser autofocus technique. Different laser wavelengths are easily accommodated, and mechanical options include objective positioners, turret positioners, sample-positioning and (well-plate) Z-stages and cost-effective OEM Z-positioning elements. FocusTrac™ ^{works with microscopes from industry leaders including Olympus, Leica, Nikon, Zeiss and Mitutoyo and is readily integrated into OEM assemblies.}

-Edited by Kelsey Anderson