Edwards, a leading manufacturer of vacuum and abatement solutions, is joining MIT’s MIT.nano consortium as a founding member with an investment that includes equipment and personnel, as part of a broader initiative to be an essential participant in new technology developments at the nanometer scale.
MIT.nano is a 214,000-square-foot laboratory dedicated to the characterization and fabrication of nanoscale materials, structures, devices, and processes. Science and engineering on the scale of nanometers — about 1/100,000 the thickness of a human hair — can only be done in highly specialized, uniquely outfitted environments. As much as a quarter of current MIT research activity depends on these kinds of resources.
As a founding member, Edwards brings valuable experience and expertise to the MIT.nano consortium, courtesy of its 100-year history in vacuum technology. “We’re delighted to be working at MIT.nano with the team providing fundamental research at the nanometer scale,” commented Chris Bailey, VP of Engineering, Systems and Solutions Semiconductor Division at Edwards. “This research will deepen our understanding of the new materials that support developments in nano technology and 3D structures, areas of increasing interest to the semiconductor industry.”