On November 15, Beneq and Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University (LETI) officially opened the ALD Application Laboratory (ALD AppLab) in St. Petersburg, Russia. The laboratory, a concrete step in boosting thin film research in Russia, is the next step for Beneq in building a notable and ever-growing business around ALD* in Russia. Also, by creating a cradle for ALD-based research and development, Beneq and LETI together acknowledge the considerable pool of thin film and especially ALD know-how that exists but still lies untapped in Russia today.
* Atomic Layer Deposition
The ALD AppLab is a concrete research resource dedicated to thin film science. The laboratory will focus on fostering research and scientific development into industrial applications, with a strong emphasis on atomic layer deposition (ALD) as an enabling technology. Also, it will be a basis for education in the area of ALD at LETI.
In the words of Beneq CEO, Mr Sampo Ahonen, “The launching of the ALD AppLab is, on the one hand, a major step in the grand plan Beneq has for building an unrivalled presence in Russia, alongside its already established subsidiary OOO Beneq in St. Petersburg. On the other hand, ALD AppLab provides an unprecedented opportunity for Russia’s widely acknowledged ALD science to develop into tangible applications and industrial production. In effect, we expect the ALD AppLab to speed up the transition of ALD from academic science into new and profitable business. This is also why we hope to see academia and industry working side by side on mutual development projects.”
ALD enables managing material at an atomic level by applying layers of a certain element composition, structure or thickness to a substrate, and also achieving precise coating parameter control. Applications of ALD thin film technology include enhancing the efficiency of solar cells, improving optical properties of glass and protecting sensitive electronics from early deterioration.
The collaboration platform established for ALD AppLab extends far beyond Beneq and LETI to academia, other centers of excellence and companies, in Russia as well as abroad. ALD AppLab activities will be aimed at offering a wide range of thin film research and development services: basic chemistry, process development, coating operations, proof-of-concept, product prototyping and small-scale piloting.
Please visit the homepage of ALD AppLab: aldapplab.com.
