100% Bearing Free: Maglev Enables 6-DOF with Zero Contact, Applications in Hybrid Bonding, Wafer Metrology

Three technology demonstrators, a 400mm linear stage, a rotary wafer stage, and a picometer-class AFM scanner, correct motion errors electronically with no bearing contact, lubrication, or wear

SHREWSBURY, Mass., Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PI (Physik Instrumente) displayed a variety of high-precision motion systems based on magnetic levitation technology, at SEMICON West 2026. This advanced technology enables active six-axis control, without any restrictions from traditional bearings. Each stage levitates and directly actuates its moving platform, eliminating mechanical bearing contact, lubrication, and bearing wear. Target applications include hybrid bonding and advanced packaging, wafer inspection, and high-resolution surface metrology.

Long-Travel Linear Stage: Force-Controlled Bonding and Inspection on the Fly
The linear demonstrator integrates 400mm of travel in X, 400µm in Y and Z, and angular motion of 1mrad in θX/θY and 2mrad in θZ in a single levitated body, with in-position stability below 2nm in Z and below 20nrad in angle. It supports a constant-velocity Z approach with contact detection, then applies process forces for bonding above 100N with mN force resolution. The stage achieves 2g acceleration and 400mm/s; other configurations support up to 6g.

Rotary Wafer Stage: Unlimited Rotation with Active Plane Control
The rotary demonstrator pairs unlimited θZ travel and speeds above 600rpm with active control of the rotor center and plane. Axial position and tip/tilt are stabilized throughout rotation, holding axial error below 5nm and tilt error below 50nrad peak-to-peak to maintain the measurement plane during wafer inspection and metrology. Payloads up to 25kg are possible with other configurations.

AFM Scanner: Picometer Resolution over Millimeter Ranges
The MagLev AFM scanner combines piezo-class resolution, 50pm or better in X/Y and 100pm or better in Z, with 12.1mm of X/Y travel, supporting die-level profiling without stitching. Other configurations can extend X/Y travel to 50mm.

Why Active Six-Axis Control Matters
Magnetic levitation nanopositioning systems replace mechanical bearings with actively controlled magnetic fields, eliminating friction, wear, lubrication, and bearing-related particle generation. Active six-axis control also allows positioning and alignment errors to be corrected electronically within a single motion platform, reducing the need to stack multiple mechanical positioning stages.

Award-Winning MagLev Poster at SEMICON West 2026
PI's MagLev and active wafer chuck technologies were also presented and received the best poster award at the SEMICON West Test Vision Poster Session, under the title "Maglev Platforms and Active Wafer Chuck Technology for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing." The work addresses next-generation hybrid bonding, inspection, and metrology applications where cleanliness, positioning accuracy, and throughput are increasingly important.

More information: PI Maglev Technology

Applications and Industries Served 
Semiconductor manufacturing, advanced packaging and hybrid bonding, wafer inspection, high-resolution surface metrology, optics and photonics.

About PI
PI is a leading global manufacturer of piezo materials, piezo mechanical systems, air bearings, precision motion control, and nanopositioning solutions. For more than 50 years, PI has developed standard and custom solutions for OEM and industry leaders in photonics, semiconductor, laser, medical/life sciences, and aerospace applications.

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SOURCE Physik Instrumente (PI)