The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has a long standing collaboration with Queensgate Instruments in the area of provision of metrology for nanopositioning. NPL and Queensgate recently completed an Innovate UK project in which NPL developed optical interferometry to enable Queensgate to verify the performance of the next generation of its nanopositioning stages.
Queensgate’s nanopositioning devices are used by world-leading producers of semiconductors and other high technology industries, with applications ranging from robotic surgery to hard disk drive testing.
The data storage industry needs a step change in hard disk testing capability, with increases in data density and production volumes putting pressure on the positioning systems used in test equipment. Queensgate was looking for independent verification of the performance of its next generation of nanopositioning stages, built to satisfy the demands of the sector.
