Laser Confocal Scanning for Precise Measurement at the Sub-Micron Level

The OLS5000 3D Measuring Laser Microscope. (Image courtesy of Olympus.)

The new Olympus LEXT OLS5000 3D laser confocal scanning microscope is designed to deliver precise imaging in a fast, easy-to-use system for research and development and quality control inspection in the automotive, electronic component and semiconductor industries.

The OLS5000 microscope includes new features and updated technology with the aim of enhancing its performance and advance measurement outputs.

These include:

4K scanning technology and optics designed specifically for the OLS5000 microscope enable the detection of near-perpendicular features and small steps at close to nano-scale.
Acquires data four times faster than its predecessor with software designed to automate many common settings.
An expansion frame and a dedicated, long working distance (LWD) lens perform precise measurements on samples up to 210 mm in height and concavities up to 25 mm deep, even those with uneven surface cracks.

With the steady advancement of nanotechnology and the growing sophistication and miniaturization of electronic devices and car parts, quality management through the accurate measurement of components’ surface features is more important than ever.

4K scanning technology and specially-designed optics enable detection of near-perpendicular features and small steps at close to nano-scale. (Image courtesy of Olympus.)

In the past, inspectors conducted surface shape and roughness measurements using direct contact, stylus-based roughness instruments. But an increasing number of samples, such as fragile films or samples with height variations less than the diameter of the stylus, gave rise to a need for more precise, nondestructive, non-contact measurement techniques.

Minimum Aberration and Accurate Measurement

A new 10x lens optimized for a 405 nm-wavelength light source and a long working distance lens was designed specifically for the use with the LEXT microscope to reduce aberration and enable accurate measurements across the entire field of view. Meanwhile, 4K scanning technology with a resolution of 4096 pixels in the X direction (4 times that of the previous model) enhances resolution and improves the reliability of shape measurements (doubling improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio).

The OLS5000 microscope uses the PEAK algorithm for fast, precise measurements at both low and high magnifications. Smart Scan II and analysis template functions automate the sequence of steps from data acquisition to reporting.

With the new stitching function, OLS5000 can expand field of view by connecting up to 2,500 images together. (Image courtesy of Olympus.)

An optional expansion frame enables the OLS5000 microscope to accommodate samples up to 210 mm in height. Observation and measurement can also be performed using a long working distance lens, which enables a separation of up to 25 mm between the lens and the sample.

For more information, visit the Olympus website.