CHELMSFORD, Mass., June 23, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brooks Automation, Inc. (Nasdaq:BRKS) was honored recently with a R&D 100 award for one of the 100 most technologically significant new products introduced over the last year. R&D Magazine recognized the Model 830 Vacuum Quality Monitor (VQMTM) for its unique method of determining gas composition with an electrostatic autoresonant ion trap.
There are an amazing number of products that rely on a manufacturing process that occurs under vacuum pressure including semiconductors, LEDs, solar panels, disk drives, glass coating, plating on plumbing fixtures, light reflectors, mirrors, etc. The 830 VQM provides vacuum technologists a way to understand the composition of gas species that exist in their chamber allowing them to detect leaks, look for contamination, and monitor specific gases during the manufacturing process. The ultra fast speed, low power requirements, and high sensitivity in the ultra high vacuum (UHV) range have opened up new markets and applications for the 830 VQM.
The technology behind this breakthrough is an autoresonant ion trap which represents an entirely new way of mass selection. It starts with ion creation which includes capturing all ions within the trap; an electrostatic field keeps the ions oscillating within the trap at their resonant frequency; and the ions are ejected through an autoresonant energy pumping process using a low amplitude RF frequency scan. This technique delivers many advantages, including speed (85 msec for a 1-135 amu scan), low power consumption (8 W typical), small size, simple calibration, and remote sensor operation meaning the electronics can be remote from the sensor and any controller can drive any sensor.
"It is a great honor to be recognized by an industry-leading technical journal like R&D Magazine for the innovation, design and productization of the 830 VQM," said Joergen Olsson, General Manager of the Granville-Phillips® Product Center. "Our team has developed a game-changing product that has numerous benefits for current and new customers."
The 830 VQM system is available now and consists of an ion trap mass spectrometer gauge, a VQM Controller and VQM Viewer software that provides the ratio of each gas to others in the measurement range and with the addition of the 390 total pressure measurement kit, the partial pressures of each gas.
For more information go to or email vqm@brooks.com.
About Brooks Automation, Inc.
Brooks is a leading worldwide provider of automation, vacuum and instrumentation solutions to the global semiconductor and related industries. Our products and services are meeting the needs of customers across a broad spectrum of applications and industries and the global semiconductor manufacturing sector is our largest served market. When demanding productivity and availability objectives are essential factors for success, customers throughout the world turn to Brooks Automation, Inc.
CONTACT: Brooks Automation, Inc. Barbara Culhane Corporate Marketing Manager 978-262-2400 barbara.culhane@brooks.com