Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Groundbreaking K-Alpha Materials Characterization Instrument Wins R&D 100 Award

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, announces that the Thermo Scientific K-Alpha has been named by R&D Magazine as one of the top 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace over the past year.

Utilizing the fast growing technique of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), the K-Alpha enables rapid, accurate and cost-effective quantitative monitoring of the surface chemical composition, providing chemical characterization of the top few nanometers of inorganic, organic, biological, metallurgical, semi-conducting and magnetic solids. Designed for high-throughput sample analysis, the revolutionary system incorporates data processing algorithms offering full automation for data acquisition through to interpretation and reporting.

Traditionally XPS is a technique that requires large, expensive instrumentation, operated by expert analysts, even for routine analysis. Featuring a small footprint, the unique Thermo Scientific K-Alpha is capable of performing most routine operations with little or no user intervention, releasing analysts from mundane and repetitive tasks. Maximizing sample throughput and increasing reporting productivity are especially important in today’s laboratories. Uniquely, the K-Alpha requires no manual interaction once the samples are loaded into the instrument. All instrument and data processing are handled using the Microsoft Windows-based data system, Avantage.

Richard G White, product manager, Surface Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific said: “We are very proud to be recognized by the R&D 100 award panel for the K-Alpha’s novel technical features. The award confirms Thermo Fisher’s status as a leader in surface characterization, and is testament to the dedication and technological expertise of our entire team in delivering powerful analytical solutions that make a real difference to our customers in many surface analysis applications.”

The Thermo Scientific K-Alpha features new electron optics delivering high sensitivity, permitting insight into the most complex surface chemistries for traditional materials and emerging biotech, nanotech and pharmaceutical applications. An integral ion source provides depth profiling capabilities, thus facilitating true three-dimensional analysis. The high-flux, low energy sputtering modes combined with azimuthal rotation produces profiles having excellent depth resolution. The K-Alpha also features calibration standards permanently built into the instrument. Standard samples combined with software routines allow the K-Alpha to be automatically calibrated at the press of a button, ensuring optimum performance at all times, Auto-calibration is an essential feature for all quality assurance and process control applications.