The compact Picomotor actuator housing adds only 0.75 in. (19.1 mm) to the overall thickness of the mounts, allowing these mounts to be located where needed on a crowded optical table or breadboard.

Our Open-Loop Picomotor controllers and drivers are modular. You can daisy-chain up to 31 drivers together with four channels each, so you can have a network of up to 124 standard Picomotor actuators. You have two interface options with the controller system: hand pad or computer, both providing plug-and-play use. Alternatively, you may choose to use our TTL/Analog Picomotor driver.

The , , , and mounts feature an RJ-11 (6-pin) connector and therefore require the multi-axis adapter to connect to a Picomotor controller. The adpater comes with one RJ-11 (6-pin) jack and three RJ-22 (4-pin) connectors.

Picomotor actuators rely on the basic difference between dynamic and static friction. An example of this is the magician's "tablecloth trick," in which a quick pull (low dynamic friction) of the cloth leaves the dishes on the table, while a slow pull (high static friction) would pull the dishes off the table and cause a big mess! Our Picomotor actuator uses the same principle with a threaded jaw, similar to two halves of a split nut, clamped around a precision 80-pitch screw. One jaw is connected to one end of a piezoelectric transducer, and the other jaw is connected to the other end of the transducer. A slow electrical signal applied to the piezo slowly changes the length, causing the two jaws to slide in opposite directions. This slow sliding motion makes the screw turn (static friction). At the end of the transducer motion, a fast electrical signal quickly returns the jaws to their starting positions. Because of the screw’s inertia and low dynamic friction, it remains motionless, holding its position. Simply reversing the order of the fast and slow signals reverses the direction of rotation.

A gimbal mount has axes of rotation which intersect at the center front surface of the optic. When the mount is adjusted, only the beam's angle changes, not its length. In contrast, a non-gimbal mount will shorten or lengthen a beam path as angle is adjusted.

Corner Mirror Mounts hold the mirror in a unique location near the edge of the frame. In this location, not only is there a clearer beam path but also gimbal movement is possible.

Platform mounts have a flat, square, adjustable surface for mounting custom optics, prisms, and beamsplitter cubes. One benefit platform mounts have over aperture mounts is their ability to hold mirrors which are as large as or larger than the actual mount itself.

Sapphire seats and optimized spring location and force provides for smooth, reliable motorized adjustment while maintaining a high level of thermal and mechanical stability.