The advantages of confocal laser scanning microscope with the size
and price of an IR camera
The combination of high contrast imaging, infrared capabilities,
extremely small size and low cost enables many new applications
Fiducial mark image collected through
polished silicon wafe
Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope
Conventional
microscope image
LSCM Image
Key Benefits: • High contrast monochrome imaging inherent to confocal microscopy
• Can be used as an accessory to infinity corrected optical microscopes
• Combining confocal microscopy with IR enables imaging through thick semi-opaque material
• Small size and low cost enables new applications
• Self-contained – no need for separate illumination
• Flexibility in parameter settings facilitates evolving applications
• Rugged construction designed for industrial applications
Main Features:
• Application of fast XY scanner enables video rate imaging
• Various parameters are user adjustable Resolution Frame rate
Magnification Image contrast
Laser intensity Detector sensitivity
Flip, rotate image Line scan and area scan modes are user selectable
• Includes laser scanning confocal microscope, LSCM controller, controller cables (galvanometer,
Data communication, power/interlock) and connector kit
• Options available: Frame grabber with camera link cable
Optical interface module to attachment any WDI autofocus sensor
‘Z’-axis actuator (ZAA)
CCD camera with white LED illumination
Beam splitter if required
• Choice of laser source from 600 to 1550 nm (1060, 1300, 1550 standard choices)
• Compact size - LSCM: 150 x 100 x 100mm, controller: 167 x 60 x 129mm
• Light weight - LSCM: 2.2kg, controller: 1.1kg.
• Warranty: 18 months
LSCM Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope
Advantages of Confocal Laser Scanning
Microscopy
Industrial Applications of Confocal Microscopy
Thin Film Profiling: When investigating multilayer structures, the true surface of a substrate can be observed
through a surface coating. The thickness of the coating can be determined by observing the 2 peaks in the axial intensity
variation. It is necessary to know the refractive index of the film to account for the refractive depth distortion of the
image. The resolution of this method, which can be used for more complex axial structures, is limited to about one
wavelength.
Metrology: The electronic form of its image signal is suitable for quantitative dimensional measurements and is
enhanced because of improved axial resolution capabilities and that the plane of measurement can be accurately located.
The magnification of the confocal image needs to be calibrated, as the nominal magnification of most objective lenses is
not sufficiently exact.
Inspection of semiconductor devices: There are many advantages over electron microscopy including the non-
invasive nature avoiding the creation of surface defects and contamination and ability to image through non-conducting
passivation layers.
• By restricting the illumination to a single point which is
scanned to produce a complete image (point scanning
illumination) almost all the light emitting from regions above
and below the focal plane of a confocal light microscope is
physically prevented from contributing to the observed
image, which thus contains only in-focus information. This
endows the confocal microscope with significant axial
resolutions, and permits its use for serial non-invasive optical
scanning, and the acquisition of 3D image data.
• Out of focus blur is essentially absent from confocal images
giving the capability for direct non-invasive serial optical
sectioning of intact and living specimens such as biological
cells and tissue.
• In a similar way, it allows profiling of the surface of 3D
objects and multi-layer structures such as integrated circuits
deposited on silicon or glass, again by non-contacting and
non-destructive method.
• It also has a small but significant improvement in lateral resolution. It rejects stray light not only from out-
of-focus specimen planes but also light scattered from within the optical instrument itself, resulting in
increased contrast and signal-to-noise ratio in the final image.
• It is also compatible with computer image storage techniques, allowing, for example, generation of high-
resolution digitized data sets of the 3D distribution of markers within cells or tissue, or the topography of a
surface, suitable for subsequent image processing.
LSCM Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope
LSCM Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope
Parameter Value Comment
Maximum IP Pixel Resolution 1270 x 1000 pixel user adjustable
Maximum Field of View 1” CCD equivalent (9.6 x 12.8mm)
800µm diam.at 20X (Example) 320µm diam. at 50X (Example)
Object Plane Resolution Diffraction limited wavelength & NA dependent
Frame rate (user adjustable) 10.7 fps at 1270 x 1000 pixels (Maximum)
19.8 fps (Example) at 1270 x 480 pixels
Line scan mode: line rate 12 kHz
speed (examples) 29.5mm/s at 1270 pixels at 5X 96mm/s at 400 pixels at 5X
24 mm/s at 400 pixels at 20X
LSCM Specifications:
Scanner to objective offset: 177mm
Detector: Avalanche Photodetector
Illumination: Laser diode
Standard choices: 1060, 1300, 1550nm
Other choices: between 700nm and
1550nm
Laser class: IIIB
Input: +/-24V/2.5A (not supplied)
Output: Camera Link to
Frame grabber
(optional)