Novacam Technologies

Novacam Technologies Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryOCT, NDT metrology, photonics
Founded1997
HeadquartersDollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec, Canada
ProductsOCT detectors, profilometers, scientific instruments, fiber-based probes
Websitenovacam.com

Novacam Technologies Inc. specializes in designing and manufacturing advanced metrology and imaging systems for industrial and bio-medical applications. Novacam's fiber-based optical profilometers and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) systems are based on low coherence interferometry. The fiber-based nature of Novacam's detector probes is unique in the optical metrology industry.[1][2][3]

Novacam is a privately owned Canadian company that makes precision optical measuring instruments. It is headquartered in Dollard-des-Ormeaux (Greater Montreal), Quebec, Canada.

History

Novacam Technologies was founded in 1997.[4]

In 2004, Novacam began developing its first Optical Coherence Tomography product line based on advanced patented low coherence interferometry technology.[4] Much of the underlying research was carried out in cooperation with the Industrial Materials Institute (IMI) and the Institute for Biodiagnostics (IBD), both research laboratories of the National Research Council of Canada. The resulting commercialized OCT detectors — MicroCam-3D[Note 1] for industrial applications and dOCTor-8[Note 2] for bio-medical applications — are employed internationally.

The initial product line was based on time-domain (TD-OCT) technology. The firm has also developed detectors based on Fourier domain - laser swept source (SS-OCT) technology. The detectors are equipped with fiber-based non-contact probes for flexible and adaptable deployment.

Applications

The firm's profilometers are used for nondestructive testing metrology[5] involving high-speed and high-precision surface inspection,[6] surface imaging,[7] and characterization, thick film and thin film thickness measurement, long profiles, cross-section imaging, and process control. Being fiber-based, they are able to operate in hostile environments and restricted spaces.[8][9]

The firm's profilometers find applications in the semiconductor and electronics industry, micromachining, aerospace industry, casting, optical industry, plastics and glass industry, and fuel cell metrology. In the biomedical field, their Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) detectors are used for micrometre-precision tissue imaging.[10] in ophthalmology, otology and other precision fields.

Notes

  1. ^ See MicroCam-3D
  2. ^ See dOCTor-8

References

  1. ^ Dufour, Marc L.; Gauthier, Bruno (2003). "Precise surface profilometry based on low-coherence interferometry". In Lessard, Roger A; Lampropoulos, George A (eds.). Applications of Photonic Technology 6. Vol. 5260. p. 173. Bibcode:2003SPIE.5260..173D. doi:10.1117/12.543395. S2CID 135946276.
  2. ^ Dufour, M. L.; Lamouche, G.; Vergnole, S.; Gauthier, B.; Padioleau, C.; Hewko, M.; Levesque, S.; Bartulovic, V. (June 2006). "Precise surface profilometry based on low-coherence interferometry". Proceedings of SPIE. Vol. 6343. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada: SPIE. pp. 63431Z.1–7. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  3. ^ Dufour, Marc; Lamouche, G.; Gauthier, B.; Padioleau, C.; Monchalin, J.P. (2006). "Inspection of hard-to-reach industrial parts using small diameter probes" (PDF). SPIE Newsroom. doi:10.1117/2.1200610.0467. S2CID 120476700. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  4. ^ a b Bartulovic, Vuk. "Novacam Technologies Inc". Biofinance - Funding Lifescience companies. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  5. ^ Losert, R. (March 31, 2009). "Solution for NDT Inspection". NDT Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-01-12. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  6. ^ Sprovieri, John (July 28, 2008). "Quality in Assembly: Fiber-Optic Profilometer Measures Surface Quality". Assembly Magazine. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  7. ^ Guss, G.; Bass, I.; Hackel, R.; Mailhiot, C.; Demos, S.G. (November 6, 2007). "High-resolution 3-D imaging of surface damage sites in fused silica with Optical Coherence Tomography" (PDF). Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory UCRL-PROC-236270. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 11, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  8. ^ Losert, R. (November 2010), "So Far, Yet so Close: Optical Profilometer Systems Inspect Hard-to-Reach Surfaces", INSPECT Magazine, 11: 42–43, retrieved December 15, 2010
  9. ^ Wilson, Andrew (April 1, 2007). "Fiber-based profilometers inspect hard-to-reach surfaces". VisionSystems Design Magazine. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  10. ^ Lamouche, Guy; Dufour, Marc; Hewko, Mark; Gauthier, Bruno; Vergnole, Sébastien; Bisaillon, Charles-Étienne; Monchalin, Jean-Pierre; Sowa, Michael (August 9, 2010), "Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography on a Beating Heart Model", Journal of Biomedical Optics, 15 (4): 046023–046023–7, Bibcode:2010JBO....15d6023L, doi:10.1117/1.3475960, PMID 20799825, S2CID 206429235, retrieved December 15, 2010