Physik Instrumente (PI) L.P. (www.physikinstrumente.com) proudly introduces a more affordable series of Fast Piezo Focusing devices at the 2011 BIOS (Biomedical Optics) conference held together with SPIE’s Photonics West.

The latest PIFOC system packages are developed to improve results in lens positioning and fast focusing including deconvolution / 3D imaging, as well as to minimize costs.

The PIFOC piezo objective scanner system packages comprise custom-tuned compact digital servo controller / driver units and closed-loop piezomechanic objective positioners. The duo provides reduced costs with higher performance. The frictionless and high-stiffness piezo flexure drive integrated in the system ensures short settling times and quick response, as well as outstanding guiding accuracy. The settling time of not more than 10ms increases throughput and allows for fast Z-stack acquisition.

The digital controller delivers several advantages than the fast focusing systems of conventional analog controllers currently available. These include improved settling performance, higher linearity, access to advanced automation features and quick adaptation to varying motion requirements.

The integrated software allows switching of various sets of parameters on-the-fly and facilitates system setup. For the user, this means always getting the maximum performance from the piezo focusing mechanism. System integration becomes much more straightforward without the need of accessing trim pots and jumpers to make changes.

System setup with the integrated user-interface software is easy and fast, and interfacing to the customers’ software is made easier with the DLLs and LabVIEW drivers. Drivers for image acquisition software packages such as µManager and MetaMorph are also available.