The primary instrument in the 200ft2 Sensor Fabrication Laboratory is an AJA International two gun magnetron sputtering system (10-6 Torr) that includes a rotation device specially designed to enable uniform thin films to be sputtered onto the outer surface of optical fibers. This system is commonly used to sputter combinations of titanium, palladium, copper, and other materials, without forming intermediate oxide layers. Also located in the Sensor Fabrication Laboratory is an EG&G potentiastat/galvanostat with reference electrodes used to electroplate a variety of thick metallic coatings on to the surface of optical fibers. This facility includes a custom made fiber rotator to maintain a radially uniform electroplating current density. The polishing capability housed in the Laboratory includes one Ultra Tec programmable rotating wheel polisher and one Buehler Ecomet II polisher/grinder, both of which are used for metallurgical and glass polishing. The Ultra Tec polisher is fitted with a costume designed fixture that enables side and angle polishing of optical fibers and optical fiber components. The polishing capability also includes an automated Buehler Fibermet fiber optic connector polisher.

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Last modified: March 21, 2002