Oxford Instruments has just completed its second series of successful and well attended seminars in India following its first in Bangalore in 2012. Over 500 people registered overall during the two events, emphasising the intense interest in the nanotechnology sciences. With its key theme of ‘Tooling Nano’ the seminars took place first at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, followed by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Mumbai, and focussed on cutting edge nanotechnology tools and their use in multiple fields.

At each venue, two parallel sessions focussed on fabrication and analysis methods, with scientific and technology papers on a wide range of topics within each technical area. These sessions included guest international speakers including speakers from the University of Cambridge and University of Bath, UK, and TU Delft in the Netherlands, TATA Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, IIT Bombay, and IISER Mohali. Technical experts from Oxford Instruments also presented. The events provided an excellent opportunity for networking and information sharing between all participants.

Prof. Ananth Venkatesan, from IISER Mohali, who hosted the Mohali event and spoke at IIT Bombay said, “These seminars were well thought-out with an excellent balance of specialist speakers covering a wide variety of processes and tools for nanofabrication and nanoanalysis. We were extremely pleased that Oxford Instruments chose to organise this event at IISER Mohali in addition to IIT Bombay.”

Professor Ashok K Ganguli, INST Director and Adjunct Professor at IISER, Mohali was also very pleased to be involved with event and said, “I mentioned in my opening address that we were extremely happy that specialists of Oxford Instruments had come to IISER Mohali to give such a wide range of in-depth talks on many novel aspects of nanotechnology research. We were extremely pleased to be part of the event.”

Prof V.Ramgopal Rao, IIT Bombay commented, “It was a pleasure for me to introduce the graphene plenary sessions at IIT Bombay, and to give a talk on MEMS & Sensors for Healthcare & Homeland Security. Events such as this are an excellent opportunity not just for our researchers at IIT Bombay to learn about latest techniques but also for our colleagues outside this establishment to network and keep up to date with scientific advances. The Graphene plenary session with the keynote talk by Ravi Sundaram, Marie Curie Research Fellow, Cambridge University was an excellent overview on many aspects of this growing field of research.”

The fabrication sessions discussed latest etch and deposition technological advances, including: ALD, Magnetron Sputtering, ICP PECVD, Nanoscale Etch, MEMS, MBE and more. The Analysis sessions covered multiple topics and technologies including: Ultra high vacuum SPM, Cryo free low temperature solutions, XPS/ESCA, an introduction to atomic force microscopy and applications such as nanomechanics, In-situ heating and tensile characterisation using EBSD, measuring layer thicknesses and compositions using EDS, nanomanipulation and fabrication within the SEM / FIB.

“Oxford Instruments is a leading provider of high technology solutions, actively listening and engaging with our customers for mutual success, building long term relationships based on trust and respect”, comments Mark Sefton, Sector Head of Oxford Instruments Nanotechnology Tools, “Educational events such as these, coupled with our high technology tools and superior service, demonstrate our commitment to our customers, and encourage discussion and cross dissemination of ideas that benefit us all.”

Source : Lokesh Shastri