Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced the Thermo Scientific Hypulse Surface Analysis System. This innovative surface analysis instrument represents a leap forward in accurate X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth-profiling, which is critical for materials scientists around the world.
Innovation to Improve Society
The Hypulse Surface Analysis System will enable the development of surfaces across industries to improve society — from advancing energy storage, to evolving medical implants, to enhancing fire protection. This new generation of XPS depth-profiling will enable researchers to extract more insights from surface samples and create better materials. In the case of medical implants, for example, these insights can pave the way for research that will help upgrade coatings for better biocompatibility, longevity and infection prevention.
Femtosecond Laser Technology: Insights Beyond the Surface
What sets the Thermo Scientific Hypulse Surface Analysis System apart is that it is equipped with a novel material-removal method: femtosecond laser technology. This allows researchers to preserve sample accuracy, accelerate data collection and characterize more materials at greater depths.
“The femtosecond laser has many advantages,” says Professor Mark Baker, surface science and engineering at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. “First, it enables us to avoid chemical damage because it changes the material-removal mechanism from a ballistic process to an electrostatic process, allowing us to record the original, true composition in the profile. Second, we can record depth much quicker. The third advantage is that we now have the ability to vary energy in the laser, enabling us to profile to greater depths.”
“With Hypulse, we’ve retained our industry-leading surface technology while pushing ourselves to meet customer needs of today and tomorrow,” says David Wall, vice president and general manager of materials science for Thermo Fisher Scientific. “We’ve combined our proven MAGCIS™ ion source with the femtosecond laser, so that our customers can examine samples when ion beam technology is not suitable.”
