At the cutting edge of materials science research

As demonstrated at the recent European Society for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology (EUSPEN) 12th International Conference and Exhibition in Sweden, Olympus continues to provide expertise to the material science community. Having showcased its recently launched opto-digital microscope, the DSX500, along with the well-known LEXT OLS4000 confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) with an updated software version, Olympus also presented a poster in collaboration with the PTB (Germany’s National Measurements Institute). Olympus is at the forefront of process developments, with customers showing great interest in its technology and expertise at the exhibition.

As an influential community linking industrialists, researchers and respected authorities, EUSPEN consists of an in-depth conference, exhibition, and poster session. As a result of this multi-faceted forum, users can adopt ideas to ensure that their dimensional measurements and surface texture analyses are accurate and reliable, as well as being compliant with current industry standards.

As part of the poster session, Dr Andre Felgner (PTB) presented ‘How reliable are optical 3D measurements?’, stressing the importance of reliability in metrology and how it can be influenced by instrument characteristics and measurement conditions. This work further emphasises the importance of the development and implementation of good practice guidelines to comply with the upcoming ISO 25178-600 series of standards. The methods detailed allow users to obtain resolution close to that of a stylus method, without risking any damage to the sample surface.

As its Swedish debut, Olympus displayed the DSX500 opto-digital microscope at EUSPEN. The complete DSX series is comprised of three different models; the DSX100 free-angle wide zoom microscope, the DSX500 high resolution upright microscope and the DSX500i high resolution inverted microscope, meeting the needs of applications across R&D and quality control. Combining ease of use via the simple touch-screen image selection, with advanced imaging functionality for 2D and 3D measurements, the DSX series allows users to obtain accurate results, regardless of their level of expertise.

The latest updates to the LEXT OLS4000 CLSM microscope were also showcased at the meeting. These included 64 bit compatibility, a high speed high resolution mode and a 3D multilayer function. Building on the existing 405 nm laser and dual pinholes, the system provides outstanding clarity and resolution, as well as enabling steep slope detection up to 85º. Even the most complex surface topologies can be imaged and analysed with high resolution and clarity, boosting the accuracy and reliability of analysis. This Version becomes commercially available in Europe in July 2012.

Jason

Alto Marketing