Confocal chromatic optical pens

Armstrong Optical has introduced its latest line of confocal chromatic optical pens (manufactured by Stil of Aix-en-Provence) for profilometry,

Armstrong Optical has introduced its latest line of confocal chromatic optical pens (manufactured by Stil of Aix-en-Provence) for profilometry, microtopography, roughness, autofocus vibrometry, in-line inspection quality control and thickness measurements.

The new modular design allows up to 30 different optical pen configurations for specific depth of field, spot size, working distance, object slope and photometric efficiency.

Users can choose from a selection of five magnifiers ranging from 3.3 mm to 29 mm focal lengths and six different chromatic lenses with 130 um to 27 mm depth of fields.

Pens can achieve maximum axial resolution of 5 nm, accuracy to 20 nm and max slope to 87 deg for diffusive objects.

Based on white-light chromatic aberration, the pens have superior lateral resolution (1.1 um) and vertical resolution (5 nm), making them a better choice than laser triangulation sensors for applications where high-resolution measurements are critical, as sometimes found in vibrometry, in-line inspection and quality control applications.

For challenging materials such as textiles, polymers, black or dark blue materials, high aspect ratio surfaces and materials of low reflectivity, white-light chromatic aberration is often the only appropriate technique.

Armstrong Optical believes that their new competitive pricing will attract clients who previously considered white-light chromatic aberration too expensive.

"Clients have known of this technique, and its benefits for OEM applications, but because of the price it was passed on in favour of cheaper laser sensors.

The new prices are 40 percent lower on average, which should make all the difference.

said Ian Johnstone.

Acquisition speed to 30,000 Hz meets specific vibrometry, in-line and off-line quality control requirements.

The system can be used as a stand-alone unit or connected to a computer using various software packages.

Integrated solutions such as the MicroMesure profiler and MicroMesure dual scanner are also available for complete 3-D surface imaging.

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