Surface Technology Systems plc (STS) (LSE: SRTS), a leader in plasma processing technologies used in the manufacturing and packaging of advanced electronic devices, today announced that it has received an order worth over £2 million from a major manufacturer for Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) production equipment.
The order includes multiple Pegasus processing chambers for deep silicon micromachining of MEMS for use in consumer end-products. The Pegasus source offers significantly higher silicon etch rates than other deep reactive ion etch (DRIE) tools currently on the market. STS offers a choice of two cluster platforms for multiple chamber operation; the VPX, which is supplied with one vacuum cassette and up to three process chambers, and the CPX which has two vacuum cassettes and up to four process chambers.
John Saunders, CEO of STS said, "We are very excited by this order, as not only is it one of the largest orders STS has won recently, but it underlines the success of this relatively new product which was launched eight months ago. We feel it also verifies the capability of our new cluster systems to satisfy the requirements of production customers."
David Haynes, STS' Sales & Marketing Director added, "We see this order as further proof that the major MEMS manufacturers are successfully using or selling their devices for high volume applications such as automotive or consumer products."
This new order increases STS's current order book to over £12.1 million, all of it for delivery in 2006 and much of it in the first half. This is the highest level of order book STS has had since 2001.
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Poetry Workshop |
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An interesting Poetry Community that welcomes both poetry writers and readers alike. A Forum for all poetry lovers to interact. Receive peer feedback from other writers, poets, authors and fans. |
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[Anatomy and Pathology] Change in Embryonic Eye Size and Retinal Cell Proliferation following Intravitreal Injection of Glycosaminoglycans |
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purpose. The vitreous body (VB) is a transparent, extracellular matrix structure that fills the vitreous cavity of the eye. Major constituents of the VB are hyaluronic acid (HA) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), both of which are highly charged, linear carbohydrate polymers. The present experiments investigate a possible role of HA and GAGs in regulating eye size during development and investigate whether changes in eye size are synchronized with cell proliferation in the retina.
methods. Chondroitin sulfate (CS), heparan sulfate (HS), heparin (Hep), dextran sulfate (DexS), and HA were injected into the vitreous cavity of embryonic day 5 chick embryos. Eye size was assessed 1 to 5 days after the injections. Cell counts and BrdU labeling established whether changes in eye size were paralleled by an increase or a decrease in retinal cell proliferation.
results. Injection of CS and HS led to an increase in eye size that was accompanied by a similar increase in retinal cell numbers. Hep and DexS injections led to a decrease in eye size that had no impact on cell proliferation in the retina. HA application had no effect on eye size.
conclusions. The changes in eye size after intravitreal application of GAGs demonstrate that the composition of the VB can play an important role in the regulation of eye size during embryogenesis. The fact that retinal cell proliferation is elevated after an increase in eye size indicates a regulatory role of eye size for retinal cell numbers.
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New Book Offers Scientific Look At Love |
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Fowler Exhibition Explores Human Side of Mexican Migration |
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Featuring paintings, works on paper, photographs, video and installations, the bilingual exhibition, which runs from Oct. 5 through Dec. 28, examines the struggles and visions of Mexican migrants, as well as the ways in which their spiritual practices are engaged during difficult journeys. |
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In-depth Polymerization of Dual-cured Resin Cement Assessed by Hardness |
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This study investigates the in-depth polymerization of dual-cured resin cement (Enforce; Dentsply, shades A2, B1, and opaque). Cylindrical specimens are obtained by photo-activation through ceramic. Control samples are light-cured without using ceramic. Samples are tested after 15 min or 24 h. Knoop hardness readings are made at 100, 300, 500, and 700 µm depth. Hardness is generally dependent on the mode of activation and post-cure time. Shades A2 and B1 show higher hardness values than opaque resin. Hardness at 100 µm is higher than at 700 µm. A linear relationship between hardness and depth is observed. |
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Genome of saltwater creature could aid understanding of gene grouping |
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The genetic code of a simple saltwater creature could help researchers learn more about how groups of genes function in humans and other species. (2008-08-21) |
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