Tip/Tilt platforms for mirrors, optics and fast steering mirrors

Precision Optical Alignment

Tip/Tilt Platforms for Mirrors, Optics and Fast Steering Mirrors

High-resolution tip-tilt stages precisely adjust the angular position of mirrors, lenses, fibers, sensors, and laser beams for beam steering, optical alignment, image stabilization, and drift or vibration compensation.

Tip/Tilt Stage and Steering Mirror Types

What Are Precision Tip/Tilt Stages and Steering Mirrors Used For?

High resolution tip-tilt stages are used in optical applications to precisely adjust the angular position of mirrors, lenses, fibers, sensors, and laser beams. By providing fine rotation around two axes, they enable accurate beam steering, optical alignment, image stabilization, and compensation for drift or vibration.

In photonics, microscopy, interferometry, laser processing, and free-space optical communication, highly accurate tip-tilt motion helps maintain optimal beam position and coupling efficiency. High-resolution tip-tilt stages are especially useful where small angular errors can reduce signal quality, measurement accuracy, or optical throughput. They support fast, repeatable alignment in research systems, aerospace applications, and automated industrial optical setups.

Video: Fast Mirror Tilting Systems Based on Piezo and Voice-Coil Motors

Tip/Tilt Stages, Z-Tip-Tilt Platforms and Fast Steering Mirrors

Fast tip/tilt steering mirror platform with voice-coil drives

Fast Tip/Tilt Steering Mirror Platform with Voice-Coil Drives

  • For Dynamic FSM Applications
  • For Mirrors to 1" Diameter
  • Optical Deflection Angle to 8°
  • Voice-Coil Driven

This highly dynamic laser steering mirror mount provides precise motion in two orthogonal axes. A compact 2-axis bench-top and OEM controller is also available, model C-413.

Z/Tip/Tilt Stage with Air Bearings

A-523 Fast Z-Tip-Tilt Precision Air Bearing Table for Alignment

  • High Dynamics and Speed: 1g Acceleration
  • High Force / Load
  • Ironless 3-phase linear motors
  • Nanometer and Sub-Microradian Resolution
  • Very Low Profile
  • Clean Room Compatible
  • Frictionless and Wear Free
  • Can be combined with X-Y-Theta Stage to form low profile 6-axis stage

This unique Z-tip-tilt stage with air bearing guides and ironless, 3-phase linear motors combines high resolution, speed and load capacity in a very low profile unit. The 3-axis stage can also be combined with the A-361 X-Y-Theta Air Bearing Stage to form a very compact 6-axis unit for 6-DOF alignment tasks in optics, photonics, medical engineering and other mechatronics applications.

Motorized vacuum-compatible tip/tilt kinematic mount

Tip/Tilt Motorized Kinematic Mount with Nanometer-Precision Piezo-Motor Drives

  • Superior Resolution & Repeatability
  • Self-Locking Piezo Motor Drives - High Stability
  • Additional Manual Control

These high precision, compact tip/tilt kinematic mounts are designed for optics and mirrors. They feature very high resolution and superior stability. Spring preloading eliminates backlash. The piezo-motor ratchet drives allow ultra-high-resolution angular motion and are self-locking on power off.

Goniometer stage

L-886 High Precision Goniometer, Stackable with Common Pivot Point

  • Rotation range 10°
  • Load capacity to 2 kg
  • Repeatability to 35 µrad
  • Can be combined for Theta-XY motion with common pivot point
  • High resolution optical encoder

Stackable goniometer stages preserve a common pivot point and provide precise angular positioning for optics, probes, samples, and alignment fixtures.

High-force NEXLINE Z/Tip/Tilt stage

High-Force Piezo-Motor Driven Tip/Tilt + Z Stage Concept

  • Z, tip, tilt nanopositioning platform with 3 integrated drives, parallel-kinematics tripod design
  • NEXLINE® PiezoWalk drive is self-clamping with no heat generation at rest
  • Vacuum compatible / non-magnetic designs feasible
  • High load capacity 200 N
  • High precision with integrated incremental sensors and picometer-resolution dithering mode

This high-force multi-axis stage is based on PI's patented NEXLINE® self-locking piezo motor drives. NEXLINE® technology combines piezo-class precision with the long travel ranges of linear motor technology.

Non-magnetic piezo hexapod

Non-Magnetic Piezo Hexapod Concept: Tip/Tilt + Rot-Z + XYZ 6-Axis Stage

  • Travel ranges 10 mm linear, 6° rotation
  • Large clear aperture 202 mm
  • Non-magnetic NEXLINE® PiezoWalk drive is self-clamping with no heat generation at rest
  • Nanometer resolution
  • Low-profile: 140 mm height only
  • Parallel kinematics for better multi-axis accuracy
  • Up to 500 N force generation

6-axis parallel kinematics with integrated NEXLINE® high-load piezo motor actuators are suitable for applications in strong magnetic fields.

P-562.6CD 6-axis piezo stage

P-562.6CD Tip-Tilt + XYZ + Rot-Z Piezo Flexure Stage: 6-Axis Nanopositioning System

  • 6 motion axes: tip/tilt, XYZ + Rot-Z
  • 1 mrad tilt angle, to 200 µm linear range
  • UHV versions to 10-9 hPa
  • Parallel kinematics / metrology for enhanced responsiveness & precision
  • Capacitive feedback for highest linearity / stability
  • Frictionless, high-precision flexure guiding system
  • Excellent scan flatness
  • 66 x 66 mm aperture
  • Outstanding lifetime due to PICMA® piezo actuators

This multi-axis piezo nanopositioning stage uses a parallel-kinematic design where all piezo flexure drives act on the same moving platform. Sophisticated digital control algorithms make highly precise coordinated motion possible in all degrees of freedom.

S-340 steering mirror

S-340 Piezo Tip/Tilt-Stage Mirror Platform for Mirrors and Optics up to 100 mm

  • 20 nrad resolution, excellent position stability
  • Optical beam deflection to 4 mrad
  • Parallel kinematics for higher precision, stability & dynamics
  • No polarization rotation with single moving platform and fixed pivot point
  • Sub-millisecond response
  • For optics to 4" diameter
  • Closed-loop option for higher linearity

The S-340 tip/tilt piezo platform allows precision rotation in two orthogonal axes with a fixed pivot point. The parallel-kinematic differential drive enables outstanding angular stability over a wide temperature range.

S-331 piezo tip/tilt mirror platform

S-331 Piezo Tip/Tilt Platform: High Dynamics & Large Angles

  • Optical beam deflection to 14 mrad
  • Parallel kinematics design for enhanced stability, dynamics & precision
  • Position servo-control for high positioning stability
  • Frictionless, high-precision flexure guiding system
  • System combination with digital controllers for highest linearity

The S-331 tip/tilt piezo-driven platform is designed for large angles and highest dynamics.

S-312 phase shifter

S-312 Piezo Phase Shifter with 500 Picometers Resolution

  • High resonant frequency for sub-millisecond response time
  • Up to 8" aperture
  • Mounts in any orientation
  • Piston motion range to 15 microns

Piezo phase shifters are based on a piezo tripod drive. The stiff and compact design provides sub-millisecond response times and sub-nanometer resolution. Piston movement is up to 15 micrometers. Open- and closed-loop versions are available.

Piezo tilt mirror

Custom Single Axis Miniature Piezo Steering Mirror

  • Optical beam deflection to 4.4 mrad
  • Open and closed-loop versions
  • Resolution to 50 nanoradian
  • Sub-millisecond response
  • Backlash-free flexure guiding system

These miniature piezo tilt mirrors provide optical beam deflection to 4.4 mrad, nanoradian-level resolution and sub-millisecond response times.

Z/Tip/Tilt stage

P-500 Series Piezo Z/Tip/Tilt Open Frame Nano-Positioning Platform

  • Z and Z-tip/tilt versions
  • Resolutions to 0.5 nanometers / 50 nano-radians
  • Capacitive feedback for highest linearity
  • Closed-loop tilt range to 2 milliradians and 200 microns in Z
  • Frictionless, high-precision flexure guiding system
  • PICMA® ceramic encapsulated piezo actuators for outstanding lifetime
  • 66 x 66 mm clear aperture
  • Parallel kinematics & metrology for enhanced responsiveness & multi-axis precision

P-518, P-528 and P-558 are open-frame piezo-driven Z/tip/tilt stages. The large clear aperture enables transmitted-light applications. Integrated piezo drives provide high dynamics and resolution.

Piezo Z and Z/Tip/Tilt stage

P-541.Z Piezo Z & Z/Tip/Tilt Open Frame Nano-Positioning Platforms for Microscopy

  • Low profile for easy integration: 16.5 mm; 80 x 80 mm clear aperture
  • 2 versions: Z and Z/tip/tilt
  • 100 µm travel range, 1 mrad tilt
  • Parallel kinematics / metrology for enhanced responsiveness / multi-axis precision
  • Choice of capacitive sensors and strain gauge sensors
  • PICMA® ceramic encapsulated piezo actuators for outstanding lifetime
  • Combination with long-travel M-686 microscopy stages

P-541 Piezo-Z stages and Z/tip/tilt stages are optimized for light microscopy, nano-focus and metrology applications. The extremely low profile and large aperture allow easy integration.

Piezo Z/Tip/Tilt scanner

S-310 - S-316 Piezo Phase Shifter Z/Tip/Tilt Platform with Aperture

  • Parallel kinematics piezo tripod design for enhanced stability, dynamics & precision
  • 3-axis motion with optical beam deflection to 2.4 mrad and piston movement to 12 microns
  • Sub-µrad resolution, sub-millisecond response times
  • Open and closed-loop versions
  • Zero-backlash high-precision flexure guiding system
  • 10 mm clear aperture

These compact Z-positioners and Z-tip/tilt platforms are based on a parallel-kinematic piezo tripod design. They provide piston movement to 12 microns, tilt angles to 1.2 mrad and sub-millisecond response times.

Miniature piezo tip/tilt steering mirror

S-335 Large-Angle Piezo Tip/Tilt Mirror: High Speed and 70 mrad Deflection

  • Miniature tip/tilt mirror
  • No polarization rotation with coplanar axes and fixed pivot point
  • Optical beam deflection to 70 mrad / approx. 4°
  • Factory installed mirror
  • Millisecond response, nano-rad resolution
  • Closed-loop position servo-control for high accuracy
  • Zero-backlash precision flexure guides
  • Parallel-kinematics design for enhanced dynamics, stability & accuracy

This miniaturized tip/tilt mirror positioner/scanner provides a very large tilt angle for a piezo-flexure type two-axis mirror platform. Its high resonant frequency provides the basis for very high dynamics.

Piezo tip/tilt platform

S-330 Fast Piezo Tip/Tilt Steering Mirror Platform: High-Dynamics, Large-Angles

  • Optical beam deflection to 20 mrad / >1°
  • Resolution to 20 nrad, excellent position stability
  • Parallel-kinematics design for enhanced dynamics, stability & accuracy
  • Sub-millisecond response
  • For optics to 50 mm diameter
  • Choice of open and closed-loop versions

These piezo tip/tilt mirror platforms provide tilt ranges to 10 mrad and optical deflection to 20 mrad. The parallel-kinematics, differential direct-drive system provides fast response, excellent stability, and compact optical integration.

Miniature 6-axis stage

M-810 Miniature 6-Axis Stage, High Precision in a Small Package

  • Most compact hexapod in the PI portfolio
  • Travel ranges 40 x 40 x 13 mm, rotation to 60 degrees
  • Load capacity to 5 kg
  • Resolution of a single strut 40 nm
  • Minimum incremental motion to 0.5 µm
  • Repeatability up to ±0.5 µm
  • Velocity to 10 mm/s

With a platform diameter of only 10 cm, the M-810 Hexapod is a compact parallel-kinematics micropositioning system for positioning all six axes with high speed and accuracy.

Tip/Tilt Stages Catalog

Download the brochure for more information on tip/tilt platforms, piezo steering mirrors, Z-tip-tilt stages, and 6-axis precision positioning systems.

Download PDF Brochure