Cleanroom Industry News
Hospital Superbug Infects Medical Devices
The antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii bacterium is one of the most globally harmful bacteria that causes nosocomial infections. Researchers at the University of Turku have discovered that the bacterium attaches to plastic medical devices using tiny finger-like structures. The researchers were able to develop antibodies that prevent the bacterial spread. Infections related to hospitals and medical devices form major healthcare problems worldwide. These infections are associated with the ability of pathogens to colonise both biotic and abiotic surfaces.
CRISPR Gene Editing Technology
“CRISPR” (pronounced “crisper”) stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, which are the hallmark of a bacterial defense system that forms the basis for CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology. In the field of genome engineering, the term “CRISPR” or “CRISPR-Cas9” is often used loosely to refer to the various CRISPR-Cas9 and -CPF1, (and other) systems that can be programmed to target specific stretches of genetic code and to edit DNA at precise locations, as well as for other purposes, such as for new diagnostic tools.
Spacecraft Microbiome Discovery
Engineers work on Opportunity (in its cruise configuration) in a cleanroom at Kennedy Space Center. A very important part of planetary protection is keeping contaminants from humans from riding aboard spacecraft. The pictured engineers are donning “bunny suits” that only allow their eyes to be exposed.
Inline Metrology New Technology
Correlation-free measurements will change inline metrology measuring technology fundamentally and permanently and also the world of manufacturing. The robotic cell AICell trace from ZEISS not only enables automotive manufacturers to make measuring and production more efficient, additionally the new product delivers reliable results starting with the very first component.
Memory Chip Fabrication Process
Micron shares their process for memory chip fabrication in their state-of-the-art nanofab cleanrooms
From laptops to mobile phones to connected cars and homes, memory and storage are helping change how the world works, plays, communicates and connects. Check out this behind the scenes look at Micron’s state of the art fabrication process for how memory chips are made – from initial design all the way through testing and packaging.
Nanowires convert heat to electricity more efficiently
Led by Drs Andrij Vasylenko, Samuel Marks, Jeremy Sloan and David Quigley from Warwick’s Department of Physics, in collaboration with the Universities of Cambridge and Birmingham, the researchers have found that the most effective thermoelectric materials can be realised by shaping them into the thinnest possible nanowires.
Chemical-Feasting Bacteria for Water Decontamination
Chemical-Feasting Bacteria Provide New Key for Water Decontamination. NJIT researchers find “catalyst” behind a rare bacteria’s ability to feed on and remove the contaminant 1,4-dioxane from impacted groundwater and drinking water. Scientists at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) have uncovered a rare enzyme in bacteria with the ability to degrade the “likely human carcinogen” and water contaminant, 1,4-dioxane.
Nanoplastics Threaten Marine Life
Plastic nanoparticles – these are tiny pieces of plastic or nanoplastics less than 1 micrometre in size – could potentially contaminate food chains, and ultimately affect human health, according to a recent study by scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS). They discovered that nanoplastics are easily ingested by marine organisms, and they accumulate in the organisms over time, with a risk of being transferred up the food chain, threatening food safety and posing health risks.
How to use Tacky Mats
Tacky Mats help to capture impurities and particulate in areas that require dust and particulate control. Tacky mats have a sticky surface which removes dirt and dust from shoe surfaces before they enter a contamination-free area. This adds a layer of protection for the controlled environment or cleanroom environment.
Cleanroom Technology Awards
The winners of the Cleanroom Technology Awards 2018 have been announced. The awards have been introduced to recognize and reward achievements, celebrating the best product innovations from those exhibiting at the Cleanroom Technology Conference 2018.
Multi-Billion Dollar Semiconductor Production Facility
Infineon Technologies AG is to build a new factory for power semiconductors. The market and technology leader in this segment will thereby create the foundation for long-term, profitable growth. A fully automated chip factory for manufacturing 300-millimeter thin wafers will be constructed at the Villach location in Austria alongside the existing production facility. Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Dr. Reinhard Ploss, Chief Executive Officer of Infineon, and Dr. Sabine Herlitschka, Chief Executive Officer of Infineon Austria, presented the project in Vienna.
Manufacturing Center Expansion by II-VI EpiWorks
II-VI EpiWorks opened an expansion of its center of manufacturing excellence in Champaign, Illinois. The company’s state-of-the-art facility is a manufacturing center for compound semiconductors that makes epitaxial wafer products. The expansion will quadruple production of products that enable some of the most exciting new consumer electronics in the world.