Imago earns more acclaim for microscope

Madison, Wis. - Imago Scientific Instruments Corp., a provider of technologies for sub-nanometer mapping of microelectric devices and materials, has won acclaim for the updated capabilities of its atom probe microscope.

A panel of industry experts appointed by Research and Development Magazine recently recognized the microscope with an "R&D100" award for 2006.

Dr. Tim Stultz, president and CEO of Imago, said the microscope, LEAP 3000X, "fills a critical need in the semiconductor design roadmap on the way to 65-nanometer and 45-nanometer device structures."

This year's addition of the "laser pulse operating mode" to LEAP enables analysis of semiconductor-device structures, which have been defined as "critical-path requirements" in the international technology roadmap for semiconductors.

Atom probe tomography is a tool for materials analysis and semiconductor-device engineering, and LEAP is used for 3D analysis of materials such as metals and data-storage devices.

Earlier this year, the microscope won the same award for its laser-pulsed ionization mode, which enables analysis of next-generation semiconductor devices.

In 2004, Imago was cited for the microscope's capacity to study metallic alloys and measure corresponding atomic-level clusters and precipitates. These clusters determine mechanical properties such as hardness and temperature stability.

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