The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor has named Olympus America Inc. as a key partner for its Lurie Nanofabrication Facility (LNF). Olympus will provide researchers with advanced microscopes, camera equipment, and software to meet a wide variety of optical imaging, analysis, characterization, measurement, and inspection needs.

The LNF is also known as the Michigan Nanofabrication Facility. It is one of 14 academic centers in the National Science Foundation-supported National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network. The facility boasts more than 12,500 square feet of work area, including state-of-the-art Class 1000/100/10 cleanroom installations with up to 6-in (150 mm) processing capability, and a Class 10,000 instructional laboratory. The LNF serves approximately 250 users each year, including many from outside the University of Michigan, with interdisciplinary support in micro- and nano-fabrication as well as geosciences, environmental sciences, and sensors. Equipment and processes are available for research on silicon integrated circuits, MEMS, III-V compound devices, organic devices, and nano-imprint technology.

Olympus has already installed its LEXT OLS4000 laser scanning confocal 3D measuring microscope at the LNF facility. LEXT provides high-resolution imaging, sub-micron critical dimension measurements, film thickness measurements, and non-contact surface analysis with full traceability. The world’s first laser-based, dual-confocal system optimized to operate at 405 nm, the system allows researchers, engineers, and technicians to measure and image angles up to 85 degrees accurately. It quickly and easily accommodates samples that have multiple reflectivity levels and offers what may be the first-ever accuracy and repeatability guarantee provided by an industrial confocal system manufacturer.