TFCompanion thin-film analysis software
TFCompanion™ is the analysis engine behind every MProbe® system, and a standalone package for thin-film data analysis. It quietly does two jobs at once: controlling the hardware and data acquisition, and interpreting spectra to reveal the real physical parameters of a filmstack.
Powerful, yet built to be used.
TFCompanion™ combines versatile analytical tools to turn measurement data into physical parameters - layer thicknesses, optical properties, surface roughness and more. It's simple enough for a technician on a production line, yet rich enough for a university or R&D lab, built from the ground up on decades of optical-metrology experience.
Analyze, simulate, estimate.
Analyze
Interpret reflectance, transmittance and ellipsometry spectra - together or separately, including imaging ellipsometry. Determine thickness, optical constants, surface roughness and bandgap from measurement results.
Simulate
Compute reflectance, transmittance and ellipsometry spectra for a specified filmstack, and evaluate how sensitive the measurement is to each filmstack parameter.
Estimate
Predict measurement repeatability for a chosen filmstack and system configuration - a pre-flight optimization of the recipe for maximum precision before you measure.
Materials & corrections
A large materials library (500+) supports many parameterized material types - from Cauchy to Tauc-Lorentz to Drude approximations - to represent optical-constant dispersion across a wide variety of materials and enable n, k measurement. Built-in corrections handle backside reflectance, focused beam, dullness, surface roughness, and wavelength/angle resolution. Measurement data imports in any text format, with specific support for all major ellipsometer and reflectometer instruments.
From desktop to production server.
OEM and production applications often need to run without the TFCompanion™ desktop interface. TFCompanion offers a server mode that shares the same core libraries as the desktop application - so you can set up the system, configure spectrometers and test filmstacks and recipes at the desk, then transition smoothly to the server. Two integration options are available:
Modbus TCP server
Accepts TCP-IP commands from an external Modbus client. C/C++/C# clients use an SDK/DLL library; Java clients talk directly to the Modbus library with no DLL. Modbus is a transactional request/response protocol, so each measurement is requested individually - giving tight control over measurement timing (to synchronize with other actions) at the cost of a slower rate due to per-transaction overhead. Since version 3, the Modbus client can also access TCP/PLC server functionality.
TCP/PLC server
Accepts a TCP connection directly from an external client using a specified command API. Integration is looser: a single "start measurement" command runs measurements continuously until stopped, as fast as possible. Results can be sent in analog form (via DAC) to a PLC receiver or digitally to a TCP data server, with a streaming interface for the fastest rate. Timing of individual measurements can't be controlled, but the measurement rate is high - ideal for continuous production measurement.
A properties file configures the interval between measurements and adaptive filtering options.
The TCP/PLC server runs three loosely coupled processes - Measurement, Calculation and Data sender - that exchange data through monitored buffers; if the calculation process falls behind, measurement speed is automatically throttled to prevent overflow.
Integration guides and APIs
Choose the right edition.
| Edition | What it supports |
|---|---|
| -R | Reflectance / transmittance data analysis |
| -E | Ellipsometry data analysis |
| -RE | Ellipsometry plus reflectance / transmittance |
| -REI | Ellipsometry, imaging ellipsometry, reflectance & transmittance |
| -RA | Advanced reflectance / transmittance with hardware integration (supplied with MProbe) |
What's included
- USB dongle license key - transfers easily between computers, no driver installation.
- One year of technical support and software updates (annual subscription available afterward)
License maintenance
- TFCompanion license is permanent and embedded in the USB dongle. It is valid for the purchased version and build of TFCompanion and any updates within the 12-month period after purchase. Please save the installer for your software version. The USB dongle must be plugged into the computer's USB port to be operational. A desktop USB dongle includes one seat license, i.e. one instance of TFCompanion can be used. Users may move the USB dongle between computers if necessary.
- Software maintenance subscription is available after 12 months from purchase. It includes updates to new TFCompanion versions/builds and technical/application support. Software maintenance subscription: $450/year/license.
Want to try TFCompanion on your data?
Send us a measurement file or tell us about your instrument - we'll show how TFCompanion analyzes it.