PICOSCALE Vibrometer: Turnkey Scanning Laser Vibrometer

The PICOSCALE Vibrometer is a turnkey solution for measuring the vibrations of micromechanical structures with sizes ranging from a few µm to several cm. Applications include the testing of MEMS, sensors, miniature loudspeakers, but also bearings and actuators. As the device is equipped with an integrated microscope and can measure up to 1 million pixels, it is ideal for visualizing vibration modes with high spatial and temporal resolution.

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  • Non-contact measurement with light
  • Scanning Laser Vibrometer with sub-pm sensitivity
  • Measuring bandwidth from DC to 5 MHZ with 10 MHz sampling rate
  • Integrated infrared confocal microscope with an optical resolution of 2 μm
  • Megapixel imaging of vibration modes in out-of-plane (parallel to laser beam) and in-plane (perpendicular to laser beam) direction
  • Selective measurements on and through (semi-)transparent materials like silicon, glass and water
  • Vibration characterization of encapsulated MEMS.
  • Turnkey instrument complete with shaker stage and software

 

Working Principle

The SmarAct PICOSCALE Vibrometer is based on the proven Michelson interferometer principle, an alternative to the popular laser Doppler vibrometer. In this optical setup, a coherent laser beam is split into two paths by a beam splitter, with each beam reflected off a reference and target mirror before being recombined. The resulting interference pattern contains precise information about changes in the optical path length caused by displacement or refractive index variations. These changes directly translate into non-contact vibration measurements with sub-picometer precision.

By applying Fourier transformation to the interferometric position signal, the system decomposes even the most complex vibrations into their individual frequency components. This allows accurate determination of vibration amplitude, phase, and frequency, providing deep insight into the dynamic behavior of microstructures and materials.

In combination with SmarAct’s advanced control and analysis software, the PICOSCALE Vibrometer enables non-contact, optical vibration measurements with unrivaled accuracy. This makes it ideal for applications in MEMS testing, characterization of transducers, microfluidics, sensors and many more.

Learn more about Michelson Interferometry

Discover vibration analysis techniques and technology in more detail

Laser Scanning Vibrometry

In laser scanning vibrometry, a focused laser beam is used to perform non-contact vibration measurements across the surface of a sample, enabling precise analysis of its dynamic behavior. When an object is set into motion, higher-order bending modes create complex vibrational pattern. These phenomena are crucial in the design and optimization of MEMS devices, sensors, and actuators.

Through modal analysis, the PICOSCALE Vibrometer captures and visualizes these vibration modes in two or three dimensions, revealing areas of maximum amplitude and stationary nodes. The spatial distribution of these nodes defines each vibration mode and provides engineers with critical insight into the mechanical performance of microstructures. By moving the laser beam across the sample surface, laser scanning vibrometry delivers a complete, high-resolution map of vibration characteristics. This enables accurate, optical vibration measurements with picometer precision.

A wide range of application examples can be found here: Application Examples Laser Scanning Vibrometry

 

Integrated Confocal Microscope

The integrated confocal microscope in SmarAct’s PICOSCALE Vibrometer offers a unique advantage for vibration analysis on (semi-)transparent materials and encapsulated microstructures. Its confocal optical design, combined with an infrared measurement laser at 1550 nm, allows selective measurements on and through materials such as silicon, glass, and water, enabling precise detection of vibrations even beneath transparent layers. This makes it possible to analyze MEMS devices without removing their packaging, preserving the integrity of sensitive components while maintaining full access to dynamic performance data. The optical microscope is intrinsically aligned with the interferometric measurement, providing perfectly correlated imaging and vibration data with lateral resolutions down to 2 µm. As a result, the PICOSCALE Vibrometer enables highly accurate, non-invasive modal analysis of modern microstructures which is ideal for advanced MEMS development and encapsulated sensor diagnostics.

Learn more about the advantages of confocal optics

 

Advantages of Michelson Interferometry

Michelson interferometry is a technique for non-contact vibration analysis that measures displacement directly through optical path changes. That “direct displacement” nature is a key advantage: it delivers extremely high sensitivity (down to the picometer/sub-picometer regime), avoids velocity-to-displacement conversion, and supports compact, configurable optical integration when you want the sensor to be part of the experiment rather than an external instrument.

By comparison, laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) is a widely used reference method that excels at rapid measurements and provides a direct velocity output. But in real-world setups, laser Doppler Vibrometers can be more dependent on surface condition and measurement geometry. Rough or low-reflectivity targets, changing angles, small features, and speckle-related dropouts can reduce signal robustness. Displacement derived from laser Doppler vibrometry can be limited by low-frequency drift. In these cases, Michelson interferometry often becomes the preferred choice because it prioritizes the most demanding requirement: Maximum, traceable displacement resolution with stable, integration-friendly optics, where it matters most.

 

Key Specifications

For each of the Components of the PICOSCALE Vibrometer, a detailed specification sheet is available at the download section.

Vibrometry
 
Resolution1 [pm] < 1
Bandwidth2 [MHz] 5
Microscopy
 
Optical Lateral Resolution3 [μm] 2 - 7
Optical Axial Resolution3 [μm] 7 - 90
Working Distance3 [mm] 1.5 - 10
Maximum Image Size [mm] 30 x 30
Minimum Pixel Size [μm] 1
Maximum Number of Pixels 1000 x 1000
Dimensions
  
Controller 2 units of each 33 x 27 x 7.2 cm (W x L x H), combined weight 7.6 kg
XYZ Positioning System 5.5 x 11.0 x 7.5 cm (W x L x H), weight 0.25 kg
Instrument Mount Granite stone 15 x 20 x 4 cm (W x L x H) with stainless steel post 2.5 x 15 cm (Ø x H), combined weight 4.3 kg
Shaker Stage 8 x 1.5 cm (Ø x H), weight 0.5 kg

1 When analyzing displacements in the frequency domain

2 Sampling rate is 10 MHz

3 Depending on the selected sensor head