Nano Point Scanner
NPS

When microscopy meets metrology Nano Point Scanner

Introducing the Nano Point Scanner

NPS White Light Confocal Proflometry

- Submicron Z Precision
- Ultra Fast Profiling
- ISO Certified Measurement
- Automatization & Reports

HIROX 3D Digital Microscopy

- High Resolution Image Quality
- Ultra Fast 3D Stacking
- Multiple Lighting Possibilities
- Full Flexibility: Sample & Stand

Hirox & NPS: the complete inspection and measurement solution

Introducing the Nano Point Scanner

Confocal White Light Profilometry

The NPS Technology

The NPS is an innovative non-contact confocal 3D profilometer measuring altitude in real time, for profile or surface scanning:

  1. The white light LED beam is projected through a beamsplitter and a chromatic lens to the surface of the sample
  2. The reflected light beam from the sample is filtered in a confocal pinhole, isolating one single wavelength in perfect focus
  3. The NPS spectrometer is accurately translating this wavelength into height information and display it visually in the NPS software
  4. Up to 2000 height information per second are acquired in real time creating a profile when moving the XY stage

You can select between two modes: Profile or Surface

NPS Confocal White Light Sensor 

Works on any Type of Surface

The confocal system generates a sharply focused observation plane. Points located above or below the object surface are completely out of focus, so that the type of material does not matter: the sample can be mirror, shinny, reflective or rough - it can be opaque or completely transparent.

Quality and Standards Compliance - ISO

 

White light chromatic confocal technology is ISO certified for roughness measurement and is currently used by many companies and research centers all over the world. 

The NPS allows high precision XYZ axis measurement beyond the limitation of ISO 25178-602 optical depth of field.

High Speed Profile (1-axis scan)

By moving the sample with the high precision motorized XY stage in one axis, the NPS acquires a series of focused points at a chosen interval, creating a fast profile: the measurement of height, distance, radius, line roughness (Ra, Rz, Rt,...) and much more can be done within seconds!

High Resolution Surface (2-axis scan)

By creating a series of aligned profiles, the NPS acquires XYZ information creating a high resolution 3D surface: volume, surface roughness (Sa, Sz,...), complex shape, 3D waviness and much more can be measured.
The duration of the scan is adjusted by the amount of lines, scanning speed and the dimension of the sample!

Unlimited Applications

  • Aerospace
  • Watchmaking
  • Mobile phones
  • Art restoration
  • Automotive
  • Semiconductors
  • Displays
  • Security printing
  • Optical lenses
  • Micro-electronics
  • Archeology
  • Rasor blades

Multiple measurement possibilities

By combining high precision measurements with advanced metrology software, the NPS will match all your metrology requierements 

PROFILE & MULTI-PROFILE

Automotive sample

The fastest way to execute a measurement! After scanning between two points, the NPS will display the profile: you can then adjust the level, measure horizontal & vertical distances as well as Ra, Rz and Rt measurements.

For advanced measurement, select the desired Hirox Map template inside the NPS menu.
With the new programable multi-profile function, simply execute several individual profiles combined in one single report.

SHAPE & FORMS

Optical lens

Surface shape and geometry can be easily measured: on a spherical object, the measurement results of a curvature can be compared to manufacturing specification for example. Other shapes such as lines, planes, spheres, cylinders or freeform are typical objects that the NPS can measure: length, height, radius, angle, volume and much more. With large measuring ranges up to 4000 micrometer, various shape and forms can be captured and measured.

Measurement of a PCB deformation

Flatness, waviness & coplanarity

FLATNESS, WAVINESS & COPLANARITY Warp, Deformation, Waviness, or Flatness are easily measured on large areas with the Nano Point Scanner! Thanks to XY stage up to 500x500mm, it’s possible to measure defects that can occur from machine or work anomaly, residual stress, vibrations, or heat treatment for example.
Coplanarity is another parameter that requires long distances and high level of Z accuracy. This can be done either thanks to a profile or a surface.

Measurement of Mahr PRN-10 Roughness Standard

Roughness, texture & defects

Surface metrology determines surface topography, which is essential for confirming a surface’s suitability for its function. Surface measurement includes profile roughness (Ra), surface roughness (Sa), surface texture, asperity and structural characterization.

For manufacturing and design purposes, measurement is critical to ensure that the finished material meets the design specification.

  • Distances
  • Volume
  • Roughness
  • Waviness
  • Roundness
  • Topography
  • Flatness
  • Coplanarity
  • Deformation
  • Tribology

The NPS Sensors

The right sensors for your requirements

The NPS System provides a wide range of sensors to achieve seamless highly accurate measurement.
Depending on your application, you can select the best sensors for your needs: small measuring range for highest accuracy and roughness measurement or large measuring range for tall sample and form measurements.

NPS Sensors Specifications

NPS SENSORSNP1NP2NP3NP4NPX ***
Measuring range150 μm400 μm1400 μm4000 μm1000 μm
Working distance3.3 mm10.8 mm12 mm16.2 mm18.5 mm
Max sample slope *42.5°28°25°21°44°
Lateral resolution1 μm1.8 μm2.6 μm4.6 μm2.5 μm
Height accuracy **20 nm45 nm150 nm300 nm100 nm
Suitable for roughnessOKOKOK

* Max sample slope on a perfect mirror surface
** Minimum height-measurement depending on XY-stage
*** NPX is not compatible with deltashift on the 100mm x 100mm stage

Highlights of the NPS

NPX sensor
NP4 sensor

NPS interface: fast and easy

NPS Interface: fast and easy A dedicated software to get quickly and easily the best out of white light confocal technology!

Profile or surface?
Simply use the high resolution optics from the RH-2000 to do the selection of the points of interest (deltashift function) and let the NPS do the rest: profile, multi-profile or surface are just a few clicks away

Fast scan 
Select the scanning speed, X and Y steps are displayed, as well as the total scanning area: start the scan!

Live display
View the profile or false colour scan displayed in real time during the scan.

Level & measure
For fast tests and measurements, use the built-in auto function to adjust the level, then measure height and distances directly within the NPS interface.

XYZ & AutoFocus
Speed control: fine tune the Hirox XY motorized movement!
Auto Focus: bring your sensor to the center of the measuring range with just one click!

Point of interest
Set, go and save:
multiple points of interest can be easily used for profile, multi-profile or surface scans!

Sensor control
Adjust frequency and light intensity according to the reflectivity of your sample and the acqusition speed you wish.

Easy measure and report using Hirox Maps
You can customize up to 4 templates for profile or surface. Apply them to your sample automatically in one click.

Creat your first inspection report and use it as a template for similar samples.

Scan all your samples and it will generate a report for each sample.

Get statistics, averages and Fail/Pass of all your samples in a single excel file.

Hirox Maps - advanced metrology software

By combining high-precision measurement with advanced metrology software, the NPS will match all your metrology requierements.

Hirox Maps - Mountains technology!

The Mountains Map 8 technology is the most advanced metrology solution on the market: 

  • Real-time imaging of 3D-surface topography
  • 3D-surface overlays for fast feature location: combination of height color + image intensity from the NPS
  • Removal of data acquisition or sample artefacts
  • Area extraction, level and shape correction
  • Full measurement suite on profiles and 3D data with user and process tracability.

Powerful & simple 

While many functions involve complex calculations, every effort is made to ensure that accessing and using these functions is as easy as possible. Also, once a measurement report has been done, all the parameters used can be easily applied to a new sample with tolerance limits showing in green / red.
Every report can then become a measurement template for fast and easy workflow with fail/pass!

Automatic display of tolerance: angle measurements on a thread

ISO & national metrology standards

Mountains Map has an installed base of 10,000+ licenses worldwide, supports ISO and national metrology standards. Mountains Map works in over 10 languages!

Form & non-measured points removal

The NPS software always exports unprocessed raw data, which can then be filtered in Hirox Maps. You can for example display or fill the non-measured points but also remove the form to keep only the surface

Form removal of a golf ball

Easy reporting :

  • Easy integration into lab and production environments
  • Export of all numerical results
  • Easy publication
  • Export of analysis documents, pages and individual images up to 1200 dpi.

Analysis automation

Powerful automation tools ensure high productivity: series of surface data sets can be analyzed automatically and common sequences of analysis step can be saved for insertion any future analysis document.
Pass/fail criteria can be specified for any parameter and green (pass)/red (fail) «traffic lights» are displayed automatically on the report. Alll the results can be extracted as CSV/Excel format.

Hybrid Digital Microscopy: NPS & RH-2000

Optical 3D surface metrology for industry and reasearch

The perfect combination between optical excellence and non-contact metrology:
HIROX RH-2000 3D digital microscope with the NPS - universal solution for your applications!

Hirox Optics - High-resolution

Highest optical power
from 0.1x up to 10,000x

Multiple lighting technologies
BF / DF / POL / DIFF / UV,…

Patented HIROX rotary head
360° motorized inspection

Z-axis - Ultra-fine steps

Motorized Z-axis
30mm with 50 nm steps

Additional manual Z
80mm manual Z-axis

Special design
compact or bridge system

Delta Shift Function

NPS Sensors - High-precision

Wide measuring range
from 100µm up to 24,000µm

Long working distance
from 3mm up to 25mm

Various types of measurement
form, flatness, roughness, ....

XY-axis - High-accuracy

Wide range of movement
from 40x40mm to 500x500mm

Special high-precision stage
110×75 mm movement

Small XY steps
from 0.1µm

Hirox 3D mouse:
- easy XYZ movement
- set start-end points/scan

     Example of stand 500x500mm XY stage with bridge structure

High-precision 3D-scans

Research & Development, process & production control, laboratory and much more!

Tribology

The NPS system revealed complex scratch paterns on a sratch test tribology sample.

Fresnel lens

Pattern measurement on a complex lens structure

Scratch tests

Measurement of submicron scratches on a metal surface

Atacama stone

The Atacama stone is a rare artefac due to its complex surface structure. The NPS high accuracy measurement helped the Museum of Natural History in Madrid to better visualise the surface.

High-precision 3D-scans

Steel

Basketball

3D embossing paper packaging

Leather

Bullet casing

Electric razor head

Watch engraving

System configuration

Choose the perfect NPS sensor for your application!
Choose the perfect Hirox lens for your application!
Choose the perfect stand for your application!

XY MOTORIZED STAGEAS-XY1175AS-XY1010AS-XY2010ST-J500+other dimensions
Dimensions110mm x 75mm100mm x 100mm200mm x 100mm500mm x 500mmon request
Step per pulse0.05 μm0.1 μm0.1 μm0.2 μmon request
Position accuracy1 μm1 μm1 μm4 μmon request
Speed5 mm/s10 mm/s10 mm/s10 mm/son request
Max Z vibration noise100 nm200 nm200 nm500 nmon request
Suitable for roughnessOKOKOKon request
NPS SENSORSNP1NP2NP3NP4NPX ***
Measuring range150 μm400 μm1400 μm4000 μm1000 μm
Working distance3.3 mm10.8 mm12 mm16.2 mm18.5 mm
Max sample slope *42.5°28°25°21°44°
Lateral resolution1 μm1.8 μm2.6 μm4.6 μm2.5 μm
Height accuracy **20 nm45 nm150 nm300 nm100 nm
Suitable for roughnessOKOKOK

* Max sample slope on a perfect mirror surface
** Minimum height-measurement depending on XY-stage
*** NPX is not compatible with deltashift on the 100mm x 100mm stage

SOFTWARE
Operating system:
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
NPS software: selection of calibrated sensors, setup of XY stage, light intensity & scanning frequency, XYZ movement control.
Profile mode: acquisition and live display of profile, height/length measurement, level correction, multi profile, export in Hirox Maps pre defined template including: height, roughness, curvature and default, saving and loading XY coordinates, delta shift function
Recommended PC:
min i5 6th gen and 8gb RAM
Surface mode: Acquisition and live display of profile and height information, export in Hirox Maps pre-defined template.
Hirox Map - Mountains: processing of NPS files for advanced measurement including line and area roughness, volume, shape removal, tolerances with pass/fail display, batch processing, export in STL and other 3D formats, and much more...