A team at SNL has developed opticaldiagnostic tools and data collection/analysissoftware that dramatically improve thefabrication of devices for networking,telecommunications, solar energy conversion,sensors, and solid-state light sources. Themethods and instruments used in thetechnology started out as tools for fundamentalresearch designed to examine the basicchemistry and physics of film disposition.However, these tools were clearly valuable asroutine in situ monitors of thin film growthduring actual device fabrication. The teamtook it upon themselves to accelerate theirresearch to a commercial product in order tobenefit the nation’s semiconductor industry.SNL transferred this technology throughlicensing agreements with Thermo Oriel, anoptical tool manufacturer, and EmcoreCorporation, a manufacturer of tools andprocesses used to fabricate compoundsemiconductor wafers and devices. Alongwith SNL, Emcore is also the holder of a jointpatent of the technology.This technology has led to an easy-to-usecommercial instrument for measuring growthrates, temperature, and thickness uniformityof thin film growth rates. In addition,calibrations that typically take days tocomplete can now be performed in only two hours.