Optical-Laser Systems | Vibration Isolation
Tables, Platforms, Benchtops & Workstations for Optical Microscopes, Interferometers Profilers-Profilometers.

Laser and optical systems, whether used in an academic laboratory or in an industrial environment, are very susceptible to vibrations from the environment. These instruments almost always need vibration isolation. Traditionally, large air tables have been the systems prefered for optical systems. This is no longer the case. Minus K isolators provide 10-100 times the performance of air tables, depending on the vibration frequency. They don't need air or electricity and are compact and easy to move around. Some users need the array of threaded holes that breadboards provide. In that case it is quite easy to put a breadboard on top of one of our antivibration isolators. It is also common to put a larger breadboard across two or more of our isolators.

Laser based interferometers are exquisitely sensitive devices that are capable of resolving nanometer scale motions/features. They often have very long mechanical paths which makes them even more sensitive to vibrations. The sophisticated modern ellipsometry techniques that allow this high performance rely on low noise to be able to detect fringe movement. Properly isolating an interferometer will allow it to provide the highest possible resolution.

Optical profilers have similar sensitivity to vibrations. Keeping external vibrations from the typically long optical path yields improved sensitivity and more reliable measurements. It is no longer necessary to do the most sensitive measurements at all hours of the night.

Optical component systems are often quite complex. The long optical paths can lead to angular magnification of vibrations. Typically used optical air tables can make the problems worse since they have a resonant frequency that often matches that of floor vibrations. Our 1/2 Hz isolators provide isolation in these environments when air tables simply cannot.

• Optical Interferometers-Interferometry
• Optical Profilers-Profilometers-Profilometry
• Fluorescence Optical Microscopes-Microscopy
• CLSM-LSCM: Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopes-Microscopy
• NSOM-SNOM: Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopes-Microscopy
• TIRFM: Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopes-Microscopy
• SEM:Scanning Electron Microscopes-Microscopy
• AFM: Atomic Force Microscopes-Microscopy
• SPM: Scanning Probe Microscopes-Microscopy
• STM: Scanning Tunneling Microscopes-Microscopy
• TEM: Transmission Electron Microscopes-Microscopy
• STEM: Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopes-Microscopy

From Minus K: Vibration isolation table, platform, work station and bench top products, plus custom systems for antivibration and vibration free microscopy.


Those looking for partial solutions such as from materials or parts involving pads, mounts, legs, mats, rubber feet, etc., might look further into our products for a more thorough solution.