FP-1 Floor Platforms for SEMs, TEMs, STEMs and other heavy Microscopes

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Three 1350 lb capacity Vacuum Minus K SM-1s for the
SCDU in JPL's testbed configuration.

Minus K BM-1 Vacuum Isolation

Laser and optical systems, whether used in an academic laboratory or in an industrial environment, are very susceptible to vibrations from the environment. These instruments almost always need vibration isolation. Traditionally, large air tables have been the systems prefered for optical systems. This is no longer the case. Minus K isolators provide 10-100 times the performance of air tables, depending on the vibration frequency. They don't need air or electricity and are compact and easy to move around. Some users need the array of threaded holes that breadboards provide. In that case it is quite easy to put a breadboard on top of one of our antivibration isolators. It is also common to put a larger breadboard across two or more of our isolators.

Laser based interferometers are exquisitely sensitive devices that are capable of resolving nanometer scale motions/features. They often have very long mechanical paths which makes them even more sensitive to vibrations. The sophisticated modern ellipsometry techniques that allow this high performance rely on low noise to be able to detect fringe movement. Properly isolating an interferometer will allow it to provide the highest possible resolution.

Optical profilers have similar sensitivity to vibrations. Keeping external vibrations from the typically long optical path yields improved sensitivity and more reliable measurements. It is no longer necessary to do the most sensitive measurements at all hours of the night.

Optical component systems are often quite complex. The long optical paths can lead to angular magnification of vibrations. Typically used optical air tables can make the problems worse since they have a resonant frequency that often matches that of floor vibrations. Our 1/2 Hz isolators provide isolation in these environments when air tables simply cannot.

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Cryostat Vibration Isolation: Cryostat on three Minus K CM-1s & pedestals   Arizona State Cryostat on three Minus K BM-1s

Cryostats often contain very sensitive instrumentation. They come in many different shapes, sizes and weights. Whether you are doing low temperature AFM, NMR or something else, we have several options available.

If your lab is on an upper floor of a building, air isolators may not be able to provide you enough isolation to get rid of building modes. In the worst case, the building might have a low resonant frequency close to that of the air tables. If this is the case, you can have amplification of the buildings vibrations. Obviously, this is not ideal. Our 1/2 Hz isolators will isolate at these low frequencies and will give your cryostat the best possible vibration isolation.

Our isolators can be mounted on a set of pedestals as shown in the image to optimize our interface. Of course, your cryostat may not have mounting brackets such as these shown. We can work with you to determine the best way to incorporate our isolators into your system. Minus K can design bracketry for you, or work with you and advise on the best way to build and incorporate them.

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Nanoindentation & Micro Hardness Testing
Vibration Isolation

Examples of Platforms used with Nanoindenters: MTS Nano Indenter on a Minus K BA-1   Micro Materials Nano Indenter on a Minus K BM-1   Agilent Nano Indenter on a Minus K BM-8

Micro Hardness Testers and Nano Indenters can be quite sensitive to vibrations that increase the noise floor of critical measurements. The method of actually doing the measurements varies by manufacturer, but the fundamental mechanical path is similar. In all cases, the instruments need to be as still as possible to get the best performance. Some of the instruments are most sensitive to the vertical axes while others are more sensitive to the horizontal.

Minus K Technology isolators are unique in that they can deliver 0.5 Hz performance both vertically and horizontally. Most other isolators delivery their best performance vertically (which is typically the most important axis to isolate) and lower performance horizontally. While this is ok for some applications, there are those, such as some micro hardness testers that are most sensitive horizontally. For those instruments, our isolators offer by far the best isolation available.

If you have no choice but to place on of these instruments on the upper floor of a building, our isolators can make it possible to get the best performance possible. We have provided isolation solutions for many happy customers facing this very problem.

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Announcing the 2019 Minus K Technology Educational Giveaway
for U.S. Colleges and Universities