Their metrology product lines include 3D measuring microscopes using coherence scanning interferometry, laser Fizeau interferometers for testing optical components, laser displacement interferometers, and heterodyne optical encoders for stage position metrology.

[3] The company was founded in 1970 by Paul Forman, Carl Zanoni, and Sol Laufer, with financial support from Canon Inc. and Wesleyan University.

[4] It was recognized that in order to achieve such a goal, practical and easy-to-use interferometry would have to be a standard part of the fabrication process.

While there were several interferometers available on the market at that time, none had all the flexibility or features needed for Zygo's facilities and were also extremely cost-prohibitive.

[6] In the 1990s, Zygo expanded its offerings to include software designed for lower cost personal computers[7] and brought to market its ZMI metrology lasers.