SolidWorks Design of a Tip-Enhanced Near-Field Optical Microscope

Everyday the SolidWorks EDU team is fortunate to work with great university researchers. They share their ideas and projects with the SolidWorks Community. One such physics research team comes from Portland State University where A.J. Lawrence, Derek Nowak and Erik Sanchez have used SolidWorks to design a tip-enhanced near-field optical microscope (TENOM).

While creating the TENOM system, they realized that the mechanical requirements necessary for both optical and atomic force imaging were becoming too complex to visualize mentally. The research team determined that the design phase should occur virtually with SolidWorks.

SolidWorks was selected due to its ease of use, intuitive drafting features, support of complex assemblies, exportation of files to CNC machines, and the availability of SolidWorks parts files from commercial vendors. This greatly simplified the design process, resulting in a versatile instrument in which compatibility and alignment of the various components was guaranteed.

By using a SolidWorks University Research License (URL), a university researcher can produce models for publication, patent and industry partnerships without education watermarks.

White Paper: Download SolidWorks Design of a TENOM.

Their project is disseminated as an open system design. Relevant information and documentation can be found at the ANSOM Project website, ansom.research.pdx.edu.

Thank you for sharing. Marie

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Marie Planchard

Senior Director, Early Engagement, 3DEXPERIENCE Works at Dassault Systemes

Marie Planchard is an education and engineering advocate. As Senior Director of Education & Early Engagement, SOLIDWORKS, she is responsible for global development of content and social outreach for the 3DEXPERIENCE Works products across all levels of learning including educational institutions, Fab Labs, and entrepreneurship.