Driving stages through cryostat wiring
Compensate the cable capacitance and attenuation of a long run into a cold environment.
Representative image of the product family.
Opto-Mechanics · Cryogenic Piezo Stages - Controllers
MC-ArchimedesLT.03.Ultra
High-speed 3-channel closed-loop cryogenic scanner controller engineered for MultiFields closed-loop Ultra flexure scanning stages. Features 50 kSa/s real-time sampling and master-slave SPI communication for sub-nanometer displacement precision and tunable analog bandwidth. Integrates synchronous capacitive sensor feedback loops, EtherCAT, Ethernet, USB 3.0, BNC/SMA analog I/O, and hardware trigger terminals for synchronized scanning probe and cryogenic imaging systems.
Datasheet (PDF) ↗Catalog context
Where MC-ArchimedesLT.03.Ultra fits
MC-ArchimedesLT.03.Ultra is listed in the Cryogenic Piezo Stages - Controllers family. The local catalog record provides these first selection fields: Controlled channels: 3 channels (synchronous closed-loop scanner control); Compatible stages: MultiFields closed-loop Ultra cryogenic flexure scanners; Sampling rate: 50 kSa/s high-speed synchronous multi-channel sampling.
Specifications
| Controlled channels | 3 channels (synchronous closed-loop scanner control) |
|---|---|
| Compatible stages | MultiFields closed-loop Ultra cryogenic flexure scanners |
| Sampling rate | 50 kSa/s high-speed synchronous multi-channel sampling |
| Real-time bus | SPI master-slave communication (50 kSa/s) |
| Host communication interface | EtherCAT, Ethernet (RJ45), USB 3.0 |
| Displacement resolution | Sub-nanometer closed-loop resolution |
| Sensor feedback | Synchronous multi-channel capacitive displacement sensing |
| Analog bandwidth | Tunable analog bandwidth |
| Terminal interfaces | BNC / SMA analog input, analog output, trigger in/out, front-panel tuning knob |
| Enclosure form factor | High-speed rack-ready precision enclosure |
Application context
Why this design is used
Closed-loop operation at low temperature
Read cryogenic position sensors and servo against them where piezo response changes with temperature.
Coordinated multi-axis stacks
Sequence coarse and fine axes from one controller so an approach routine can run unattended.
System integration
Integration and compatibility
Use these checks to connect MC-ArchimedesLT.03.Ultra to the surrounding optical, mechanical and control system. Every value shown is taken from this model's own specification record.
- Travel and resolution
- Displacement resolution: Sub-nanometer closed-loop resolution
- Separate travel from resolution and both from repeatability. Repeatability is what an automated sequence actually depends on, and it is the figure most often absent from a headline specification.
- Drive and feedback
- Sensor feedback: Synchronous multi-channel capacitive displacement sensing
- Pair open-loop mechanics with the specified high-voltage or inertial driver, and closed-loop variants with the controller their capacitive, strain-gauge or encoder feedback requires. Matching connectors do not guarantee electrical compatibility.
Technical FAQ
Integration questions for MC-ArchimedesLT.03.Ultra
What travel and resolution does the MC-ArchimedesLT.03.Ultra provide?
Displacement resolution: Sub-nanometer closed-loop resolution. Separate travel from resolution and both from repeatability. Repeatability is what an automated sequence actually depends on, and it is the figure most often absent from a headline specification.
Which controller does the MC-ArchimedesLT.03.Ultra require?
Sensor feedback: Synchronous multi-channel capacitive displacement sensing. Pair open-loop mechanics with the specified high-voltage or inertial driver, and closed-loop variants with the controller their capacitive, strain-gauge or encoder feedback requires. Matching connectors do not guarantee electrical compatibility.
Specifying this part
What this model has to survive, and what it needs around it
Match the controller to the drive type
MC-NewtonLT drives coarse inertial stages (Linear, Rotator, Goniometer) in 1- and 6-channel versions over USB and TCP/IP. MC-ArchimedesLT drives scanners with sub-millivolt output noise. Only the .03.Ultra closes a capacitive loop, sampling at 50 kSa/s over EtherCAT, EtherNET or USB 3.0.
Automation
LabVIEW, C++ and Python APIs are supplied, so the stage can be sequenced from the same script that runs the measurement rather than driven by hand between points.
Heat load at the cold plate
Stick-slip inertial drives dissipate energy per step and draw no holding current once stopped, so the steady-state load on the mixing chamber is the wiring loom rather than the motor. Anchor the loom at each temperature stage and thermalise the moving body with an FTC copper braid.
Non-magnetic construction
Titanium bodies (BeCu on the .ULT variants) and BeCu fasteners throughout, rated for operation to 35 T and down to 30 mK with the .ULT option, at 2 × 10⁻¹¹ mbar with .UHV. A single steel screw substituted at installation is enough to compromise a high-field assembly.
Full series comparison, controller pairing and mounting hardware on the cryogenic piezo stages overview, or work through the selection with the configurator.
Model selection
Nearby series comparison
Compare MC-ArchimedesLT.03.Ultra with the closest available models in the Cryogenic Piezo Stages - Controllers family.
| Selection parameter | MC-ArchimedesLT.03.Ultra (current) | MC-ArchimedesLT.03 | MC-NewtonLT.01 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution / sensitivity | Sub-nanometer closed-loop resolution | 3 mV ultra-low-noise output | 50 µV (18-bit ADC) |
Related products
MC-NewtonLT.01
Single-channel cryogenic piezo positioner controller designed for extreme environments (down to 4 K and UHV). Combines high-voltage coarse stick-slip driving (-200 V to +200 V, 1–10 kHz, 40 W) with fine analog positioning. Equipped with 18-bit (50 µV) resistive encoder readout, independent ground isolation, front-panel touchscreen and fine-tuning knob, USB and TCP/IP Ethernet communication, and full LabVIEW / SDK automation support in a 19-inch 3U rack-mount enclosure.
MC-NewtonLT.06
Six-channel cryogenic piezo positioner controller for multi-axis positioner stacks and long-stroke assemblies operating in cryogenic and vacuum chambers. Delivers independent -200 V to +200 V bipolar drive signals at 1–10 kHz with 40 W peak power per channel and dedicated isolated ground paths. Features 6-channel 18-bit resistive encoder feedback, front-panel touchscreen and fine-tuning knobs, USB and TCP/IP Ethernet interfaces, and LabVIEW / SDK support in a 19-inch 3U chassis.
MC-ArchimedesLT.03
Three-channel open-loop cryogenic scanner controller designed for MultiFields low-temperature flexure scanners (Scanner 16, 25, and 35 series). Features ultra-low-noise high-voltage amplifiers delivering -150 V to +150 V with 3 mV resolution up to 1 kHz frequency. Includes 3 BNC output channels, -10 V to +10 V analog inputs, USB and TCP/IP Ethernet remote control, and a 19-inch 3U rack-mountable enclosure.
