Olympus Launches LEXT OLS4100 Laser Confocal Microscope
June 13, 2013. As part of its commitment to facilitating faster, easier measurement and high-quality imaging, Olympus has announced the release of the LEXT OLS4100 laser confocal microscope system. Designed to deliver nanometer-level imaging, 3-D measurement, and surface roughness analysis, the OLS4100 features auto brightness and a new high-speed stitching mode.
Engineered to meet a growing demand for increased measurement precision and wider observation applicability, the OLS4100 offers advanced measurement performance at 10-nm resolution with a variety of user-friendly performance parameters. Thanks to high numerical apertures and a dedicated optical system that obtains maximum performance from a 405 nm laser, the OLS4100 can reliably measure acute-angled samples that were previously impossible to measure.
“Widely used in quality control, research, and development across an array of industries and applications, Olympus LEXT laser microscopes set a new standard in 3D laser microscopy,” said Matt Smith, Olympus director of sales and marketing. “Today, with the LEXT OLS4100, Olympus is once again raising the bar with a new level of precision and ease of use.”
The OLS4100’s auto brightness setting is part of an automatic 3-D image acquisition system that allows even first-time users to quickly acquire 3-D images with the click of a button, reducing image acquisition time. A new high-speed stitching mode allows the user to specify target areas from wider-area stitched images.
The OLS4100 employs a dual confocal system that, when combined with its high-sensitivity detector, enables the capture of clear images from samples consisting of materials with different reflectance characteristics. In addition to the laser image, the OLS4100 uses a white LED light and a high-color-fidelity CCD camera to generate clear, natural-looking color imagery comparable with that obtained with high-grade optical microscopes. This color image can be overlaid upon the 3D laser image for a 3D representation of your sample.
The OLS4100’s new multilayer mode is capable of recognizing the peaks of reflected light intensities of multiple sample layers and setting each layer as a focal point, making it possible to observe and measure the upper and lower surfaces of a sample with a transparent coating. This multilayer mode also facilitates the observation and measurement of multiple layers of transparent materials.
Calibrated in the same way as contact surface roughness gauges, the OLS4100 represents a new level of surface roughness measuring and adheres to the necessary roughness parameters and filters required per ISO and JQA. This allows users with contact surface roughness gauges to obtain output results from the OLS4100 consistent with their existing instruments, with the advantage of greater speed and noncontact measurement.
Engineered with easy operation in mind, the OLS4100 facilitates a systematic workflow through an intuitive interface that allows even novice users to quickly master measurement procedures. A wide range of measurement modes are available, each designed to efficiently enable specific analysis results. No pre-processing of samples is necessary.