MBT616D/M

• 3-axis XYZ positioning with 4 mm of travel per axis.
• Differential micrometer adjusters provide high-resolution positioning.
• 50 nm adjustment resolution over the 300 µm fine-adjustment range.
• 500 µm/rev coarse adjustment for faster positioning.
• Parallel flexure design provides smooth, continuous motion without sliding or rolling components.
• Low crosstalk: <20 µm/mm between axes.
• High mechanical stability with reduced friction and drift.
• Thermal stability: approximately 1 µm/°C.
• 1 kg maximum load capacity when the load is centered on the top plate.
• Compact design with a 62.5 mm deck height and 75 mm nominal optical axis height.
• The grooved top plate facilitates alignment and mounting of compatible accessories.
• Metric configuration with an MMP1/M top plate.
• Particularly well suited for fiber launch and precision optical alignment applications.

The Thorlabs MBT616D/M is a compact 3-axis XYZ MicroBlock™ flexure stage designed for precision manual positioning of optical components and fiber-launch assemblies.

Each axis provides 4 mm of linear travel, allowing components to be positioned along the X, Y, and Z axes. The stage uses differential micrometer drives that provide 500 µm of coarse travel per revolution and 300 µm of fine adjustment range, with a fine adjustment rate of 50 µm/rev. The differential mechanism enables high-resolution positioning down to approximately 50 nm.

Unlike conventional translation stages that rely on sliding or rolling bearings, the MBT616D/M uses a nested parallel-flexure mechanism. This design provides smooth continuous motion while minimizing friction, stiction, and mechanical drift. It also allows the stage to operate without lubrication, which contributes to long-term stability.

The compact stage has a nominal 62.5 mm deck height and 75 mm optical axis height when used with MicroBlock accessories. It supports loads up to 1 kg when centered on the top plate. The top platform includes multiple mounting holes and central keyways for convenient attachment and alignment of MicroBlock accessories.

The MBT616D/M is particularly well suited to fiber launch systems, where precise XYZ positioning is required to maximize coupling efficiency between a free-space beam and a single-mode or polarization-maintaining fiber. Thorlabs uses this stage as the core platform in several preconfigured fiber-launch systems.

Product Type: 3-Axis Compact Flexure Stage
Part Number: MBT616D/M
Stage Type: MicroBlock™ Flexure Stage
Axes: X, Y, Z
Travel per Axis: 4 mm (0.16")
Fine Adjustment Range: 300 µm
Coarse Adjustment: 500 µm/rev
Fine Adjustment: 50 µm/rev
Fine Resolution: 50 nm
Drive Type: Differential Micrometers
Flexure Type: Parallel / Nested Flexure
Crosstalk: <20 µm/mm
Maximum Load Capacity: 1 kg (2.2 lbs)
Deck Height: 62.5 mm (2.46")
Optical Axis Height: 75 mm (2.95")
Thermal Stability: 1 µm/°C
Stage Dimensions: 77.5 mm × 74.0 mm, excluding drives
Top Plate: MMP1/M Metric Top Plate
Mounting Configuration: Metric
Mounting Holes: 4-40 (M2), 6-32 (M3), and 8-32 (M4) mounting patterns
Adjustment Type: Manual
Recommended Application: Precision Micropositioning / Fiber Alignment

The 50 nm value refers to the fine adjustment resolution of the differential adjusters, while the total fine travel is 300 µm. The stage provides 4 mm of total travel per axis for coarse positioning.

The MBT616D/M is suitable for a wide range of precision positioning and photonics applications, including:

• Fiber Coupling
• Single-Mode Fiber Alignment
• Polarization-Maintaining Fiber Alignment
• Free-Space-to-Fiber Coupling
• Laser Beam Alignment
• Optical Component Positioning
• Waveguide Alignment
• Microscope Objective Positioning
• Fiber Launch Systems
• Photonic Device Alignment
• Optical Instrumentation
• Laser System Alignment
• Precision Micropositioning
• Photonics Research
• Scientific and Laboratory Optical Setups

The MBT616D/M is especially useful for fiber coupling applications requiring very fine XYZ adjustment. Its 4 mm travel provides sufficient coarse positioning, while the differential micrometers allow fine alignment to optimize coupling efficiency, including applications involving single-mode fibers with very small mode-field diameters.