Oxford upgrades sychrotron x-ray source

07/01/1997

Oxford upgrades synchrotron x-ray source

Oxford Instruments has developed an improved second-generation compact synchrotron for use in x-ray lithography applications, and will be ready to ship the systems within 6-12 months.

The HELIOS-2 succeeds the initial HELIOS system, which is used for x-ray research at IBM`s advanced semiconductor R&D center in Fishkill, NY. Alistair Smith, managing director of Oxford`s semiconductor systems division, said the machine "incorporates myriad subtle improvements" over the first-generation superconducting synchrotron, while retaining the basic design of the machine in use at IBM. It will support up to 20 x-ray exposure tools, about 25% more than the original. -P.N.D.