Scalar Technologies Ltd have been assisted in the development of a new, optimal, interferometer for measuring film thickness by the Photonics Innovation Centre at the University of St Andrews, supported by a SUPA START Award.
New Optimal Interferometer Design
Scalar Technologies Limited and University of St Andrews
Scalar Technologies Ltd have been assisted in the development of a new, optimal, interferometer for measuring film thickness by the Photonics Innovation Centre at the University of St Andrews, supported by a SUPA START Award.
A recently completed project has produced a product with increased effectiveness and reduced manufacturing costs. Livingston based Scalar Technologies Ltd are pioneers in the use of white-light interferometry for the real-time measurement of the thickness of thin-film coatings in challenging production environments. Their current product was not optimised for the wavelengths of light used in the measurement, as they contained off-the-shelf commercial monochromators. Scalar Technologies are looking to introduction a new product which would be optimised and manufactured at lower costs.
The Photonics Innovation Centre (PIC) at the University of St Andrews analysed the existing system and created a computer model to aid in the design of an optimised optical setup. This was used to create a demonstrator model which exhibited greater optical throughput i.e. increased the device’s sensitivity as well as increasing the spectral resolution, which enables thicker films to be measured. Alongside this, alternative solid state lighting sources were explored.
A new device which both improves the sensitivity and the range, with cheaper light sources, has been proposed to the company. Scalar Technologies now intend to follow up on the project with PIC to produce a production ready prototype.