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The Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ has sold the research equipment it built to Slovakia for around €750 000. This was the second sale of equipment in about a year for the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥. Last year, a similar a recoil spectrometer system developed and built by the Accelerator Laboratory was delivered to the University of Surrey in the UK. Again, the purchase price was also over half a million euros.

- It certainly feels great that we have succeeded in developing a state-of-the-art research equipment, which is now quoted for and demanded also by others who want to purchase similar systems from us. This is our unique expertise, and such systems cannot be found or purchased elsewhere, says Academy Research Fellow Mikko Laitinen, who works in the Accelerator Laboratory of the Department of Physics.

The Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ is the only one from which a complete system can be purchased on a turnkey basis. In addition to the hardware, the necessary automation, suitable data analysis software and other expertise come with the package.

- A data analysis software called Potku has been created in cooperation with the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥â€™s information technology application development projects. Other researchers using their own equipment also benefit from the software as it has been published openly, tells Laitinen.

Expanding research cooperation

The Advanced Technologies Research Institute, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava, being part of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava is now the newest user of the advanced ion beam analysis technique called ToF-ERDA. It is a research device for accelerator-based material physics. The core output data from a such tool is quantitative elemental depth profiles of all elements, including hydrogen. The device consists of a beamline section, measuring chamber, time-of-flight detector, an energy detector, a data collection system and full automation for different manipulation and vacuum devices.

The delivery, including the simulations, design, assembly and testing of this tool was realized by the Accelerator Laboratory of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥.

-  Building the new devices can always be used to conduct new experiments and expand international research cooperation. This cooperation will also lead to new scientific publications, says Laitinen.

Equipment used in the Accelerator Laboratory at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ has been presented to people around the world at conferences while the word has spread. It remains to be seen when the next device will be delivered to a new user, as there have been enquiries even since the summer.

Economically significant activities

At the University level, the sales of such research equipment is important because the income enable the Department of Physics, for example, to employ a postgraduate student for the researcher’s team who have spent some of their time in commercial activities. The additional resources for the research act as the main motivator for researcher to continue to develop even more such commercial research projects. The sales activities expand the funding base for the University’s research profile, which largely builds on funding from different donors, such as the Academy of Finland.

- This is important for us from the point of view of strategic partnerships, but also financially. All revenues from such sales allow financial headroom for sustaining the important research infrastructure. In addition, it helps our researchers to maintain world-class expertise in technological development, says Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Science of the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ Mikko Mönkkönen.

A recoil spectrometer is required for the development of everyday devices

Recoil spectrometry is typically used in the development of different types of thin film coating processes. Coatings have enabled the development of all everyday microelectronic devices, including the phones in everyone’s pocket. Particle accelerators and associated equipment have therefore been required for the development work of each computer and mobile device. Coating processes are also required in, for example, solar cells and solid-state batteries, in which the electric car industry is showing ever increasing interest.

- Coatings exists everywhere, for example in eyeglasses. Some of these are optical, such as anti-reflection coatings, while some have mechanical properties affecting the hardness of the lens. The spectrometer can be used to support the product development of coatings, especially in microelectronics, by studying the coating process variables. When, for example, the hardness of the coating changes, it can be analysed whether this change occurred because of the removal of hydrogen and other light impurities, or perhaps due to some other factors, says Laitinen.

Further information:

• Staff Scientist Mikko Laitinen, mikko.i.laitinen@jyu.fi, +358408054113
• Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Science Mikko Mönkkönen, mikko.monkkonen@jyu.fi, +358 50 4413682