NanoLens™ Accessory Expands Power of ContourGT Systems

At the 2012 Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting Bruker announced the release of the unique NanoLens™ Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) accessory for ContourGT® 3D optical microscopes. Designed for fast installation on a new five-position, fully automated turret, the compact NanoLens delivers unprecedented high-resolution imaging capabilities without sacrificing measurement speed in optical modes. With NanoLens, users can perform nanometer-scale surface and material property analysis on the same system that provides the industry’s most repeatable and versatile 3D optical microscopy measurements.

“We have addressed a need in industry to combine nanoscale AFM zoom capabilities with high-throughput 3D optical microscopy,” said Mark R. Munch, Ph.D., President, Bruker MAT Group and Bruker Nano Surfaces Division. “The NanoLens makes it easy to augment the large field of view, high throughput and unmatched Z-axis resolution of our ContourGT systems with the higher lateral ‘1000x’ resolution of an AFM. This can be exceptionally useful for production line defect analysis and process development, where time spent moving samples between tools means lost productivity and lower yield.”

“We focused on making the NanoLens simple to install, operate and maintain. Customers who are familiar with AFM technology will be amazed at how fast and easy it is to connect the NanoLens and begin collecting data,” added Rob Loiterman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Bruker’s Stylus and Optical Metrology Business. “With tip changes that take under five minutes combined with the gage-capable ‘measurement on demand’ design of our 3D optical microscopes, NanoLens ensures fastest time to data for AFM and optical measurement modes.”

The ContourGT line of 3D optical microscopes features patented, higher brightness dual-LED illumination that, when combined with their superior vertical resolution, greatly improves sensitivity and stability. Intuitive Vision64 software provides the industry’s easiest to use interface and most powerful measurement and analysis functionality. From nanometer-scale roughness through millimeter-scale steps, with sub-nanometer z-axis resolution, the unmatched analysis capabilities, new color camera option, and NanoLens optional accessory establish the ContourGT systems as the new benchmark for flexibility and capability in surface measurement and imaging.