Jon Simmons

T-ray enabled isosurface imaging is a great tool for visualization and metrology.

3

2 Comments

Are you designing an optical product that will benefit from the precision and efficiency of automated assembly? Join Benchmark and Photonics Media for a free webinar on the design considerations that will expedite your product's transition into manufacturing. Register today: https://hubs.ly/Q02ZtLXh0 #optics #automation #DFX #DFM

28

1 Comment

Thermoelectric thermal stabilizer for circulating fluid RRC-600-TE-LL liquid-to-liquid family. Laser technologies of microelectronics using the example of processing the most important electronics material, which remains silicon.  The advantages of laser technology become clear when new varieties are used, which involve fairly narrow “process windows” using complex nonlinear effects: the use of multiphoton absorption, filament, thermal spalling or “hidden” internal separation. These new technologies make it possible to dramatically reduce the size of defective zones, increase the quality of processing, while simultaneously reducing the width of the cut between chips (from 50–100 to 10–20 microns), which makes it possible to move to new architecture options or increase the density of chips on the wafer. Another option for laser technology is through drilling holes in a silicon wafer (Silicon Through Via), as well as precision laser milling and the formation of complex structures. These capabilities are significant for modern 3D assembly and micromechanical device (MEMS) designs. Laser technology makes it possible to achieve high quality holes, as well as a high ratio of hole diameter to depth, has no analogues from mechanical operations and in many cases is an interesting alternative to plasma-chemical etching. The high stability of the laser beam directly depends on the precise thermal stabilization of the light source. A new thermoelectric thermal stabilizer for circulating fluid RRC-600-TE-LL is developed and manufactured by Crystal Ltd. company for the fast-growing market of micro processing equipment, in particular for tasks in the micro- and electronics industry. The advanced solutions implemented in this device allow: - cool the circulating liquid, maximum cooling capacity 600W, - heat the circulating liquid, maximum cooling capacity 1000W, - stabilize the temperature of the circulating fluid with an accuracy of +/-0.02⁰С in the range from  +5⁰С to +60⁰С,  - noise level 42 dB  - control and monitor from a PC via the RS-485 interface or USB port using the Modbus-RTU protocol,  - carry out adjustment using a built-in temperature sensor or a sensor located directly at the cooled unit,  - automatically calculate setpoint offsets based on the temperature difference measured by the internal sensor and the external sensor,  - place the chiller in a 19” rack in laboratories and clean rooms,  - emergency stop in the following cases: the coolant temperature goes out of the specified range, the temperature sensor breaks, the coolant level in the tank drops below the minimum permissible, or there is no flow.  https://lnkd.in/eusrhQrt

15

I’m excited to be the new owner of a state of the art molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system currently set up for epitaxial Ga/Mn/As/Ge heterostructure growth .. I’ll be installing this bad boy in my old Virginia Cleanroom fab near Virginia Tech where I started my first silicon micro-machining and thin films company 30 years ago in a burnt down church- ACT MicroDevices. The clean room there never had such good company as this guy. I spent my first decade there (and at its sister facilities with our growth) working on silicon micro machining and micro optics for hybrid optoelectronics and their packaging - esp for integrated optics and advanced fiber optic applications like laser die wafer level hermetic packaging. In one project - I multilayer AR coated over 2 million sub millimeter discrete precision micro-optics for Lucent for fiber optic backhaul networks - for their “Laser 2000” program - a SiOB based laser transmitter. I ran it in a LPVCD tube furnace I modified. This ended up being the most profitable job I ever did though I bid it at cost to win the project. I was able to transition from 10k lenses in a batch to 60k in a batch in less than a year. Due to careful engineering of the coating layer stresses we ended up becoming their sole source at ~20 cents per lens. Why did coating stress engineering matter? This is because with sub-mm lenses on SiOB platforms you can’t use epoxy - they were solid state bonded to 3um Al deposited in a <111> inverted pyramid in the silicon chip at the 4 tangential contact points- the final layer compressive was key to high shear. Ok - Back to the “why” on the heteroepitaxial growth… high delta N ridge waveguide SOI integrated optics were always held back by needing to hybridly integrate lasers and detectors (Intel)… meanwhile GaAs / InP were just too expensive and fragile for complex and large integrated optical systems. Enter recently a new pioneer: heteroepitaxial Ge on Sapphire https://lnkd.in/gschJcuB follow by direct active layers … I’m now thinking -as the Mandalorian says -“this is the way” :) viz: Integated Microwave Photonic Circuits See: “Integrated microwave photonics” Nature Photonics volume 13, pages 80–90 (2019) https://lnkd.in/gAhxui35 For me - a marriage of my first love in optoelectonics (Si-Pak) with my second - advanced microwave/mm-wave circuits (PolyStrata) into something new, far smaller, more integrated and faster. Who wants to collaborate? I haven’t worked with big UHV ion pumps on MBE since high-school when I brought them home from the local tech junkyard with ln2 “sorption” pumps to rough your UHV chamber .. I always thought it was cool that you could use diminishing pump discharge current to measure your UHV degree of success - something that takes less energy the better it gets! What else takes less energy the better it gets 🤔 Photo of my new system below from the manufacturer. (racks of controllers not shown).

43

9 Comments

Another busy #3d data capture week coming up. We had a team out at a large #aerospace client today, carrying out #metrology inspection with our GOM (Zeiss) system reporting on critical parts. 😷 The home team were on #medical devices to scan and #reverseengineer. They then moved onto some interesting high volume #injectionmoulded  #QC scan and comparison against CAD errors maps. 🤓 The rest of the week we have some large volume projects coming online for a #simulation and #analysis project Never a dull moment although temperature management and part stability was a little more of challenge today 🤒 #ukmfg #qaulitycontrol #3Ddatacapture #optimition #costout #engineeringdesign https://rb.gy/trqoz7

15

Unlocking Profitability: Power of designing for reliability in reducing life cycle costs Have you ever wondered why some equipment (products) seem to be a constant headache, requiring frequent repairs and maintenance, while others just keep running smoothly? The answer lies in the design phase, where the foundation for reliability is laid. Consider this shocking fact: In the industry, design and development account for only 5-10% of the total life cycle costs, while a staggering 65-85% is spent on operations and maintenance. The key takeaway? Prioritizing reliability during the design and testing stages can significantly reduce costs associated with breakdowns, repairs, and downtime throughout the equipment's (products’) lifespan. ✅To achieve this, you need to: - From Day One, instruct, guide the design engineering team and instil and solidify the   importance of Reliability - Work closely with suppliers and manufacturers - Ensure reliability is a top priority from the get go - Engage with their design teams - Demand maintainability and reliability specifications - Insist on proven engineering practices that prioritise longevity Remember, the initial purchase price is just the tip of the iceberg. By focusing on designing for reliability, you'll enjoy: - Increased productivity - Reduced downtime - Smoother operations - Significant savings on life cycle costs Don't let short-sighted decisions lead to costly consequences. So many companies (buyers) concentrate on cheaper costs and not on robust and proven designs Embrace designing for reliability, and watch as your equipment's (products) performance soars while life cycle costs shrink. In short, Reliability has to be instilled in every design engineer of every product and not taken for granted or an afterthought. For more detailed info on Reliability & Testing, visit us at www.reliatestlabs.com #ReliabilityTesting #SystemReliability #PerformanceTesting #StressTesting #LoadTesting

10

4 Comments

Hi everyone, Following our previous post on SEM overlay applications, I recalled a past interaction where someone asked if we could validate our measurements by matching CDSEM overlay measurements with optical measurements on the same targets. This brings up an important point for fab engineers and developers. Many of you consider metrology equipment as a "perfect scale," but it's crucial to remember that each scale has its own operational range. Let’s start from the basics: Optical targets are designed for optical tools, which have clearly defined resolution based on certain physical principles, such as flat illumination and visible light collection. Thus, the sizes of optical targets are derived from these principles. However, SEM tools operate on entirely different principles, using electron beam scanning and SE/BSE collection. Using optical targets with SEM tools violates a primary restriction of electron beam scanning—linearity of beam shape over the scanned region. This is typically defined over a 10-15 micron range, with optimal performance expected in the 0-5 micron range. All SEM calibrations aim to maintain scan flatness within this region, focusing on beam shape, astigmatism, resolution, and focus. Scanning a 50-micron range with an SEM compromises the experiment. Additionally, optical tools present edges as shadows (where the size of the edge is significantly smaller than the optical tool’s resolution), and inline detectors' linearity can be challenged at very large ranges. Introducing CDSEM overlay measurements on specialized CDSEM targets or topographic features enhances overall overlay reliability and reduces uncertainty for extremely small values—below 5 angstroms—not to match optical overlay values. In the attached video, you can see an attempt to measure an optical overlay target with an SEM—please avoid this approach. Feel free to comment and share your thoughts! #gazadelendaest #deeplearning #resolution #beam #EHAR #DeepStructures #metrology #Fab #problemsolving #LVTailoring #innovation #measurement #SecondaryElectronDetection #BackScatteredElectronDetection #CriticalDimentionMetrology #noisereduction #artificialneuralnetworks #CAD2SEM #Die2DB #EPE #PSD #precision #accuracy #lithography #tmu #NoiselessPSD #TargetDesign #ai #BlindDenoising #DeepStructures #neuralnetworks #weave #MassMeas #defects #beam #SecondaryElectronDetection #Overlay #EPE #labview #python #noisereduction #appliedmaterials #hitachi #kla

39

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Injection molding with thermal-conductive and EMC shielding ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ This injection-molded product incorporates our proprietary material technology, providing both high heat release and electromagnetic shielding capabilities. Product Description: As a solution to the societal challenge of improving travel range (electricity consumption), we have achieved weight reduction by transitioning from metal to resin. Features: 1. Lightweight: Our product uses a resin that is about 45% lighter than aluminum, reducing the weight of a single vehicle by approximately 7kg. 2. EMC shielding plus heat release: In addition to EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) shielding capabilities, our product also offers heat dissipation properties. 3. Process Efficiency: The reduction in the number of parts, simplification of the production process, and decrease in the frequency of equipment maintenance enable improved work efficiency. 4. OBC housing Concept: Through innovative design and the use of heat-dissipating materials, we have achieved heat dissipation performance equivalent to or greater than that of aluminum. With these features, our Injection molding with thermal-conductive and EMC shielding represents a product that balances both lightweight and high-performance attributes. Download the document for more details. 🚘 🙆‍♀️ https://lnkd.in/grKzv-zX #heatrelease #heatdissipation #thermalcontrol #automotivesafety #EMCshielding

3

We are excited to support AMD Instinct MI200 and MI300 Accelerators into the Fluent GPU Solver at 2024 R2. Director of Ansys Fluids Product Management, Jeremy McCaslin, states, "Simulation is not a commodity anymore, it's a necessity. Fluent customers need to innovate designs faster, bring products to market more quickly, and do all of this more sustainably. Large compute centers consume substantial energy, and using AMD Instinct GPUs can achieve similar computational tasks with significantly less energy." Learn more here: https://ansys.me/3zAatgr #GPU #GPUcomputing #simulation #simulationsoftware #ansysfluent #ansys #engineering #AMD

89

PRL: Pareto Optimization and Tuning of a Laser Wakefield Accelerator. They observe that there exists a wide range of Pareto-optimal solutions that trade beam energy versus charge at similar laser-to-beam efficiency. https://lnkd.in/gKw5V8xz

28

Last year, AMETEK celebrated 93 years as a publicly traded company by ringing in The Closing Bell® at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Revisit this milestone event by swiping below and read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/ek_c4fPR #AMETEK #NYSE #SustainableGrowth

132

1 Comment

NEED PRECISION OPTICAL METROLOGY? AOM IN TUCSON, AZ, HAS ANSWERS. I’ve just been talking to Tyler Steele, part of the dedicated team working with AOM - Arizona Optical Metrology LLC. Established in 2009, they are well-known globally as a leading computer-generated hologram (CGH) supplier for the world’s most challenging optical engineering projects. Often, metrology is the limiting factor in fabricating complex optical surfaces, as methods for qualification and feedback are not precise, flexible, or capable enough. A CGH overcomes many of these surface testing challenges to make optical surface qualification feasible for most complex surfaces while maintaining precision, resolution, and speed. EXPANDING HORIZONS Now, AOM are reaching out to bring CGH technology to a broader set of optics and photonics applications. Complex optics are being used more widely than ever–and at precision and production volumes that seemed impossible just a few years ago. The challenges these applications face are on par with the biggest space telescope projects of the past, but with a fraction of the budget and extremely tight timelines to complete. Think of the volume market for AR glasses. AOM - Arizona Optical Metrology LLC is delivering new and novel solutions to optics projects and programs to address this new world of optics production. They enable a new level of precision and ease of use for complex optics metrology from surface figure error of aspheres, freeforms, and off-axis sections to optical system alignment. A CGH converts an interferometer regular wavefront (collimated or spherical) into a custom-designed wavefront that matches the unique shape of the surface to be tested. The result is an interferometric null test when the test optic is well aligned to the CGH. In my conversation below, Tyler answers the Optica question: What can you do for other Optica corporate members, and what can they do for you? Quite a lot, it seems. Together, the future of optics is very bright indeed! Contact them directly or drop me a line for an introduction.

51

6 Comments

Interesting video about the pros and cons of two different gage study methods.

10

The Race To Glass Substrates 💡🏎️ Replacing silicon and organic substrates requires huge shifts in manufacturing, creating challenges that will take years to iron out The #chip industry is racing to develop glass for #advancedpackaging, setting the stage for one of the biggest shifts in chip materials in decades — and one that will introduce a broad new set of challenges that will take years to fully resolve. #Glass has been discussed as a replacement material for #silicon & organic #substrates for more than a decade, primarily in multi-die packages. But with Moore’s Law running out of steam, the shift away from planar #chips to advanced packaging is now almost a given for leading-edge designs. The challenge now is how to build these devices more efficiently, and glass has emerged as a key enabler at the leading edge of packaging & #lithography. Intel Corporation announced last year that it would introduce glass substrates in the latter part of this decade. And the U.S. government awarded Absolics Inc., an affiliate of #Korea's SKC, $75 million under the U.S. CHIPS Act to build a 120,000 square-foot facility in #Georgia to make glass substrates. “The benefits of glass are clear,” says Rahul Manepalli, fellow and director of substrate TD module engineering at #Intel. “But the problems that you have to solve include interface stresses, understanding fracture dynamics of glass, and understanding how to decouple stress from one layer to another.” Thanks to Gregory Haley and Semiconductor Engineering for the full article with more background and insights via the link below 💡🙏👇 https://lnkd.in/eg7zQBVT #semiconductorindustry #semiconductormanufacturing #technology #ic #chip #chips #semiconductors #foundry #ai #chiplet #computing #it #ml

252

5 Comments

Solafact 510     SOLAFACT 510 is a professional handheld Raman spectroscopic substance identification instrument that uses 785nm laser Raman spectroscopic scattering technology as a detection method. It is small in size, light in weight, and has powerful management and calculation functions. The equipment can perform conventional chemical warfare agents, Detection and identification of explosives, precursor chemicals, flammable and explosive dangerous goods, highly toxic substances, drugs, jewelry and jade, pharmaceutical APIs, and general chemicals. The operation is simple and the identification is fast and accurate.    APPLICATION It can be widely used in anti-drug, customs, public security, security inspection, pharmaceuticals, industrial quality control, fire hazard inspection, mail/express inspection, food safety and other fields. The equipment can perform conventional chemical warfare agents. Detection of dangerous chemicals, drugs, precursor chemicals, explosives and precursor chemicals,  flammable, explosive dangerous goods, highly toxic substances, drugs, jewelry and jade, pharmaceutical APIs, and general chemicals. The operation is simple and the identification is fast and accurate. Features Space optical path design, high luminous flux, high sensitivity, high quality spectrum The detection speed is fast, and the detection time of conventional substances is 2 to 3 seconds. Modular battery design, easy to replace, long standby time, optional large capacity high performance battery module. Perfect cloud support: support software update at any time, support database update at any time, support custom database upload, support test record upload to the cloud, support scanning QR code to view cloud report. At the same time realize the detection of drugs and explosives, explosives pg level, drugs ng level. Powerful intelligent analysis algorithm, rapid identification of various mixture substances, accurate detection. https://lnkd.in/eGWFKdtB CBRN Solafact Inc: Full Arsenal of High-end Analyzing Detection, NBC Suites & Masks: Revolutionizing safety in hazardous environments! Advanced Protection: Shield yourself against Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear threats with state-of-the-art technology. Nuclear/Radiological | Chemical / Biological | Narcotics/Explosives | Detection UAV / UAV Control Terminal Computer | PROTECTIVE Mast / NBC Suites. Applications: Homeland security, customs, seaports, airports, oil facilities, hospitals, military and law enforcements worldwide whether in civilian life or on the battlefield. https://lnkd.in/eCD72EnV    https://lnkd.in/eiXC9XS9   Visit https://cbrnsolacact.com today to elevate your CBRN defense capabilities and shield yourself against Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear threats with state-of-the-art technology. [email protected]    

2

FRENCH LASER DIODE SOLUTIONS RAMPING UP FAST. When AeroDIODE developed their first nanosecond pulsed laser diode driver more than 15 years ago, they couldn’t have predicted how fast the demand would grow for flexible solutions. In 2024, they have a very broad offer of high-speed and low-noise laser diode drivers, fibre-coupled laser diodes, fibre-coupled high-speed modulators, synchronization electronic tools and reliability test solutions. At CLEO Conference 2024, AeroDIODE CTO Adèle Morisset walked me through their range and ex[explained what’s on the horizon. One thing that won’t change – is their mission to offer researchers and entrepreneurs clear pricing, fast delivery and ever smaller devices. We like that approach to business at Optica. AeroDIODE is a multinational company based in Bègles, France (near Bordeaux) plus a production centre in the famous optics and photonics cluster in #Bozeman, Montana. USA. (fun fact: On a per-capita basis, Bozeman, Montana has one of the highest densities of optics companies found anywhere in the United States.) Onward!

109

Story Time: A Tale from the Fab Floor There’s nothing us old-timers in the semiconductor industry enjoy more than swapping “war stories” from the fab floor—especially when things didn’t go as planned. A picture of a turbo pump sent by my friend Kaye Kolb Jr. the other day sparked a memory I’ll never forget. It was 2016, and we were deep into an upgrade project for some older etch equipment. The schedule was relentless, and we were pushing through long hours of overtime to hit our deadlines. The tools were still running product in active chambers while we took others down for the upgrades. By the time we reached the final stages, it was well past 4 a.m., and exhaustion was taking its toll. One of the last steps involved installing a new CDA line into the EV block. My bay partner crawled under the tool, wedging himself into the tight space near the turbo pump, ready to make the connection. If you’ve ever worked with these setups, you know the drill—ensure the chamber is at atmosphere, then proceed. But in the haze of exhaustion, he accidentally hit the override button for the wrong EV block. The turbo pump next to his head, running at full ramp with the gate valve open, let out a sound I’ll never forget. In seconds, the fan blades were shredded into aluminum confetti. My partner shot out from under the tool faster than I thought humanly possible, looking like he was ready to evacuate the entire fab! At the time, it was terrifying. But now, years later, it’s one of those stories that makes me laugh until I cry. Moments like this—and memories of never-maintained EPI pumps packed with SiH₄—remind me just how crucial proper equipment maintenance is. This is where ADVACO excels. With over 50 years of expertise in vacuum pump remanufacturing, they don’t just repair pumps—they ensure reliability and longevity. ADVACO’s industry-best two-year warranty and unmatched attention to detail set them apart as true leaders in the field, handling everything from dry pumps to turbo pumps, rotary vanes, and cryogenic systems. Their American-made craftsmanship and dedication to quality keep fabs running smoothly day in and day out. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Kaye. I’m looking forward to trading more fab war stories with you! And for anyone in need of vacuum pump service or sales, ADVACO is the name you can trust. They’re the gold standard in pump expertise!

29

6 Comments

📊🔍 Documenting sensor placement in real-time is essential for accurate temperature mapping data. Always record the placement of thermocouples or dataloggers on the Sensor Placement Data Sheet and sketch any additional details at the time of placement. This ensures data integrity, supporting quality control, and regulatory compliance. - MIke Murphy 👉 Follow Ellab - Validation & Monitoring Solutions where we are committed to innovation and quality. Remember, precise documentation makes a difference! 🌟 #TemperatureMapping #DataIntegrity #QualityControl #Ellab #RegulatoryCompliance

30

2 Comments

Join 3DSystems's Senior Vice President & General Manager of Medical Devices, Gautam Gupta, Ph.D., for this intriguing Q&A! Gautam discusses the development of orthopedic implants with direct metal printing. As more companies leverage additive manufacturing for finished devices, engineers need to stay up-to-date on the latest information and considerations. Learn more here >> https://hubs.li/Q02xMTvS0 Sponsored by 3DSystems

22