Oxford
Instruments Plasma Technology (OIPT) announces a significant boost in the
demand for its Ionfab® Ion Beam Etch and Deposition tools, with 2009 being
the best year ever for sales of these systems. Orders for this flexible and
versatile tool have been received both for R+D and production applications,
from a range of customers worldwide.
These include Ionfab system sales to King Abdullah University of Science and
Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, for R&D; Chalmers University of Technology
in Sweden for ultra low temperature R&D etch; CEA LETI, Grenoble, France
for R&D; and from a major manufacturer in China for an Ionfab500 System
to undertake medium batch optical coating production.
Oxford Instruments’ Ionfab tool allows the flexibility to perform etch
and /or deposition and consequently maximises system utilisation. Its specifications
can be closely tuned to applications, enabling faster and repeatable process
results, and offers functionality in multiple modes: Ion Beam Etching (IBE),
Reactive Ion Beam Etching (RIBE), Chemical Assisted Ion Beam Etching (CAIBE),
Ion Beam Sputter Deposition (IBSD) and Ion Assisted Sputter Deposition (IASD).
"OIPT is one of the few companies in our technology sector that has not
only weathered the recession but also grown significantly. The strength of our
product and process portfolio means that we are able to offer the customer superior
technology, tailored to their needs", comments Mark Vosloo, Sales and Customer
Service Director at OIPT, "Each of these Ionfab Ion Beam systems has been
custom built for individual customer applications, from R&D to production,
etch and deposition. Our versatility coupled with excellent uniformity and process
results, mean that OIPT is increasingly becoming the supplier of choice for
Ion Beam systems."