INDUSTRY NEWS

INTELLIVATION LLC is thrilled to announce the addition of Dr. Robert Malay to our team as the new Application Lab Director. The Application Lab includes two R2R Vacuum Coating systems and our Laser system for patterning and annealing thin film coatings. (more)

Redwood City, CA. – For immediate release – XEI Scientific Inc. Receives US Patent 10,486,236 for a Plasma Device with an External RF Hollow Cathode for Plasma Cleaning of High Vacuum Systems used in Evactron® E-50 model and U50 model plasma cleaners. (more)

Intellivation LLC is honored to have been awarded the Technology of the Year Award from the Association of Roll-To-Roll Convertors (ARC) for our unique and innovative solution to measure Mid-IR Reflectance In-Situ with Spectrometry in our R2R Vacuum Sputter Coaters (more)

The Busch Group is proud to announce the launch of its new website, which serves as a comprehensive digital platform reflecting the unified identity and collaborative spirit of its three members Busch Vacuum Solutions, Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions, and centrotherm clean solutions (more

The alpha 2.0 is a budget-friendly option for routine measurements of thin film thickness and refractive index. A compact footprint and simple design make the alpha 2.0 easy to use while harnessing the power of spectroscopic ellipsometry. (more)

The ITDS technique using Hiden Analytical’s TDSLab-6 series represents a significant advancement in hydrogen diffusivity measurement. Offering improved accuracy and consistency, this system is an essential tool for researchers working with materials in hydrogen-rich environments. (more)

ANDOVER, Mass., United States and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI), a global provider of technologies that transform the world, the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and InvestPenang today announced that MKS celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of its super center factory in Penang, Malaysia (more)

People say the Gold Upsilon Sputtering Target from DHF Technical Products looks like a lot of things: A picture frame. A box. A rectangle. But if you look closely, you can also see part of a horseshoe. Which makes sense because the Upsilon Target has been essential in helping the workhorse of sputtering systems from MRC run beautifully for decades.

Zinc metal batteries (ZnBs) are poised as the next-generation energy storage solution, complementing lithium-ion batteries, thanks to their cost-effectiveness and safety advantages. These benefits originate from the abundance of zinc and its compatibility with non-flammable aqueous electrolytes. However, the inherent instability of zinc in aqueous environments, manifested through hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) and dendritic growth, has hindered commercialization due to poor cycling stability. Enter potassium polyacrylate (PAAK)-based water-in-polymer salt electrolyte (WiPSE), a novel variant of water-in-salt electrolytes (WiSE), designed to mitigate side reactions associated with water redox processes, thereby enhancing the cyclic stability of ZnBs. In this study, WiPSE was employed in ZnBs featuring lignin and carbon composites as cathode materials. Our research highlights the crucial function of acrylate groups from WiPSE in stabilizing the ionic flux on the surface of the Zn electrode. This stabilization promotes the parallel deposition of Zn along the (002) plane, resulting in a significant reduction in dendritic growth. Notably, our sustainable Zn-lignin battery showcases remarkable cyclic stability, retaining 80% of its initial capacity after 8000 cycles at a high current rate (1 A g−1) and maintaining over 75% capacity retention up to 2000 cycles at a low current rate (0.2 A g−1). This study showcases the practical application of WiPSE for the development of low-cost, dendrite-free, and scalable ZnBs.

Members are the engine that makes the NSTC run. NSTC membership is as diverse as the industry it represents, and it spans the entire semiconductor ecosystem. This pivotal platform brings together semiconductor companies, academic research institutions, governments, workforce organizations, and others to collaborate and propel the U.S. semiconductor industry forward.

In just two neutron experiments, scientists discovered remarkable details about the function of an enzyme that can aid drug design for aggressive cancers. The scientists, working at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, used neutron scattering at the Spallation Neutron Source and the High Flux Isotope Reactor to identify exact atomic-scale chemistry in serine hydroxymethyltransferase, or SHMT, a metabolic enzyme necessary for cell division.

Thanks to advances in microchips, today’s smartphones are so powerful they would have been considered supercomputers in the early 1990s. But the rising ubiquity of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things – the vast network of connected devices that have enabled everything from smart grids to smart homes – will require a new generation of microchips that not only outpace previous records of miniaturization and performance but are also more energy efficient than current technologies. As part of this effort, Berkeley Lab scientists are working to revolutionize the transistor, one of the fundamental components in computer microchips, for superior performance and energy efficiency. Recent work has shown the promise of new transistor materials that use an unusual property called negative capacitance to enable more efficient memory and logic devices. When a material has negative capacitance, it can store a greater amount of electrical charge at lower voltages, which is the opposite of what happens in conventional capacitive materials.

What are BUMAX Stainless Steel Bolts, and what makes them unique? BUMAX® manufactures unique stainless steel fasteners in various steel grades, providing optimal safety and reliability for the most demanding applications. These unique bolts offer magnetic permeability, corrosion resistance, mechanical strength, good ductility, extreme temperature resistance, superior fatigue resistance, and more.

Two Stage Rotary Vane Vacuum Pumps These rugged two-stage pumps include all the features needed — long life with minimal maintenance. A built-in anti-suckback valve isolates the pump from the process during power interruptions, and keeps oil out of your system. Gas ballast valves are incorporated for pumping water and other vapors that normally compress to saturation during the pumping process and contaminate the oil. These well ventilated, cool running pumps minimize oil backstreaming and thermal degradation, resulting in a lower cost of operation. The positive oil feed system affords optimal pump lubrication, allowing greater tolerance for oil level changes and the use of a variety of fluids to satisfy diverse applications. The design of the pump is well known, and the pumps can be maintained by pump repair organizations around the world.

Bimetallic Bonding for Ultrahigh Vacuum Over the past 16 years Atlas Technologies has concentrated in developing methods and processes specifically intended for bonding dissimilar metals for use in Ultrahigh Vacuum (UHV). The details of this process are proprietary, but the following report provides a working understanding of the process. Atlas has received patents on several applications of this technology… including the metal-seal Atlas CF™ flange and Atlas ATCR™ fitting.

SEM AND FIB VACUUM CHAMBER CLEANING SYSTEM The Evactron E50 De-Contaminators are compact, high performance yet simplified plasma cleaners for Electron and Ion Beam Instruments such as SEMs, TEMs, and FIBs. The E50 delivers high power cleaning for superior resolution and imaging plus improved detector and probe sensitivity that are compromised by contamination. The compact design of the Evactron E50 Plasma Radical Source makes it a versatile solution for either SEM/FIB chambers, load locks, or sample prep chambers. The Evactron E50 Plasma Cleaners offer fast, effective, and powerful cleaning over a wide range of pressures enabling high quality, artifact free images and increased efficiency of sample analysis.

With its new HiQuad Neo mass spectrometer, Pfeiffer Vacuum combines powerful performance with flexibility and user-friendly operation. This mass spectrometer achieves an exceptionally high measuring speed of up to 125 μs/u. It is distinguished by its outstanding sensitivity and a wide dynamic range. Depending on the application different, mass ranges, rod diameters, ion sources, detectors, interfaces and cable lengths are available for selection. Its properties predestine the HiQuad Neo most particularly for applications in research and development and make it ideal for integrating into analytical systems as well as for cleanliness verification for EUV-lithography. Previous-generation devices can be upgraded to match the latest HiQuad Neo technology. It is also possible to re-use existing components, such as the analyzer. This minimizes both expense and waste.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed a quantum-based vacuum gauge – a cold atom vacuum standard (CAVS) device – that eliminates the shortcomings of conventional vacuum sensors. VAT all-metal vacuum valves – using durable VATRING technology – provide the necessary precision and reliability required by the innovative CAVS device for UHV/XHV product processes. "As one of the oldest physical science laboratories in the USA, the NIST doesn't get into the news much," says Joshua LeBeau, Regional Sales Manager for VAT. "That's surprising, because providing a state-of-the-art measurement infrastructure is critical to innovations needed for future smart power grids, advanced nanomaterials, semiconductor chips and more."

Fastener manufacturing is a multi-step process that includes (in a nutshell) material selection, forming, threading, heat treatment, surface treatment, inspection, testing, and finally, packaging and shipping. When it comes to the threads, they are typically created through one of two processes – either rolled or cut. What is the difference, and how does the way the threads are created affect your application? What are rolled fastener threads? Rolled fastener threads are created through a process that involves deforming the material of the fastener, typically metal, by rolling it between two dies that have the negative profile of the desired thread shape.

The B-RAX 3000 series are InstruTech’s generation of three channel vacuum gauge controllers capable of operating one ionization gauge (IG) and two convection enhanced pirani gauges (CG). Standard features include three analog outputs, six setpoint relays, remote Digital I/O, RS232 and RS485 serial communications. B-RAX 3500 is capable of operating one InstruTech CC606 or CC605 cold cathode inverted magnetron ionization gauge and two InstruTech CVG101 convection vacuum gauge sensors, providing pressure measurement range from 7.50E-11 to 1,000 Torr.

The PREVAIL project will establish and start operating the core of a networked, multi-hub platform providing prototype chip fabrication capability in advanced technology to EU stakeholders for Artificial Intelligence applications. PREVAIL is supported by the Digital European Programme. Our consortium includes four major European RTOs: CEA-Leti, imec, Fraunhofer, and VTT. We will build on our advanced 300mm fabrication, design, and test facilities in a coordinated and complementary fashion to create a new multi-hub Test and Experimentation Facility for edge AI Hardware.

The alpha 2.0 is a budget-friendly option for routine measurements of thin film thickness and refractive index. A compact footprint and simple design make the alpha 2.0 easy to use while harnessing the power of spectroscopic ellipsometry. It was designed for ease-of-use: simply place the sample on the stage, choose the model that matches your film, click “measure”, and you will have results within seconds.

Founded in January 13, 2009, Intellivation marks 15 years of excellence in equipment engineering and manufacturing. Originally established in Tucson, Arizona, and then relocated to Colorado in 2012, Intellivation now operates in a >50,000 ft2 purpose-built facility dedicated to manufacturing and building state of the art vacuum deposition equipment. Recent expansions of both the facility and the team were necessary to support customers’ needs in the growing technology areas Intellivation serves. As a vertically integrated original equipment manufacturer, we offer the unique ability to design, manufacture, assemble, and commission complete systems in-house.

The increasing interconnectedness of sensors, controllers, and actuators in modern manufacturing presents significant challenges for communications equipment and protocols. The EtherCAT® communication protocol was developed to address these issues. However, long distances between the locations of sensors, actuators, etc. and the EtherCAT Master Controller/PC increases wiring complexity with concomitant increases in cost, system noise, and reduced performance. There can also be a need for additional I/Os when the EtherCAT Master is not easily scalable.

The 81000 Series Aluminum Gate Valves are designed for high vacuum applications specifically when pressure ranges approximate 1 x 10-7 mbar and bakeout temperatures do not exceed 150°C. These valves are designed for system integrators, designers and OEM’s within the Semiconductor, Solar, LED/FPD, Coating and BioPharm industries due to their robust design and low cost. They feature precision machined high strength aluminum bodies from solid 6061-T6 billet, dual quad ring long life shaft seals and high performance PEEK components.

The modular approach of Evergreen high power AC-DC power converters allows fast customization, as well as quick power scaling by stacking shelves. Intelligent, system-level command eliminates the need to communicate with and control units individually. This platform’s 38 W/in3 power density provides more power in less space, and > 95% efficiency with 0.98 power factor correction reduces utility costs and minimizes heat.

Fast-charging lithium batteries have generated significant interest among researchers due to the rapid advancement of electronic devices and vehicles. It is imperative to maintain stable and swift battery charging while preserving acceptable reversible capacity. Therefore, this work delves into the kinetics of electrochemical reactions and diffusion of Li+ in anode materials. The anode materials currently available can be categorized into four regions based on their second Damköhler (Da) number: low Da_II, high Da_II, ideal Da_II, and non-ideal Da_II. Specifically, the In anode in the low Da_II region has exhibited a sturdy fast-charging capability, allowing for steady operation at high charging current densities (40∼100 mA cm−2) owing to its efficient Li+ ion diffusion and slow electrochemical reaction rate. Matching In anodes with various cathode materials, such as LiFePO4 and O2, can yield high-capacity and fast charging (with a rate of 5C∼1,440C) for various types of batteries.

The Temescal UEFC-5700 with Auratus represents our ultimate high-throughput platform for lift-off oriented evaporation. This system is designed to support the metallization of forty-two 150mm wafers per load via high capacity e-beam evaporation. The load locked product chamber can be pumped by as many as two dedicated, high throughput 16-inch cryogenic pumps. Dual-cryopumps make it possible to pump this large chamber in 10 minutes from atmosphere to pressures in the range of 10E-7. During wafer exchanges, the source chamber is maintained at high vacuum by the independent pumping of a dedicated 10-inch cryopump.

SEM/FIB/Vacuum Chamber Plasma Cleaning System The Evactron E-series De-Contaminators feature simple operation and ignition at high vacuum and are led by the E50 plasma cleaner with external hollow cathode RF (XHCRF) plasma radical source (PRS). Its cousins the Evactron EP and ES Decontaminators have lower power PRS with the classic Evactron plasma source with an interior electrode. They are compact, high performance yet simplified plasma cleaners. They share the similar control packages with provision for control and recipe setting by an external computer of tablet device by either USB cable or wireless Blue tooth connection. The E50 and EP models can be operated with a single push button for turning plasma on and off. Using external commands, power levels, timing, and cycle operation can be programs.

NAVAC draws upon its commitment to technical innovation, strong customer service, and robust R&D to deliver solutions offering unsurpassed efficiency, accuracy, and durability. Offering a full product line of industrial vacuum pumps, accessories, and customized solutions. NAVAC’s product portfolio is designed with three focuses in mind: Performance, Reliability, and Service. With NAVAC, we empower our customers to drive innovation for the future while helping them NAVIGATE advanced vacuum technology challenges and choices.

The 81000 Series Aluminum Gate Valves are designed for high vacuum applications specifically when pressure ranges approximate 1 x 10-7 mbar and bakeout temperatures do not exceed 150°C. These valves are designed for system integrators, designers and OEM’s within the Semiconductor, Solar, LED/FPD, Coating and BioPharm industries due to their robust design and low cost. They feature precision machined high strength aluminum bodies from solid 6061-T6 billet, dual quad ring long life shaft seals and high performance PEEK components.

Hiden Analytical Ltd is excited to announce its latest innovation in gas analysis technology – the QGA 2.0, which sets a new standard in environmental sustainability. The QGA 2.0 is not just a leap forward in performance but also a champion of eco-friendly practices. This advanced system is designed with sustainability at its core, using sustainable materials and being fully recyclable at the end of its life. The QGA 2.0 showcases a significant reduction in weight and size, leading to more efficient shipping and a smaller carbon footprint.

Controlling the three-dimensional (3D) nanoarchitecture of inorganic materials is imperative for enabling their novel mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. Here, by exploiting DNA-programmable assembly, we establish a general approach for realizing designed 3D ordered inorganic frameworks. Through inorganic templating of DNA frameworks by liquid- and vapor-phase infiltrations, we demonstrate successful nanofabrication of diverse classes of inorganic frameworks from metal, metal oxide and semiconductor materials, as well as their combinations, including zinc, aluminum, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, indium, tin, and platinum, and composites such as aluminum-doped zinc oxide, indium tin oxide, and platinum/aluminum-doped zinc oxide. The open 3D frameworks have features on the order of nanometers with architecture prescribed by the DNA frames and self-assembled lattice. Structural and spectroscopic studies reveal the composition and organization of diverse inorganic frameworks, as well as the optoelectronic properties of selected materials. The work paves the road toward establishing a 3D nanoscale lithography.

With pumping speeds ranging from 80 to 800 l/s, the HiCube Neo vacuum pumping station is ideal for demanding high vacuum and ultra-high vacuum applications. The HiCube Neo can be prepared for wide-ranging applications with an array of different backing pumps such as diaphragm, rotary vane, scroll and multi-stage Roots pumps. This makes the new turbo pumping station perfect for applications in industry and research & development. Typical uses range from analyzing gases and calibrating vacuum gauges to pumping down cryostats and use in vacuum furnaces. The versatile HiCube Neo adapts to requirements – from a compact desktop solution to a standalone unit.

Sputtering Systems from MRC and the Upsilon Target Continue to Do the Heavy Lifting for Leading Companies and Institutions. People say the Gold Upsilon Sputtering Target from DHF Technical Products looks like a lot of things: A picture frame. A box. A rectangle. But if you look closely, you can also see part of a horseshoe. Which makes sense because the Upsilon Target has been essential in helping the workhorse of sputtering systems from MRC run beautifully for decades. Sputtering Systems Born to Run and Run and Run.

Evaporation sources are components used in the process of physical vapor deposition (PVD), a technique used to deposit thin films of material onto a substrate. Here’s an overview of three commonly used sources: 1. Alumina Coated Evaporation Sources 2. Tungsten Evaporation Baskets 3. Point Source Filaments

The new PCM301 Busy Bee combines the ceramic capacitance diaphragm technology with a pirani sensor in a single device to provide pressure measurements from 2.80E-05 to 1,125 Torr. Due to the use of the capacitance diaphragm sensor the gauge is gas independent for pressures above 7.6 Torr, allowing safe venting with any gas mixture. PCM301 is available with various fittings including 1/8 in. NPT male, NW16KF, NW25KF, 1 1/3 in. Mini-Conflat, 4VCR and 8VCR.

Whatever electron beam evaporation system you’re currently using, you can transform it into an automated system with Ferrotec’s new FerroVac controller. The FerroVac controller integrates automated vacuum control with gauge reading functionality. When combined with the Temescal EBC Electron Beam Controller and a Temescal power supply, you can update your legacy deposition workhorse with advanced full system-level, automated control of the vacuum pump and e-beam functions. It’s like adding a process auto-pilot — start a run and walk away!

The 81000 Series Aluminum Gate Valves are designed for high vacuum applications specifically when pressure ranges approximate 1 x 10-7 mbar and bakeout temperatures do not exceed 150°C. These valves are designed for system integrators, designers and OEM’s within the Semiconductor, Solar, LED/FPD, Coating and BioPharm industries due to their robust design and low cost. They feature precision machined high strength aluminum bodies from solid 6061-T6 billet, dual quad ring long life shaft seals and high performance PEEK components.

Time is money. In the gold, silver, platinum and palladium target business, time is even more precious. We’re not only focused on providing you the world’s finest sputtering targets and evaporation pellets. We’re constantly thinking about how to do it faster and smarter to maximize your precious metal investment. That includes innovative designs that put more precious metal on the substrate and less in each sputter target. A target recycling program that immediately credits spent targets and turns around new ones in record time. And cash flow solutions to help keep more working capital working for you. The result? Thin film sputter coating applications that are worth waiting for, even though you don’t have to.

Grand Rapids, MI. September 7, 2023 – Weiss Technik North America, Inc. (WNA) is pleased to announce it acquired all stocks of Vacuum Technology Associates, doing business as Dynavac. Dynavac is an innovative leader in high‐performance vacuum systems for space simulation and thin film deposition. Its products are sold primarily to the Aerospace, Defense, and precision optics industries. This acquisition combines state‐of‐the‐art technologies—environmental test chambers, thin film deposition, and thermal vacuum chambers—propelling Weiss Technik to the forefront as the largest manufacturer of environmental and space simulation systems worldwide. Customers can now look to WNA for all their product safety and reliability testing needs, simulating environments – from Earth to space.

Intellivation is pleased to announce a new manufacturing expansion which was completed in late 2022. “This expansion will significantly increase our capacity for manufacturing and support our machine shop work flow most specifically. We will be adding some exciting new equipment to our machine shop which will allow us to do complete vacuum chamber machining in-house.” says Mike Simmons, Intellivation President & CEO. “Installing capacity, particularly in our machine shop helps us control our build time for our vacuum chambers and roll to roll coating equipment. Like everyone, dealing with logistics and supply chain changes has made us rethink our project planning and manufacturing flow. This expansion supports the changes the team has implemented to support our customers and commitments and helps insulate us from supply chain fluctuations.” Intellivation moved to a new state of the art facility in 2020 designed specifically for manufacturing vacuum coating equipment used in a wide range of industries and a variety of applications. This expansion adds 5,000 square feet to the existing facility.

CDM900 Micro Bee is InstruTech’s new capacitance diaphragm vacuum gauge with a ceramic sensor. The CDM900 is a temperature compensated capacitance diaphragm vacuum gauge which provides highly accurate pressure measurements with full scale ranges from 10 Torr to 1,000 Torr.

The NRE-4000 is a stand alone Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) system with shower-head gas distribution and water cooled RF platen. It has a stainless steel cabinet and a 13" cylindrical Aluminum chamber that opens from top for wafer loading. Chamber has two ports, one with a 2" window the other with a blank off for end point detection and for other diagnostic. It can accept up to 12" (300 mm) wafers. Chamber is extremely clean in design and reaches 10-6 Torr or lower base pressure depending on the pumping package. It can be operated in the pressure range of 20 mTorr to 8 Torr. Pumping package consists of a throttle valve, 250 l/sec corrosive turbomolecular pump, sieve filter, and a 10cfm mechanical pump with fomblin oil. The RF power is provided by 600 W 13.5 MHz power supply, and auto-tuner.

Materials Science, Inc. a supplier of sputtering sources, power supplies and related equipment is relocating its headquarters to its Colorado manufacturing location of several decades from San Diego, California as its founder John Miller retires. The transition begins in July, 2023. Patrick Manley, is assuming management of the company, adding to his decades long role as Materials Science, Inc. manufacturing and engineering manager. John will remain as an active advisor and consultant as needed as he fades off into the sunset. The rest of the team remains. All of Materials Science customers and products, some dating to 1989, will continue to be supported without interruption. NSA Scientific, Inc. (Patrick Manley – President) will assume the intellectual property, customer base and Materials Science, Inc. assets, but continue to operate under the dba Materials Science identity to maintain continuity. The transition will be seamless and all contracts, warranties and purchase orders placed prior to July, 2023 will continue to be honored. Individual customers will be notified of any specific legal and financial details that may change.

The NDT-4000 is a Device Testing System for testing devices or samples in extreme vacuum and controllable uniform heat and cold cycle conditions. It is equipped with computer control, safety interlocks, and mulitple levels of access with password restrictions. It can be used to test devices/samples with automated heat and cool cycles for extended periods of time exceeding 36 hours with varying temperature conditions defined by the recipe. One of the common applications of this system would be space simulation. The approximate chamber size is 43" in length and 24" in diameter. A 16"x32" sliding thermal platform can be controlled within ±1 °C across its surface area for temperatures ranging from -100 °C to 150 °C. This platform is mounted on rolls so that it can be pulled out to 75% of its length for loading devices/samples. The chamber has provision for 4x 8" CF flanges that can be configured with an assortment of customer-defined feedthroughs for digital and analog communication, temperature measurement, power, RF, and other instrumentation needs. The standard vacuum system consists of a 1250 l/sec turbomolecular pump and a 680 l/min dry scroll backing pump. The base pressure of the system can be as low as 7x10-8 Torr and could reach 10-6 Torr range in less than 20 minutes.

k-Space has added new color measurement functionality to its line of glass inspection and defect detection tools. With the kSA Color Measurement tool, RGB values are calibrated to known color Swatch standards. L*a*b* values can also be determined, ultimately enabling the tool to provide an accurate measurement for absolute color values. This is another great example of k-Space collaborating with its worldwide customer base.

Porous thin films are used in a variety of applications to provide enhanced electrical, sensing, or thermal characteristics dictated by the porous structure of the film. Mixing a skeletal material with air or other fillers, reduces the density compared to the bulk material effectively reducing the refractive index, dielectric constant, and other relevant parameters to levels not achievable with bulk materials. Traditional porosimetry techniques such as high-pressure mercury or liquid nitrogen porosimetry are not applicable to the small volumes of thin porous films.

Many vacuum applications operate only within a specific pressure range. In order to operate such vacuum systems efficiently, the total pressure must be measured reliably. Therefore offers Pfeiffer Vacuum a large product portfolio of measurement gauges available both for a digital and analog output signal. The analog vacuum gauges in the ActiveLine have been upgraded to the latest state-of-the-art with a successor model to the PBR 260. The new gauge called PBR 360 covers the range from 5 x 10-10 to 1,000 hPa and is characterized by its high measuring accuracy.

Requirements for physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating equipment vary between R&D systems and production tools. However, in either case having a definition of the coating machine requirements is paramount to arrive at PVD equipment costs. R&D PVD systems as an example can be purchased with many thin film deposition features and in a variety of configurations. Understanding your needs and being able to convey them to the vendor will help streamline the process insuring you are getting the highest return on your investment for the cost. It is also important to prioritize your requirements as with almost any capital equipment purchases as it will ultimately come down to budget and may require some compromises. Knowing what you cannot compromise on before analyzing the tender is important.

Livermore, CA USA — 04-16-2019 — Ferrotec Corporation (JASDAQ: 6890) today announced that II-VI Incorporated (Nasdaq: IIVI) procured a Temescal UEFC-4900 system and Auratus Enhanced system. II-VI and their customers will benefit from the improved film uniformity and reduced materials consumption offered by the Auratus process. “We rely on the expertise of Ferrotec and their ability to deliver high quality metallization processes in production scale for our compound semiconductor manufacturing platform,” said Utpal Chakrabarti, Vice President, Optoelectronic and Wide Bandgap Devices, II-VI Incorporated.

The right source for your thermal evaporation process will depend on many factors. We offer a wide selection of evaporation sources through our catalog and website, as well as custom fabrication to meet you specific need. Most sources are available in tungsten, tantalum and molybdenum, and many are available with an alumina coating applied to the top surface to minimize migration and corrosion of materials. Standard Product information and technical information and publications are available on our website.

LIVERMORE, CA, June 26, 2023 — Ferrotec (USA) Corporation, the US subsidiary of Ferrotec Holdings Corp., a global supplier of materials, components, and precision system solutions, today announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters from Santa Clara to Livermore, CA. Ferrotec is consolidating from two original California locations in Livermore and Santa Clara. As a technology manufacturing company with a strong presence in the semiconductor equipment industry, Ferrotec has a rich history of operations in Silicon Valley with locations in Santa Clara, Livermore and San Jose. The new Livermore manufacturing facility consolidates the Santa Clara and Livermore sites into a single modernized location.

Redwood City, CA. – For immediate release – XEI Scientific Inc. Receives US Patent 10,486,236 for a Plasma Device with an External RF Hollow Cathode for Plasma Cleaning of High Vacuum Systems used in Evactron® E-50 model and U50 model plasma cleaners. The Evactron E50 model was introduced in 2017 and is now XEI‘s most popular in-situ downstream plasma cleaner for SEMs, with its easy plasma ignition directly from high vacuum using the “POP” ignition process developed by XEI Scientific. The design places the electrode outside the plasma to eliminate particulate production. This efficient hollow cathode plasma radical source is able to operate with 50 Watts of RF power to generate plasma rather than heat and plasma as in ICP-type plasma cleaners.

Atlas titanium chambers offer extreme vacuum performance with very low hydrogen permeation rates and secondary gasses. Due to the gettering properties of this metal, titanium vacuum chambers are, in many ways, the ultimate vacuum material. For extreme high vacuum, titanium will often be the best choice. But, due to cost of the material and the slow machining capabilities, it is typically used only when extreme high vacuum is required.

Materials Science Ion Series SC Power Supplies - information at http://www.msi-pse.com/PDF/Sales%20Literature/PS_700I_1119.pdf

Whatever you are looking for in a sputtering system there is probably a more advanced Semicore version that is tested, proven and stable and will give you more for your money. When you think you have found what you are looking for with a sputter coater, be sure to check with Semicore and read our FAQs regarding Physical Vapor Deposition Equipment: What You Must Know Before Purchasing to ensure you are getting all you can.

Hiden Analytical, a leading provider of advanced scientific instrumentation, today announced the successful application of its Quadrupole Focused Ion Beam Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (FIB-SIMS) for lithium-ion battery research. This ground-breaking technique offers unparalleled sensitivity and resolution for low mass detection of lithium, significantly advancing the study of lithium-ion batteries.

Fil-Tech manufactures single and dual sensor heads with or without shutter, 12QC Sensors, single and dual feedthroughs on 1” bolt or 2 ¾” flange, sputter heads, oscillators, cables and parts. We can manufacture custom hardware and assemblies to your specifications.

SANTA CLARA, CA, Dec. 13, 2022 — Ferrotec Holdings Corporation today announced that it has earned a Supplier Excellence Award from Applied Materials, Inc., the leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. Applied’s Supplier Excellence Awards recognize the company’s top-performing suppliers for outstanding technical and operational achievements in areas including quality, service, lead time, delivery, cost and responsiveness. Ferrotec received the award for Supplier Excellence in Aftermarket Support. “Ferrotec is greatly honored to be awarded the Supplier Excellence Award from Applied Materials,” said Eiji Miyanaga, CEO of Ferrotec (USA) Corporation. “We take pride in supporting industrial leaders like Applied Materials who continue to make the impossible possible.” “Applied Materials congratulates our Supplier Excellence Award recipients for achieving outstanding performance over the past year,” said Dr. Paul Chhabra, Corporate Vice President of Global Supply Chain at Applied Materials. “Having strategic relationships throughout the supply chain is more important than ever, and we thank our suppliers for their strong support and collaboration.”

Vacuum viewport flanges (windows) are available in several window materials and construction types for both high (HV) and ultrahigh (UHV) vacuum chamber applications. Both fused and demountable vacuum viewport glass designs are available to choose from. Window materials include Corning 7056 borosilicate glass, proprietary Accu-Sol™ glass, Synthetic Fused Silica (Quartz), and crystalline Sapphire. Demountable substrate windows also offer various coating options.

IGM401 Hornet is InstruTech’s miniature hot cathode Bayard-Alpert ionization vacuum gauge module with a built-in controller and display. The pressure measurement range of the IGM401 is 1.00E-09 to 5.00E-02 Torr.

We supply many of the most commonly used vacuum pressure gauges including, Bayard Alpert glass and nude gauges, UHV nude gauges, Convection gauges, Piriani gauges, and Thermocouple gauges. All of our vacuum measurement gauges are identical to or functionally equivalent to the competitive tubes listed. Gauges are stock items and we offer competitive pricing

The semiconductor industry has made remarkable progress in recent years, leading to the development of ever smaller and more powerful chips. However, these advancements would not have been possible without a clean room powered by an efficient subfab.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered new details about the electrons in a nickel-based family of superconducting materials. The research, described in two papers published in Physical Review X, reveals that these nickel-based materials have certain similarities with—and key differences from—copper-based superconductors. Comparing the two kinds of “high-temperature” superconductors may help scientists zero in on key features essential for these materials’ remarkable ability to carry electrical current without losing energy as heat.

A line of oil mist eliminators designed for commercial, industrial, laboratory, medical, and other vacuum pumps that can eliminate virtually all hydrocarbon emissions from entering the atmosphere have been introduced by Mass-Vac, Inc. of North Billerica, Massachusetts.

Proper selection and sizing of vacuum pumps, as well as the use of variable frequency drives and other energy-saving technologies, can lead to significant cost savings over time. Furthermore, using the right accessories, regular maintenance and monitoring of vacuum systems can help reduce the risk of costly downtime and repair expenses. Ultimately, a well-designed and maintained vacuum system can help businesses optimize their operating costs and improve productivity, leading to increased profitability and long-term success.

Methuen, Massachusetts: ULVAC Technologies, Inc. a manufacturer of semiconductor equipment as the US subsidiary of ULVAC, Inc. announces the release of expanded processing capability for the Optima line of dry strip tools. With the addition of microwave frequency plasma source technology, the Optima can support a wider range of process requirements.

Redwood City, CA. – For immediate release – XEI Scientific Inc. Receives US Patent 10,486,236 for a Plasma Device with an External RF Hollow Cathode for Plasma Cleaning of High Vacuum Systems used in Evactron® E-50 model and U50 model plasma cleaners. The Evactron E50 model was introduced in 2017 and is now XEI‘s most popular in-situ downstream plasma cleaner for SEMs, with its easy plasma ignition directly from high vacuum using the “POP” ignition process developed by XEI Scientific. The design places the electrode outside the plasma to eliminate particulate production. This efficient hollow cathode plasma radical source is able to operate with 50 Watts of RF power to generate plasma rather than heat and plasma as in ICP-type plasma cleaners.

SST creates all types of custom feedthroughs and hermetic connectors. Our work brings us interesting new projects every day. And these experiences very often result in improved parts and new products for our customers.One growing area of interest has been our BPM feedthrough designs. Over the years, leading high-energy physics laboratories have turned to SST to design and manufacture robust BPM feedthroughs. Available in Type-N or SMA RF connectors on the atmosphere side with a capacitive button

Vacuum applications tend to be extremely high spec, with certain aspects being beyond compromise. Pumps and vessels must be of high integrity, with the ability to achieve the appropriate level of vacuum without leaks. In this article, we outline some of the key ways of measuring gas leak detection.

Permeation, or the permeability coefficient, of a polymer refers to the volumetric flow of gasses, under controlled conditions, through the material’s surface. Permeability does not equal leakage! Leakage refers to gasses that flow around the seal. Permeation is a fundamental property of elastomers and is often desired to measure the rate of transmission or diffusion of gas through the material.

Multi-stage dry vacuum pumps have been commercially available for over 30-35 years. Early versions were generally water-cooled, and in more recent years some air-cooled versions have been introduced. Due to the fact that typically 4-6 stages of compression are required to attain pressures close to what oil-sealed pumps are capable of in just two stages, multi-stage dry pumps create a significant amount of heat and require more cooling, specifically in the latter stages. The air-cooled versions of these pumps are also considered PoU (point of use) as they require no water or other facilities besides AC power.

Magnetron sputtering is a form of deposition technology that employs a gaseous plasma and kinetic energy to create a flux of ‘sputtered’ material used to coat surfaces under vacuum. The high-energy ions present in a magnetron sputtering plasma bombard the surface of the target (source material) and liberated atoms by the sputtering process to create this vapour cloud. The vapour moves through the vacuum area, depositing onto a substrate surface to create a thin film covering.

Atlas customer, Beneq, a leading supplier of production and research equipment for thin film atomic layer deposition and aerosol coatings, as well as the world’s premier manufacturer of thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) displays, has brought many interesting projects to our design tables and manufacturing facility. Late last year, Beneq brought us a design challenge for a water-cooled aluminum chamber to be used with the TFS 200 ALD, the most flexible platform ever designed for research and development.

ANCORP’s most recent product expansion of 8 VAT vacuum valves saw the addition of the VAT Series 590 All-Metal Variable Leak Valve. This series offers a variety of novel features that combine to create a valve capable of achieving precise manipulation of very small gas flows and performing beyond ultra-high vacuum (UHV) applications and into extreme high vacuum (XHV) applications.

A research team led by Dr. LI Zhaoqian from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that the addition of 1,4-dioxane (DX) molecules to the electrolyte of aqueous zinc-ion (Zn) battery would lead to the growth of the preferred Zn (002) texture, effectively suppressing the Zn dendrite growth and improving the reversibility and cycling stability of the batteries.

As one of the global leading suppliers of vacuum technology, Pfeiffer Vacuum celebrated the groundbreaking of a state-of-the-art industrial complex at Berliner Strasse in Asslar on February 16, 2023. The site expansion known as the “Future Factory Asslar” will be brought to life at the premises of the current Pfeiffer Vacuum company. The aim is to significantly expand the company’s manufacturing and logistics capacities. The centerpiece of the development is the 8,000 square meter logistics center with an integrated, fully-automated warehouse. A further 1,000 square meters will be used to create an additional production area as well as a service environment, in which all service areas will work together centrally.

Permeation, or the permeability coefficient, of a polymer refers to the volumetric flow of gasses, under controlled conditions, through the material’s surface. Permeability does not equal leakage! Leakage refers to gasses that flow around the seal. Permeation is a fundamental property of elastomers and is often desired to measure the rate of transmission or diffusion of gas through the material.

This white paper answers the following questions: What do I need to consider when connecting the leak detector to a coating system? How can I shorten the response times of the leak detector? How can the mass flow controller be tested separately? How do I perform a sniffer leak detection on gas supply lines? What influences the signal recovery behavior? What to do in case of an intense signal from the helium leak detector? With this white paper, our experts share their know-how and provide you with a separate checklist to help you avoid falsified measurement results.

Hiden Analytical has gained the prestigious ISO 14001:2015 environmental accreditation signifying the company as a leader in environmental management in all areas of the business. Hiden’s green strategies have been integral to the development of an environmental management system (EMS) which provides a framework for improving resource efficiency as well as waste and cost reduction throughout the bespoke manufacturing of our systems.

Los Angeles-based materials science company American Elements announced the further expansion of its rare earth and less common metals organometallics production facilities to meet growing demand for the materials as precursors for thin film deposition, including chemical vapor deposition (CVD and MOCVD) and in the production of catalysts used in the hydrocarbon and petrochemical industries.

The kSA XRF (X-Ray fluorescence) tool measures film thicknesses below 100 nanometers for applications in coated glass, solar panels, and more. k-Space Associates, Inc. announced today the launch of its newest thin film metrology tool, the kSA XRF. It measures film thickness for materials that are too thin for reliable optical measurements. This technique has been proven to measure semiconductor and dielectric layers on glass panels, wafers, and susceptors for applications in solar, power, and other thin film devices.

Scientists have measured the highest toughness ever recorded, of any material, while investigating a metallic alloy made of chromium, cobalt, and nickel (CrCoNi). Not only is the metal extremely ductile – which, in materials science, means highly malleable – and impressively strong (meaning it resists permanent deformation), its strength and ductility improve as it gets colder. This runs counter to most other materials in existence.

Neutron scattering techniques were used as part of a study of a novel nanoreactor material that grows crystalline hydrogen clathrates, or HCs, capable of storing hydrogen. The researchers, from ORNL and the University of Alicante, or UA, in Spain were inspired by nature, where methane hydrates grow in the pores and voids within natural sediments.

The Hiden HPR-30 Series are bolt on vacuum process analysers designed for fast response, high sensitivity analysis of gas and vapour species. Equipped with Hiden’s multi-level software package, offering simple control of mass spectrometer parameters and complex manipulation of data and control of external devices. Applications include leak detection, contamination monitoring, process trend analysis and analysis of high mass species and precursors used in ALD and MOCVD.

Pfeiffer Vacuum announces that beginning November 1, 2022, Nor-Cal Products will begin doing business as Pfeiffer Vacuum Valves & Engineering. In 2017, Nor-Cal Products was acquired by Pfeiffer Vacuum which launched a new phase of the company’s growth. Located in Yreka, CA, the company manufactures vacuum components, valves and chambers to industrial equipment manufacturers, universities, and national laboratories. This product range further enhances the vacuum solutions portfolio that Pfeiffer Vacuum provides to its customers.

The Advanced Light Source (ALS), a scientific user facility at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), has received federal approval to start construction on an upgrade that will boost the brightness of its X-ray beams at least a hundredfold. “The ALS upgrade is an amazing engineering undertaking that is going to give us an even more powerful scientific tool,” said Berkeley Lab Director Michael Witherell. “I can’t wait to see the many ways researchers use it to improve the world and tackle some of the biggest challenges facing society today.”

Tip 1: Better thermal conductivity Tip 2: Lower bakeout temperatures Tip 3: Reduced hydrogen outgassing rates (See website for full paper)

Defective computer chips are the bane of the semiconductor industry. Even a seemingly minor flaw in a chip packed with billions of electrical connections might cause a critical operation in a computer or other sensitive electronic device to fail. By modifying an existing technique for identifying defects, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a method that can simultaneously locate individual electrical flaws in multiple microcircuits on the same chip. Because the technique relies on a relatively inexpensive and common imaging tool, an atomic force microscope (AFM), it may provide a new way to test the interconnected wiring of computer chips in the factory.

Using existing experimental and computational resources, a multi-institutional team has developed an effective method for measuring high-dimensional qudits encoded in quantum frequency combs, which are a type of photon source, on a single optical chip. Although the word “qudit” might look like a typo, this lesser-known cousin of the qubit, or quantum bit, can carry more information and is more resistant to noise — both of which are key qualities needed to improve the performance of quantum networks, quantum key distribution systems and, eventually, the quantum internet.

Projected growth in US-made solar panels and semiconductor chips leads to increased sales of k-Space metrology solutions Recent passage of both the CHIPS & Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act is driving an uptick in sales and opportunities for k-Space, the US-based maker of advanced metrology tools. Both solar panel companies and semiconductor chip makers use k-Space tools to monitor production, uncover potential defects, inspect finished products, and minimize returns.

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been selected to lead an Energy Frontier Research Center, or EFRC, focused on polymer electrolytes for next-generation energy storage devices such as fuel cells and solid-state electric vehicle batteries. Announced recently by U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the award will provide $11.5 million over four years to the new ORNL-led EFRC for Fast and Cooperative Ion Transport in Polymer-Based Electrolytes, or FaCT.

Solar panels, also known as photovoltaics, rely on semiconductor devices, or solar cells, to convert energy from the sun into electricity. To generate electricity, solar cells need an electric field to separate positive charges from negative charges. To get this field, manufacturers typically dope the solar cell with chemicals so that one layer of the device bears a positive charge and another layer a negative charge. This multilayered design ensures that electrons flow from the negative side of a device to the positive side – a key factor in device stability and performance. But chemical doping and layered synthesis also add extra costly steps in solar cell manufacturing.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers demonstrated that an electrochemical sensor paired with a transmitter not only detects propane leaks within seconds, but it can also send a signal to alert emergency services. Propane is an alternative refrigerant that has low global warming potential. However, because of its flammability risk, it is not widely used commercially in the United States. To mitigate concerns, researchers attached a transmitter to an off-the-shelf sensor and developed a computer program that monitors the signal, self-checking every few seconds.

Converting petroleum into fuels involves crude chemistry first invented by humans in the 1800s. Meanwhile, bacteria have been producing carbon-based energy molecules for billions of years. Which do you think is better at the job? Well aware of the advantages biology has to offer, a group of biofuel experts led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) took inspiration from an extraordinary antifungal molecule made by Streptomyces bacteria to develop a totally new type of fuel that has projected energy density greater than the most advanced heavy-duty fuels used today, including the rocket fuels used by NASA.

Advances in microelectronics – also known as microchips or chips – have enabled fast, powerful, compact smartphones and laptops – electronic devices that were once, long ago, the stuff of science fiction. Chips consist of miniaturized components called transistors – tiny silicon switches that process and store data as ones and zeroes, the binary language of computers. The more transistors a chip has, the faster it can process data. The most sophisticated chip today is about the size of a fingernail and consists of more than 100 billion transistors.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded a total of $2.08 million to seven organizations in six states to develop manufacturing technology roadmaps to strengthen U.S. innovation and productivity across entire industry sectors. This is the second round of grants awarded to universities, industry and nonprofit organizations through NIST’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Roadmap Program (MfgTech).

Scientists have demonstrated a new material that conducts heat 150% more efficiently than conventional materials used in advanced chip technologies. The device – an ultrathin silicon nanowire – could enable smaller, faster microelectronics with a heat-transfer-efficiency that surpasses current technologies. Electronic devices powered by microchips that efficiently dissipate heat would in turn consume less energy – an improvement that could help mitigate the consumption of energy produced by burning carbon-rich fossil fuels that have contributed to global warming.

Hiden Analytical develops and supplies instruments for a new era of analysis of ions, radicals and neutrals from high pressure plasmas. The latest in the range of application showcase brochures, Atmospheric Plasma Applications, offers an insight into the applications that Hiden’s atmospheric plasma range address. The Hiden instruments for atmospheric plasma analysis include the HPR-60 MBMS as well as the HPR-20 R&D gas analysis range. The HPR-60 system is a specialised system, developed specifically for direct measurement of atmospheric plasma species. The HPR-20 R&D allows for real time gas analysis of neutral products from plasma, effective in plasma catalysis applications.

McLean, Va. and Bedford, Mass., February 9, 2022 – MITRE, MIT, and Sandia National Laboratories are collaborating on a moonshot effort to build a quantum computer and recently published experimental findings in Nature Photonics.

Hiden Analytical introduce the HPR-30 Series quadrupole analysers for vacuum process analysis.

The Hiden HPR-30 Series are bolt on vacuum process analysers designed for fast response, high sensitivity analysis of gas and vapour species. Equipped with Hiden’s multi-level software package, offering simple control of mass spectrometer parameters and complex manipulation of data and control of external devices. Applications include leak detection, contamination monitoring, process trend analysis and analysis of high mass species and precursors used in ALD and MOCVD.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Tennessee Valley Authority, or TVA, are joining forces to advance decarbonization technologies from discovery through deployment through a new memorandum of understanding, or MOU. Eliminating carbon dioxide emissions in the production of U.S. electricity is essential to achieving the federal government’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions. TVA — which provides electricity for 153 local power companies serving 10 million people in Tennessee and parts of six surrounding states — is actively implementing a variety of new technologies in pursuit of this goal.

2022 marks Hiden Analytical’s 40th year of continuous and independent operation in the field of mass spectrometry. Driven by customer and application focussed innovation, a unique and successful company culture and exemplary worldwide reputation has been gained. Now employing a talented staff of over 120 scientists, engineers, technicians and operations specialists at its UK headquarters, Hiden continues to go from strength to strength.

2022 marks Hiden Analytical’s 40th year of continuous and independent operation in the field of mass spectrometry. Driven by customer and application focussed innovation, a unique and successful company culture and exemplary worldwide reputation has been gained. Now employing a talented staff of over 120 scientists, engineers, technicians and operations specialists at its UK headquarters, Hiden continues to go from strength to strength.

A research team led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has demonstrated tiny concentric nanocircles that self-assemble into an optical material with precision and efficiency. Their work overcomes a longstanding problem in nanoscience – molecular impurities. The researchers described their work in the journals ACS Nano and Advanced Materials.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory used polymer chemistry to transform a common household plastic into a reusable adhesive with a rare combination of strength and ductility, making it one of the toughest materials ever reported.

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has capped off the first seven months of its survey run by smashing through all previous records for three-dimensional galaxy surveys, creating the largest and most detailed map of the universe ever. Yet it’s only about 10% of the way through its five-year mission. Once completed, that phenomenally detailed 3D map will yield a better understanding of dark energy, and thereby give physicists and astronomers a better understanding of the past – and future – of the universe. Meanwhile, the impressive technical performance and literally cosmic achievements of the survey thus far are helping scientists reveal the secrets of the most powerful sources of light in the universe.

Metrology manufacturer, k-Space Associates, Inc., is proud to introduce their newest thin-film metrology product, kSA ACE (Atomic Control for Epitaxy). k-Space engineers designed this tool with input from scientists in the research and production communities to provide an accurate and high-resolution in situ instrument that monitors flux and growth rate of atomic species, using the principle of atomic absorption spectroscopy. The kSA ACE uses conventional hollow cathode lamps (HCLs) to generate the atomic emission for the elements of interest. The instrument utilizes two high-sensitivity, UV-optimized solid-state spectrometers — one to monitor the absorption and the other to monitor signal drift from the HCLs.

If you had a jar of marbles of many different colors but wanted only the green ones, how could you efficiently pick them out? What if it wasn’t marbles but a jar of glitter, and there was sand, glue, and mud mixed in? That begins to describe the complexity of the brine pumped out from beneath California’s Salton Sea as part of geothermal energy production.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge, Brookhaven and Idaho national laboratories and Stony Brook University have developed a novel approach to gain fundamental insights into molten salts, a heat transfer medium important to advanced energy technologies.

Could a tank of ice or hot water be a battery? Yes! If a battery is a device for storing energy, then storing hot or cold water to power a building’s heating or air-conditioning system is a different type of energy storage. Known as thermal energy storage, the technology has been around for a long time but has often been overlooked. Now scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) are making a concerted push to take thermal energy storage to the next level.

ORNL scientists developed a scalable, low-cost electrochemical pulse method to improve the contact between layers of materials in solid-state batteries, resolving a key challenge in energy-dense solid-state batteries. Credit: Andy Sproles/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a scalable, low-cost method to improve the joining of materials in solid-state batteries, resolving one of the big challenges in the commercial development of safe, long-lived energy storage systems.

In 1998, researchers including Mark Kubinec of UC Berkeley performed one of the first simple quantum computations using individual molecules. They used pulses of radio waves to flip the spins of two nuclei in a molecule, with each spin’s “up” or “down” orientation storing information in the way that a “0” or “1” state stores information in a classical data bit. In those early days of quantum computers, the combined orientation of the two nuclei – that is, the molecule’s quantum state – could only be preserved for brief periods in specially tuned environments. In other words, the system quickly lost its coherence. Control over quantum coherence is the missing step to building scalable quantum computers.

Stacking extremely thin films of material on top of each other can create new materials with exciting new properties. But the most successful processes for building those stacks can be tedious and imperfect, and not well suited for large-scale production. Now a team led by Stanford Professor Hemamala Karunadasa has created a much simpler and faster way to do it. They grew 2D layers of one of the most sought-after materials, known as perovskites, interleaved with thin layers of other materials in large crystals that assemble themselves.

Smartphones, laptops, and lighting applications rely on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to shine bright. But the brighter these LED technologies shine, the more inefficient they become, releasing more energy as heat instead of light. Now, as reported in the journal Science, a team led by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley has demonstrated an approach for achieving near 100% light-emission efficiency at all brightness levels.

Thanks to AI, we just got stunningly powerful tools to decode life. In two back-to-back papers last week, scientists at DeepMind and the University of Washington described deep learning-based methods to solve protein folding—the last step of executing the programming in our DNA, and a “once in a generation advance.”

Nashua, New Hampshire – Pfeiffer Vacuum has introduced its new HiPace 80 Neo turbopump, which features a longer life before service and reduced vibration and noise emissions. These benefits are made possible with the new, advanced Laser Balancing™ system developed by Pfeiffer Vacuum for turbopump rotors. This patented technology, makes the vacuum pump particularly suitable for vibration-sensitive applications. Possible applications range from mass spectrometry and electron microscopy to leak detectors and RGA systems.

Intense short-pulse laser-driven production of bright high-energy sources, such as X-rays, neutrons and protons, has been shown to be an invaluable tool in the study of high energy density science. In an effort to address some of the most challenging applications, such as X-ray radiography of high areal density objects for industrial and national security applications, both the yield and energy of the sources must be increased beyond what has currently been achieved by state-of-the-art high-intensity laser systems.

Jason Ryder is the first to tell you that the world is facing several crises. Most notably, we face a health crisis in the form of a global pandemic, as well as an ongoing climate crisis that threatens our environment and ecosystem. And as the world population continues to grow, we also face a food crisis as more and more people need access to better and more nutritious foods.

Tucson, AZ, 18 May 2021, Alicat Scientific is announcing the launch of its Fast Track program. As the pandemic continues to cause delays in shipments of raw materials and electronics packages, delivery times are increasing. To help address this issue, we are making a commitment to deliver select core product lines as quickly as possible. All Fast Track products will be built to order and shipped within 5 days. Such Fast Track eligible products include our most popular mass flow meters and controllers ranging from 200 SCCM to 100 SLPM, with multiple options for electrical connectors and communication protocols.

East Syracuse, NY, USA — May 17, 2021: On April 30, 2021 INFICON Inc., a leading supplier of vacuum instrumentation and process control software to the semiconductor manufacturing industry acquired substantially all of the assets owned or used in connection with manufacturing of Fil-Tech® crystals. INFICON is now the manufacturer and distributor of Fil-Tech quartz crystals. The addition of Fil-Tech crystals to the INFICON crystal portfolio supports the INFICON vision to supply customers in vacuum coating, semiconductor, and display markets with the largest variety and highest quality crystals. INFICON will manufacture Fil-Tech crystals from its world class facilities in Overland Park, Kansas. The plant is ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO 140001 certified.

A five-year quest to map the universe and unravel the mysteries of “dark energy” is beginning officially today, May 17, at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. To complete its quest, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) will capture and study the light from tens of millions of galaxies and other distant objects in the universe. DESI is an international science collaboration managed by the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) with primary funding for construction and operations from DOE’s Office of Science.

Growth Driven by Critical Technology in Vacuum Products, especially RF Power and Remote Plasma ANDOVER, Mass., April 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI), a global provider of technologies that enable advanced processes and improve productivity, today announced significant market share gains across a number of product categories in 2020, as recently reported by VLSI, an independent research and analytics firm.

Despite our efforts to sort and recycle, less than 9% of plastic gets recycled in the U.S., and most ends up in landfill or the environment. Biodegradable plastic bags and containers could help, but if they’re not properly sorted, they can contaminate otherwise recyclable #1 and #2 plastics. What’s worse, most biodegradable plastics take months to break down, and when they finally do, they form microplastics – tiny bits of plastic that can end up in oceans and animals’ bodies – including our own.

An international team working at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) used a unique X-ray instrument to learn new things about lithium-rich battery materials that have been the subject of much study for their potential to extend the range of electric vehicles and the operation of electronic devices.

What’s thinner than thin? One answer is two-dimensional materials — exotic materials of science with length and width but only one or two atoms in thickness. They offer the possibility of unprecedented boosts in device performance for electronic devices, solar cells, batteries and medical equipment.

It’s fair to say that before the COVID-19 pandemic, very few non-scientists could name a viral protein. But now, millions of people around the world can name the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and a subset of those could probably even draw a good likeness of the spike-covered virus from memory. These nano-sized structures have received international attention because understanding how viral and immune system molecules look, at an atomic level, is the first step toward understanding how they function. And once we know how they function, we can develop vaccines and therapeutics.

Physicists studying collisions of gold ions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science user facility for nuclear physics research at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, are embarking on a journey through the phases of nuclear matter – the stuff that makes up the nuclei of all the visible matter in our universe.

A multi-institutional team became the first to generate accurate results from materials science simulations on a quantum computer that can be verified with neutron scattering experiments and other practical techniques. Researchers from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Purdue University and D-Wave Systems harnessed the power of quantum annealing, a form of quantum computing, by embedding an existing model into a quantum computer.

ROCK HILL, South Carolina, January 27, 2021 – 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) today announced its decision to significantly expand its development efforts focused on regenerative medicine and bioprinting solutions. This decision was driven by the tremendous progress made in collaboration with United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ:UTHR) and its organ manufacturing and transplantation-focused subsidiary, Lung Biotechnology PBC, on the development of 3D printing systems for solid-organ scaffolds. Leveraging this work as well as accomplishments with additional partners, 3D Systems intends to invest, further develop, and commercialize solutions for the diverse application opportunities in regenerative medicine, including the development of non-solid organ applications requiring biologically sustainable vasculature.

Physicists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) are figuring out new ways to accelerate electrons to record-high energies over record-short distances with a technique that uses laser pulses and exotic matter known as a plasma. But measuring the properties of the high-energy electron beams produced in laser-plasma acceleration experiments has proven challenging, as the high-intensity laser must be diverted without disrupting the electron beam.

The COHERENT particle physics experiment at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has firmly established the existence of a new kind of neutrino interaction. Because neutrinos are electrically neutral and interact only weakly with matter, the quest to observe this interaction drove advances in detector technology and has added new information to theories aiming to explain mysteries of the cosmos.

A new study, led by a theoretical physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), suggests that never-before-observed particles called axions may be the source of unexplained, high-energy X-ray emissions surrounding a group of neutron stars. First theorized in the 1970s as part of a solution to a fundamental particle physics problem, axions are expected to be produced at the core of stars, and to convert into particles of light, called photons, in the presence of a magnetic field.

Before DESI, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, can begin its 5-year mission from an Arizona mountaintop to produce the largest 3D sky map yet, researchers first needed an even bigger 2D map of the universe. The 2D map, pieced together from 200,000 telescope images and several years of satellite data, lacks information about galaxy distances, and DESI will supply this and provide other useful details by measuring the color signatures and “redshift” of galaxies and quasars in its survey. Objects’ redder colors provide telltale information about their distance from Earth and about how quickly they are moving away from us – and this phenomenon is known as redshift.

(Hoboken, N.J. – Dec. 17, 2020) -- Super-fast quantum computers and communication devices could revolutionize countless aspects of our lives — but first, researchers need a fast, efficient source of the entangled pairs of photons such systems use to transmit and manipulate information. Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have now done just that, creating a chip-based photon source 100 times more efficient than previously possible. The work brings massive quantum device integration within reach.

A viable quantum internet — a network in which information stored in qubits is shared over long distances through entanglement — would transform the fields of data storage, precision sensing and computing, ushering in a new era of communication. This month, scientists at Fermilab, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory, and their partners took a significant step in the direction of realizing a quantum internet.

SANTA CLARA, CA, — December 08, 2020 — Ferrotec (USA) Corporation, the US subsidiary of Ferrotec Holdings Corp., a global supplier of materials, components, and precision system solutions, today announced that it has purchased MeiVac Incorporated. MeiVac brings more than 25 years of experience as an industry leader in providing high-quality thin-film manufacturing systems, components and process solutions. It is a multi-faceted supplier of standard and specialty vacuum processing systems and components used in multiple high technology production and development applications. MeiVac’s served markets include data storage, photonics, telecom and government/R&D, among others.

They come in three flavors and can transform among these different types as they travel. They pass through most matter undetected and uninterrupted. Tens of trillions of them are passing through your body in the time it takes to read this sentence. But don’t worry – they are harmless. They are produced by the sun, within the Earth, at nuclear reactors, by exploding stars, and by cosmic rays interacting with Earth’s atmosphere, among other sources.

News Center This Anti-COVID Mask Breaks the Mold Scientists from Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley have designed a rechargeable N95 mask with a custom fit News Release Theresa Duque (510) 495-2418 • December 9, 2020 Share2 Tweet Reddit Share 2 Shares In the fight against COVID-19, scientists at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley are developing an N95 quality-assessment test; a rechargeable, reusable, anti-COVID N95 mask; and a 3D-printable silicon-cast mask mold. (Credit: Alexander Kirch/Shutterstock) In the early days of the pandemic, amidst all the uncertainty, one thing was for sure: N95 masks – the personal protective respiratory devices that filter out viruses, bacteria, and wildfire smoke – were in short supply. So when materials scientists Jeff Urban and Peter Hosemann heard that a local HMO needed advice on N95 alternatives, they immediately knew what to do: Make a better mask.

Researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have achieved unprecedented success in modifying a microbe to efficiently produce a compound of interest using a computational model and CRISPR-based gene editing. Their approach could dramatically speed up the research and development phase for new biomanufacturing processes, and get cutting-edge bio-based products such as sustainable fuels and plastic alternatives on the shelves faster.

To better understand how the novel coronavirus behaves and how it can be stopped, scientists have completed a three-dimensional map that reveals the location of every atom in an enzyme molecule critical to SARS-CoV-2 reproduction. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory used neutron scattering to identify key information to improve the effectiveness of drug inhibitors designed to block the virus’s replication mechanism. The research is published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

In the search for clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels, one promising solution relies on photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells – water-splitting, artificial-photosynthesis devices that turn sunlight and water into solar fuels such as hydrogen. In just a decade, researchers in the field have achieved great progress in the development of PEC systems made of light-absorbing gold nanoparticles – tiny spheres just billionths of a meter in diameter – attached to a semiconductor film of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NP). But despite these advancements, researchers still struggle to make a device that can produce solar fuels on a commercial scale.

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2020-- Advanced Energy (Nasdaq: AEIS) – a global leader in highly engineered, precision power conversion, measurement and control solutions – today introduces its new industry-leading Ascent® MS multi-output power supply system. Designed to enable the lowest system and infrastructure costs in the industry for solar photovoltaic (PV) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) systems, the Ascent MS builds on Advanced Energy’s long legacy of bringing power system innovation to the manufacturing of advanced solar cells.

If you’ve eaten vegan burgers that taste like meat or used synthetic collagen in your beauty routine – both products that are “grown” in the lab – then you’ve benefited from synthetic biology. It’s a field rife with potential, as it allows scientists to design biological systems to specification, such as engineering a microbe to produce a cancer-fighting agent. Yet conventional methods of bioengineering are slow and laborious, with trial and error being the main approach.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Department of Energy officials dedicated the launch of two clean energy research initiatives that focus on the recycling and recovery of advanced manufacturing materials and on connected and autonomous vehicle technologies. Daniel R Simmons, DOE’s Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, joined Moe Khaleel, ORNL’s deputy for projects, for ribbon cutting events at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility and the National Transportation Research Center.

Experts at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are now offering short-term technical and scientific assistance to entities working to combat the coronavirus through the COVID-19 Technical Assistance Program, or CTAP, an initiative of DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions. CTAP provides targeted funding to ORNL and other national laboratories to enable laboratory staff to assist United States-based institutions facing challenging technical hurdles as they seek solutions to the pandemic. The program creates a pathway for ORNL to offer technical services, analysis, testing and consulting on external projects related to COVID-19.

To tune the band gap, a key parameter in controlling the electrical conductivity and optical properties of semiconductors, researchers typically engineer alloys, a process in which two or more materials are combined to achieve properties that otherwise could not be achieved by a pristine material. But engineering band gaps of conventional semiconductors via alloying has often been a guessing game, because scientists have not had a technique to directly “see” whether the alloy’s atoms are arranged in a specific pattern, or randomly dispersed.

Record drought and heat have some farmers worried about where and when crops can be grown in the future, even in California where unprecedented microclimate diversity creates ideal growing conditions for many of the most popular items in America’s grocery stores. A third of the vegetables and two-thirds of fruits and nuts consumed by Americans are now grown on more than 76,000 farms across the state, yet 20 years from now certain California regions may simply become too hot and dry for continued production.

A team led by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a novel, integrated approach to track energy-transporting ions within an ultra-thin material, which could unlock its energy storage potential leading toward faster charging, longer-lasting devices. Scientists have for a decade studied the energy-storing possibilities of an emerging class of two-dimensional materials – those constructed in layers that are only a few atoms thick – called MXenes, pronounced “max-eens.”

WILLISTON, FL – August 11, 2020 – Tom Bogdan joins the high vacuum product manufacturer, ANCORP (www.ancorp.com), as Vice President of Business Development. Tom brings over 32 years of experience in the vacuum industry to ANCORP, and he most recently served as the VP of Sales and Marketing at MDC Vacuum Products. While at MDC, Tom oversaw the sales objectives of all divisions within the company and, over the last several years, helped increase top-line sales by more than fifty percent. His extensive knowledge of the vacuum industry and strong background in fabrication makes him uniquely qualified to serve and support ANCORP’s growing customer base.

Telemark's New Model 862 Deposition Controller builds on the success of the model 861 controller and the 851 monitor, by adding co-deposition, crystal averaging and a larger screen. Developing advanced coatings has never been easier with the 862 co-deposition control, with functionality for crystal averaging for up to four sensors at one time. Using proven, innovative crystal oscillator design to provide outstanding stability and noise immunity, the Model 862 operates with either 5 MHz or 6 MHz crystals. The 862 includes an extensive library of over 300 materials and allows for user definable materials. The easy to read Color LCD touch screen for graphical and numerical display has an intuitive and user-friendly operator interface. The Touch screen capabilities include In-process parameter modifications; Process and Layer editors; I/O status and control.

After its long journey to Mars beginning this summer, NASA’s Perseverance rover will be powered across the planet’s surface in part by plutonium produced at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. “Mars 2020 will be the first NASA mission that uses ORNL-produced plutonium-238,” said Alan Icenhour, associate laboratory director for nuclear science and engineering at ORNL. “This accomplishment represents countless hours of work by dedicated ORNL staff, and it’s rewarding to see this work come to fruition. Helping NASA in its mission to Mars is a significant moment in the history of the lab.”

Pfeiffer Vacuum has been setting standards in vacuum technology for 130 years. Science and industry have benefited equally from the numerous innovations developed and successfully brought to the market by this long-established company. The best example of this is the turbomolecular pump, which was developed by the company in 1958 and has been indispensable in the market ever since. Thanks to its expertise, Pfeiffer Vacuum is still the world market and technology leader in this field.

If you want to research historical events for a college essay, learn about tropical fish, or even translate text into a different language, you can type keywords into an internet search engine and get almost instant results drawn from diverse, international sources on that subject. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy for the scientist trying to find solutions for the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though researchers across the world have already amassed a wealth of information about the disease and continue to reveal new insights every day, this valuable data is stored in different digital libraries, organized in different structures, and written with different jargon. To get the most out of our collective COVID-19 knowledge, someone needs to collect it all in one place. And that’s precisely what a team led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is doing. Under a special project launched in May, computing and bioinformatics experts are working together to develop a platform that consolidates disparate COVID-19 data sources and uses the unified library to make predictions – about potential drug targets, for example.

Even an underground experiment 4,600 feet below a mountain in Central Italy, and a telescope instrument more than a mile high atop an Arizona mountaintop could not escape the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the virus spread around the world, many laboratories and experiment sites entered a period of partial shutdown and imposed restrictions on site access. Berkeley Lab researchers participating in international science collaborations quickly transitioned to working from home, in some cases with a shift in duties.

A team led by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory used a simple process to implant atoms precisely into the top layers of ultra-thin crystals, yielding two-sided structures with different chemical compositions. The resulting materials, known as Janus structures after the two-faced Roman god, may prove useful in developing energy and information technologies.

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has licensed a novel method to 3D print components used in neutron instruments for scientific research to the ExOne Company, a leading maker of binder jet 3D printing technology. A long-time collaborator with ORNL, ExOne will leverage the lab’s world-class expertise in additive manufacturing, materials and neutron science to further develop the patent-pending technique to 3D print collimators using a lightweight, metal-infused composite that is ideal for neutron scattering instruments.

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has launched a program designed to accelerate deployment of innovations that may help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Rapid Access Licensing Program will allow companies to license these select technologies at no cost for one year.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 12, 2020 — For the second year in a row, a team from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge and Los Alamos national laboratories led a demonstration hosted by EPB, a community-based utility and telecommunications company serving Chattanooga, Tennessee. Using an isolated portion of EPB’s fiber-optic network, the team experimented with quantum-based technologies that could improve the cybersecurity, longevity and efficiency of the nation’s power grid. Among other successes, the researchers drastically increased the range that these resources can cover in collaboration with their new industry partner, Qubitekk.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exhaust supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Atlas Copco Comptec LLC, an entity of the Gas and Process Division, is supporting its local first responders by using the facility’s 3D printer to create face masks and face shields.

From next-gen smartphones to longer-range electric cars and an improved power grid, better batteries are driving tech innovation. And to push batteries beyond their present-day performance, researchers want to see “under the hood” to learn how the individual ingredients of battery materials behave beneath the surface. This could ultimately lead to battery improvements such as increased capacity and voltage.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, April 1, 2020 - VAT Incorporated, the leading global developer, manufacturer and supplier of high-end vacuum valves is pleased to announce a partnership with Ancorp effective April 1 2020. This partnership is focused on providing superior value to the general vacuum market by offering domestic vacuum users fast shipping on select stocked valves directly from ANCORP’s facility in Florida.

April 15, 2020 — In the race to identify solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are joining the fight by applying expertise in computational science, advanced manufacturing, data science and neutron science. Research and mission support are proceeding at ORNL, both onsite and as roughly two-thirds of staff members work from home to maximize social distancing. ORNL is providing remote access to its world-leading supercomputing and neutron facilities for researchers around the world to conduct critical scientific studies on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Traditionally, companies can only be sustainable if they are innovative. The vacuum specialist Leybold succeeded with its combination of tradition and innovation over the course of its history. With this in mind, Leybold is proud to honor this important milestone by celebrating its 170th birthday in 2020.

Since its founding in 2010, the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP) has made significant progress in the pursuit of a sustainable energy industry that converts sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into renewable transportation fuels. JCAP is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Innovation Hub led by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and based partly at DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Feb. 27, 2020 — Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee achieved a rare look at the inner workings of polymer self-assembly at an oil-water interface to advance materials for neuromorphic computing and bio-inspired technologies. Results published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society provide new insights on the way molecules pack and order themselves into “tunable” interfaces, monolayer thick surfaces with structures that can be modified for specific functionalities.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Feb. 11, 2020 — Thomas Kurfess, chief manufacturing officer and senior distinguished scientist for manufacturing at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been elected a member of the National Academy of Engineers for his contributions to innovative digital manufacturing technologies and system architectures.

Andover, Mass., – February 11, 2020 – MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI), a global provider of technologies that enable advanced processes and improve productivity, today announced the release of its next generation Series 49UL Thermal Management System for Semiconductor, Analytic and Advanced markets.

Uzwil (Switzerland), February 11, 2020 – At the end of January 2020, Bühler’s information security management system has been certified with the most respected cyber security standard: ISO 27001:2013. With this certification, Bühler showcases how important information security is for the company. ISO 27001 protects key areas such as internal business IT, the automation solution Mercury MES, the Bühler Insights platform, and the myBühler customer portal. “Today, over 85 % of our solutions can be connected to Bühler Insights. We want to show our customers that their data is as secure with us as it is currently possible. Digital services from Bühler conform to the highest possible security standards,” says Stuart Bashford, Digital Officer at Bühler Group.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Feb. 3, 2020 — An international team of researchers has discovered the hydrogen atoms in a metal hydride material are much more tightly spaced than had been predicted for decades — a feature that could possibly facilitate superconductivity at or near room temperature and pressure. Such a superconducting material, carrying electricity without any energy loss due to resistance, would revolutionize energy efficiency in a broad range of consumer and industrial applications.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced two new models of turbomolecular pumps to their innovative TwisTorr turbo pump range, both with a more compact design and smart capabilities. The Agilent TwisTorr 305 FS and TwisTorr 305 IC pumps both come with smart connectivity, a new feature for Agilent turbomolecular pumps. An app called Vacuum Link, which can be installed on Apple or Android phones, enables users to communicate remotely with the pump, so they can quickly and easily type commands and modify parameters, to control the pump.

EDWARDS VACUUM has combined its years of comprehensive know-how and innovative technical expertise to develop a revolutionary range of new liquid ring pumps – the ELRi series. Megha Ajmal, Product Manager for Rough Vacuum products commented “Made for applications which are wet, humid as well as corrosive, this product offers a range of features and benefits that will distinguish itself from other competitor pumps in the market. From the ability to optimise processes to save energy, ELRi complements our range of solutions we offer for the industrial and rough vacuum markets”.

Sierra Instruments, global leader in mass flow, announces the launch of their RedySmart™ mass flow meters and controllers ideal for BioPharm OEMS. Sierra also announces RedyCompact™ flow meters and regulators as an ideal upgrade to antiquated rotameters. These thermal instruments employ high-precision MEMS (Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems) technology utilizing an advanced, ultra-stable no-drift CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor. Because of the inherent stability of the thermal sensor design, Sierra offers a unique “Lifetime No-Drift Warranty” on the sensor. This offers a huge advantage in OEM applications where long-term stability is key.

Vacuum technology specialist, Leybold, has developed two new online tools to assist customer’s pump choice and layout of complete vacuum systems: The Pump Finder and the calculation tool LEYCALC. With these new web-based tools, users can select and build their vacuum solutions online. They are designed to be used for two different use cases: The homepage https://calc.leybold.com/en/lp leads to both the Pump Finder and LEYCALC, the vacuum system calculation tool. Users with vacuum know-how can use LEYCALC to calculate the behavior and performance of vacuum systems in detail. The Pump Finder guides even beginners to suitable products by a questionnaire.

The Northern California Chapter of the American Vacuum Society will convene its 2020 Technical Symposium around the topical theme of "The Quantum World." The Symposium will focus on technologies that include, but are not limited to, manipulating or taking advantage of quantum effects in these areas: Semiconductor device physics, transistors, etc. especially nano-structures Photovoltaics, photon energy conversion, plasmonics Superconductivity Chemistry, nuclear physics, unconventional bits of general engineering, etc. Advanced information transmission & computation e.g. Quantum Computing Nanophotonics and topological quantum photonics Quantum dot display technology Sensors

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Jan. 2, 2020—Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a quantum chemistry simulation benchmark to evaluate the performance of quantum devices and guide the development of applications for future quantum computers. Their findings were published in npj Quantum Information. Quantum computers use the laws of quantum mechanics and units known as qubits to greatly increase the threshold at which information can be transmitted and processed. Whereas traditional “bits” have a value of either 0 or 1, qubits are encoded with values of both 0 and 1, or any combination thereof, allowing for a vast number of possibilities for storing data.

Atlas Copco is today announcing to the U.S. market the launch of three new intelligent VSD+ vacuum pumps. The DZS 100 - 400 VSD+ series pumps are a range of air-cooled, oil-free claw pumps made for particularly harsh applications. They come with built-in variable speed drive (VSD) and can be controlled remotely by the new VSD+ App.

Kanagawa, Japan – November 25th, 2019 – ULVAC, Inc. (ULVAC), headquartered in Kanagawa, Japan and lead by CEO Setsuo Iwashita and SILEX Microsystems AB (Silex), headquartered in Järfälla, Sweden and lead by CEO Edvard Kälvesten, today announced they have signed an agreement to develop a production thin film piezoelectric process (PZT) for MEMS actuators and sensors with cutting edge performance and reliability.

Inspired by the enormous unmet needs of people with rare diseases, a group of scientists from across the globe has teamed up to develop open-access tools and resources for sharing disease characteristics and treatment information. The research is centered around an artificial intelligence-enabled catalog of disease descriptions called Mondo, which, like a Wikipedia for rare diseases, can be added to and improved by the scientific and medical community.

As scientists study approaches to best sustain a fusion reactor, a team led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory investigated injecting shattered argon pellets into a super-hot plasma, when needed, to protect the reactor’s interior wall from high-energy runaway electrons. Other pellet materials, frozen from room-temperature gasses, have successfully reduced the plasma’s thermal energy, but argon was most effective at runaway electron dissipation. Using fuel pellet injection technology – which literally shoots cryogenic pellets of fuel into the plasma to raise its density – the team used an injector optimized for argon during a series of tests at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. “Now that we have demonstrated argon’s effectiveness, our next step is to determine how many pellets and pellet injectors are needed for a solution that’s applicable,” said ORNL’s Larry Baylor. This research may be scaled up for possible application on ITER, the international experimental reactor.

Redwood City, CA. – For immediate release – XEI Scientific Inc. Receives US Patent 10,486,236 for a Plasma Device with an External RF Hollow Cathode for Plasma Cleaning of High Vacuum Systems used in Evactron® E-50 model and U50 model plasma cleaners. The Evactron E50 model was introduced in 2017 and is now XEI‘s most popular in-situ downstream plasma cleaner for SEMs, with its easy plasma ignition directly from high vacuum using the “POP” ignition process developed by XEI Scientific. The design places the electrode outside the plasma to eliminate particulate production. This efficient hollow cathode plasma radical source is able to operate with 50 Watts of RF power to generate plasma rather than heat and plasma as in ICP-type plasma cleaners.

Onto Innovation Inc. (NYSE: ONTO) today announced the successful completion on October 25, 2019 of the previously announced merger of equals between Nanometrics Incorporated and Rudolph Technologies, Inc. Headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Onto Innovation is expected to be the fourth largest semiconductor capital equipment supplier by revenue in the U.S. and a top 15 semiconductor equipment company by revenue worldwide, based on Gartner’s most recent semiconductor wafer fab equipment market share report, released in April 2019.

MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI), a global provider of technologies that enable advanced processes and improve productivity, today announced the release of its next generation C-Series Mass Flow Controllers. The C-Series Mass Flow Controller uses Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology combined with a fast-acting control valve and MKS’ proprietary algorithms resulting in an ultra-fast control time of less than 100 milliseconds. Designed for use with non-corrosive gases and accommodating a wide flow range from 50sscm to 50slm, the C-Series is ideal for many advanced markets that require high-precision flow control including, but not limited to, Analytical, Biopharmaceutical and Industrial applications. “By leveraging MEMS technology, we provide the optimum solution for critical process applications requiring precise gas flow control under the most demanding conditions across multiple industries,” said Michael Patterson, General Manager of Flow Solutions Products.

The New York and Tel Aviv based startup Dynamic Infrastructure is implementing the world’s first deep-learning solution which allows bridge and tunnel owners and operators to obtain visual diagnosis of the assets they manage. The system provides live, cloud-based, 3D views of the bridge or tunnel and automatically alerts when changes are detected in maintenance and operation conditions - before the issues evolve into large-scale failures.

NEW! The Teleshake 95 heater/shaker module is now available for use with the BRAND Liquid Handling Station pipetting robots. The heater/shaker module can be heated up to 90°C depending on the labware material. It can also be used to shake samples with rotation speeds from 100 rpm to 1900 rpm. The heater and shaker is compatible with microplates, PCR plates, strips, and tubes, and some low profile reservoirs and polypropylene plates. Adapter plates are available for optimum heat transfer and secure hold in the Teleshake 95 for different consumables. Visit www.brandtech.com for details.

Deep learning has emerged as the most important computational workload of our generation. Tasks that historically were the sole domain of humans are now routinely performed by computers at human or superhuman levels. Deep learning is also profoundly computationally intensive. A recent report by OpenAI showed that, between 2012 and 2018, the compute used to train the largest models increased by 300,000X. In other words, AI computing is growing 25,000X faster than Moore’s law at its peak.

VON ARDENNE will be presenting at IAA 2019 (new mobility world) its latest thin film coating solutions for new mobility such as: *. PV for solar factories or car integration *. Carbon Coatings for Lithium-ion Batteries and fuel cells to improve the performance and low production costs *. Glass coating for wind shields and roof tops for saving energy and increasing comfort *. Coatings for car displays (anti reflective, easy-to-clean) or head up displays *. Coatings for Sensor technologies for the automotive industry (LIDAR-for distance and speed control to enable autonomous driving) or facial recognition for safety

Coraopolis, PA ... September 12, 2019 ... In keeping with the increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly materials, Goodfellow is pleased to announce a major expansion of their range of PLA granules. The extended range includes a variety of differing melt flow rate (MFR) materials suitable for extrusion and injection molding. For customers, the addition of these new grades enhances the Goodfellow green materials range and extends the options available for biodegradable polymers.

4Wave’s Cluster Tool is the premier Semiconductor Sputtering System. The platform incorporates the most advanced engineering for performance and uptime. It is fully computer controlled featuring advanced wafer scheduling and Wafer LOT management. The 4Wave Cluster Tool has the highest performance in markets including EUV, Infrared MEMS, Thin film optics, Semiconductor and Data Storage .

MV Vacuum Inlet Traps for ALD Processes utilize replaceable filter elements including stainless steel gauze, micron-rated polypropylene, activated alumina or charcoal, Sodasorb®, and other types to remove residual solvent vapor acids and particulates. Fully customizable by the user, they are offered in sizes for use in R/D laboratories and production facilities.

Edwards Vacuum headquarters renderingEdwards Vacuum, a global leader in semiconductor vacuum and abatement solutions, has completed and opened its new high-tech innovation and manufacturing center in Hillsboro. The 75,000-square foot, state-of-the-art facility will serve as the North American semiconductor headquarters for the U.K.-based firm, creating 100 new high-tech jobs.

The Science in Video (SciVid) competition for 2019, open to everyone passionate about Materials Science and Engineering, has been announced by co-sponsors Goodfellow, the A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute of Drexel University and the Materials Research Foundation. Winners will be announced at the 2019 MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit, but membership in the Materials Research Society (MRS) or attendance at the meeting is not required.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – July 1, 2019 – Quantum Design International (QDI) announces the appointment of Angstrom Scientific Inc., as the North American distributor for the Quantum Design/GETec AFSEM, an AFM designed to provide in-situ studies in a variety of existing host systems such as scanning electron microscopes. It features an AFM module that uses self-sensing cantilevers to provide correlative analysis in SEM or Dualbeam (SEM/FIB) microscopes. QDI recently announced its acquisition of GETec, an Austrian company specializing in atomic force microscopy (AFM) instrumentation.

HORIBA Scientific, global leader in fluorescence instrumentation and other spectroscopy solutions, is proud to announce that our fluorescence and TCSPC products are the subject of a complete chapter in a new book, ‘Fluorescence in Industry,’ one of a series of books put out by Springer. The series focusses on the field of fluorescence and the practical applications that are on the forefront of the technology, including analytical, biomedical, molecular sciences, etc.

MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKSI) introduces its Spectra-Physics® IceFyre® 355-50, a high power, industrial UV picosecond hybrid fiber laser with industry-leading performance and versatility and low cost-of-ownership. Delivering >50 W UV power, ultrashort pulses, and highest power at repetition rates up to 10 MHz, the laser is ideal for high throughput, high quality micromachining in 24/7 production lines.

Atlas Copco has acquired the operating assets of Taylor Air Center, a division of Vallen Distribution Inc. The company has around 20 employees and is located within the densely populated Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania in the US.

AMETEK EDAX, Inc., a leader in X-ray microanalysis and electron diffraction instrumentation, has added a new 160 mm2 detector to its Elite T Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) System for Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM).

A team led by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory explored how atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) crystals can grow over 3D objects and how the curvature of those objects can stretch and strain the crystals. The findings, published in Science Advances, point to a strategy for engineering strain directly during the growth of atomically thin crystals to fabricate single photon emitters for quantum information processing.

Dynavac is pleased to announce that it was named 2019 Subcontractor of the Year for Region 1, New England by the Small Business Administration (SBA). This coveted accolade is awarded to small businesses that have provided the government and industry with exceptional goods and services as subcontractors. The nomination for the award was made by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory in recognition of Dynavac’s contributions in expanding their environmental test capabilities.

Palomar Technologies, a global leader in total process solutions for advanced photonics and microelectronic device packaging, announced that SST Vacuum Reflow Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Palomar Technologies, has launched the SST 8300 Series Automated Vacuum Pressure Soldering System. The series, consisting of single and triple chamber systems provides a highly reliable solder connection with a better than industry standard void rate – a key to delivering high-reliability power modules for automotive and commercial applications.

Leybold presents its innovative vacuum portfolio at the international trade fair for the meat industry IFFA in Frankfurt am Main from 04 to 09 May 2019 in hall 11, booth A41. The new NOVADRY vacuum pump series will be the focus of the presentation. The completely newly developed, oil-free screw vacuum pump ensures significantly greater safety and efficiency in food and packaging processes.

Mass-Vac, Inc. has introduced a new portable degas system that eliminates that need for permanently installed devices and pulls a 29” Hg vacuum with full contents viewing.

Goodfellow is pleased to announce the addition of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) to its line of boron nitride products. Although similar to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in features including light weight, mechanical strength and stability, some properties of BNNTs are distinctly different.

At the COMVAC 1st – 5th April, Hannover Fair, Leybold presents its vacuum technologies for industrial processing. The efficient, innovative solutions of the vacuum supplier are used worldwide. In a wide variety of applications, the pumps, systems and measuring devices of this long-established company make a significant contribution to sustainable and competitive products and processes in the industry.

The 18th annual Lab Design Conference—April 29-May 1, 2019—is the only educational event of its kind to provide an in-depth dynamic educational program that delivers cutting-edge information about lab design, engineering and construction.

ReactWell, LLC, has licensed a novel waste-to-fuel technology from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory to improve energy conversion methods for cleaner, more efficient oil and gas, chemical and bioenergy production. ReactWell will bring ORNL's electrochemical process (https://www.ornl.gov/news/nano-spike-catalysts-convert-carbon-dioxide-directly-ethanol), which converts carbon dioxide directly into ethanol, into the company's existing conversion solution known as the ReactWell process.

Scientists have found a new way to control light emitted by exotic crystal semiconductors, which could lead to more efficient solar cells and other advances in electronics, according to a Rutgers-led study in the journal Materials Today.

Atlas Copco Compressors has announced its acquisition of Appleton Compressor Service & Supply, Inc. (Appleton). Appleton offers a wide range of equipment, including air compressors, vacuum pumps and air treatment equipment. As a long-established distributor of Atlas Copco, the company specializes in air installations and associated services.

A new cannabis distillation and drying system for producing edible and oil products with varying strains of THC and CBD that is tailored to customer requirements is being introduced by Mass-Vac, Inc. of North Billerica, MA.

For some decades now, VON ARDENNE has been a leading company in industrial large-area coating using innovative PVD methods. Based on this expertise in the deposition of extremely thin layers, the German high-tech company has identified different approaches along the production chain of lithium-ion batteries to considerably improve their performance and cost-efficiency by functionalizing cell component surfaces.

Scientists have tested a novel heat-shielding graphite foam, originally created at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, at Germany’s Wendlestein 7-X stellarator with promising results for use in plasma-facing components of fusion reactors.

Atlas Copco's Industrial Vacuum division have launched the DHS 065-200 VSD+ dry screw vacuum pump offering lower lifecycle costs, higher productivity, less energy consumption and easy maintenance.

SPECTRO Analytical Instruments has introduced its new SPECTROGREEN inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) analyzer, debuting its new revolutionary Dual Side-On Interface (DSOI) technology that achieves twice the sensitivity of conventional radial-plasma-view instruments, at an affordable price/performance ratio.

Pfeiffer Vacuum is presenting extremely high compression models with its new HiPace 700 H turbopumps. With a compression ratio of ≥ 2·107 for hydrogen, they are suitable for generating high and ultra high vacuum.

A professor in Virginia Tech's College of Science wants to power planes and cars using energy stored in their exterior shells. He may have discovered a path toward that vision using porous carbon fibers made from what's known as block copolymers.

A new electron microscopy technique that detects the subtle changes in the weight of proteins at the nanoscale—while keeping the sample intact—could open a new pathway for deeper, more comprehensive studies of the basic building blocks of life.

ULVAC Technologies, Inc. (www.ulvac.com) has introduced the LS series of dry screw pumps as a high performance, more compact and lower cost replacement to multi-stage dry Roots pumps for a wide range of vacuum applications.

A high-capacity vacuum pump inlet-exhaust trap for collecting the heavy particulates associated with semiconductor manufacturing processes is available from Mass-Vac, Inc.

A research team led by Alessandra Lanzara, a faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division and a Charles Kittel Professor of Physics at UC Berkeley, using a unique detector to measure samples of an exotic cuprate superconductor, Bi-2212 (bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide), with a powerful technique called SARPES (spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy), uncovered something that defied everything they had ever known about superconductors: a distinct pattern of electron spins within the material.

SCI Engineered Materials, Inc.a global supplier and manufacturer of advanced materials for physical vapor deposition thin film applications that works closely with end users and OEMs to develop innovative,customized solutions, today announced plans to begin manufacturing thin film solar products in China beginning approximately mid-year 2019.

Goodfellow is pleased to announce a major expansion of their range of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials.

Ramamoorthy Ramesh, a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) scientist in the Materials Sciences Division, leads a major Lab research initiative called “Beyond Moore’s Law,” which aims to develop next-generation microelectronics and computing architectures

Pfeiffer Vacuum, one of the world's leading providers of high-tech vacuum solutions for the semiconductor, industrial, coating, analytical and R&D markets, opened up a new 27,000 square foot building in Nashua, NH, on October 25.

With the new Pascal 2021 HW, Pfeiffer Vacuum introduces a two-stage rotary vane pump with the highest vapor capacity in its class.