Samco Inc of Kyoto, Japan, a supplier of etch, CVD and cleaning systems for the semiconductor industry, says it has expanded its OPTO Films Research Laboratory in California's Silicon Valley in order to strengthen its research structure and after-sale process support. The new facility is about twice as large as the one it replaces.
Samco is expanding its research and development activities at its three global R&D centers: the Kyoto Research and Development Center; the Silicon Valley OPTO Films Research Laboratory; and Cambridge Research Center, located at Cambridge University, UK.
The OPTO Films Research and Development Center in Silicon Valley was established in 1987 as Samco's first overseas R&D center.?Since its establishment it has lead the research of carbon type materials such as diamond thin films, diamond like carbon (DLC), and materials for electrodes etc., as well as the development of thin film deposition systems.? Furthermore, the facility also plays an important role in joint research with universities.
The new laboratory is equipped with Samco CVD systems, dry etching systems, cleaning systems, and a suite of thin film measurement systems.?Research will continue on thin films of carbon-based materials and new research will begin on MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) fabrication for the bio-medical industries.?Recruitment of local researchers is also progressing, with plans for up to ten researchers to be based at the facility (currently six).
