Thin-film production is one of the industries that have grown substantially in recent years. Thin-films are one of main components of semiconductor and photovoltaic devices such as LEDs and solar panels. In-line quality monitoring is a way to ensure consistent high-quality manufacturing and to lower production costs by eliminating waste.

One of the leading tools for monitoring thin-film growth rate is the kSA RateRat Pro. This optical metrology tool for thin-film characterization is being used by hundreds of research labs and production facilities worldwide. This bolt-on accessory uses a laser diode source in specular geometry and is placed outside the vacuum chamber.