Advanced Energy Launches High-Efficiency RF Power Rack for Mature Node Semiconductor Fabs
DENVER, Colo., September 18, 2025 — Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEIS), a global leader in highly engineered, precision power conversion, measurement and control solutions, launched the Opti™ RF power rack for legacy high-density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP-CVD) tools. Delivering over 70% system-level efficiency at full power, Opti reduces energy costs and improves uptime, compared to legacy systems.
“Fabs and OEMs looking to improve performance and yield of mature node 200 mm HDP-CVD equipment are under pressure to replace aging power racks with more efficient systems that can be maintained more easily,” said Brian Kowal, Advanced Energy’s vice president, Global Services. “Advanced Energy's Opti RF power rack will extend the life of legacy tools and reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint of the fab.”
In the year 2012 CCR Technology GmbH in Troisdorf established it´s own PECVD Coating lab. This vertical two chamber coating system can handle large substrate sizes for process consulting & development up to 400x400 mm. The specific COPRA Plasmatechnology in it´s unique efficient excitation allows to make high quality PECVD coatings with high deposition rates in order to pass industrial coating levels. The performance and the way the COPRA ICP technology excite plasma makes it easy to scale up the process and the source itself to your industrial coating
Watching Solid-State Sodium Batteries Fail – In Real Time
Why do some of the most promising next-generation batteries fail—and how can we stop it? A new peer-reviewed study led by Imperial College London answers that by watching the failure process unfold as the battery operates. Using simultaneous dual-polarity secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) alongside controlled electrochemical cycling, the team directly observed where, when, and why degradation starts inside solid-state sodium-ion batteries.
Why this matters:
Sodium-ion batteries are attracting interest as a lower-cost, abundant alternative to lithium-ion. One leading architecture uses NASICON, a ceramic solid electrolyte that transports sodium ions between electrodes. However, the sodium metal | NASICON interface is fragile. Charging and discharging can trigger:
Gencoa Optix 3.0 Brings Next-Generation Vacuum Gas Analysis
Optix is a multi-purpose instrument for rapid gas sensing in any vacuum environment, functioning through a wide range of operating pressures to cater for most industrial vacuum production processes without any requirement for a differential pumping system unless atmospheric sampling.
Separated from chemicals by an optical window, Optix uses a remote plasma spectroscopy concept which generates a small plasma within the sensor head. A built-in spectrometer analyzes the plasma, automatically interpreting the light spectrum to provide quantitative measurement of the presence and concentration of gas within the vacuum.
The Optix spectral information and sophisticated back-end software creates a range of uses for a wide range of applications, including contaminating processes involving hydrocarbons, solvents and long-chain polymers.
Small changes are made to the device in the case of sensing CVD
Enhanced efficiency, improved quality, and unmatched consistency in producing ultra-bright broadband laser-driven light sources for advanced scientific applications.
The client was actively seeking a local manufacturing partner to optimize their operations and drive greater efficiency. Their existing production strategy involved a hybrid approach, utilizing both in-house resources and a contract manufacturer located in the Midwest. However, this setup presented challenges in coordination, lead times,
Thin Film Technology: RF Power Delivery Troubleshooting Basics
RF power is commonly used to create a plasma for film deposition or chamber cleaning. The most common frequency is 13.56 MHz; but 30 kHz to 300 MHz (AC), and 2, 4, 27, 40, and 60 MHz are also employed. To go higher, thin film related applications most commonly jump to microwave at 2.7GHz.
RF can be challenging at any frequency; but at 13.56 or above it is particularly so. If you get a fault alarm or an indication there is something wrong, many users take the shortest time approach and replace the power supply, and/or the tuning network (a.k.a. "RF match" or "matching network"), assuming the problem lies with one or the other.
As semiconductor technology pushes toward Angstrom-scale geometries, precision and speed in plasma control have never been more critical. Advanced Energy’s NavX™ RF Matching Network represents a breakthrough in impedance matching — delivering ultra-fast, synchronized tuning designed for the rapid pulsing, frequent transitions, and complex process recipes of next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.
Featuring Advanced Selectable Tuning controls, the NavX™ system minimizes reflected power and optimizes plasma performance even in processes with shorter RF on times. When paired with the eVerest™ generator, it forms a complete, high-performance RF plasma power delivery system that sets a new standard for control and consistency.
At IES, we’re proud to support and collaborate with industry innovators like Advanced Energy, whose technologies help drive the future of semiconductor manufacturing forward.
The company was looking for a strategic partner to validate their groundbreaking ALD process. They needed a business ally who could convert their proof-of-concept laboratory tool into a reliable and reproducible electromechanical manufactured product.
Manufacturing Challenge
Stringent Timeline - Implement efficient processes to complete the project within a limited timeframe.
Constrained Budget - Manage project costs effectively by optimizing resource allocation to stay within budget.
Design and Development - Create a sophisticated yet reliable process machine that ensures consistent deposition results
High-Stakes Environment - Operate within an industrial context where reliability is critical, minimizing the risk associated with equipment failure.
How Much Can You Save by Changing To A Closed-Loop System?
Water is one of the most precious resources on the planet, yet it is often overlooked in industrial and laboratory cooling applications. While tap water may seem like an inexpensive and convenient option for cooing, it carries hidden costs – both financial and environmental. Even if a business isn’t directly paying for its water usage, excessive consumption places unnecessary strain on local water supplied and infrastructure. As water conservation becomes an increasingly critical issue, industries must rethink how they use water, particularly in cooling processes.
A closed cooling system, such as a chiller or an airblast cooler, provides
How Plasma Cleaning Ensures Superior Adhesion Across Industries
Plasma Cleaning
Microscopic contaminations not visible to the naked eye are found on all surfaces. Almost always, these contaminants must be removed as a first step to producing faultless adhesion between surfaces when working in the application of glueing, printing, painting, bonding, or coating.
Plasma Cleaning Functional Principles
Plasma cleaning technology offers solutions for any type of contamination, for any substrate. In the cleaning process, molecular level contamination residues are removed from a surface by a dry method of turning the foreign materials into a gas. This process of changing the state of a solid or smearable liquid into a gas without exposing the part to a liquid is preferred over standard cleaning methods.
With a plasma cleaner there are virtually no limitations for materials that can be treated. Polymers (solid or fibers), metals, rubbers, ceramics and glass are
