May 2023 Vacuum Deposition Blog
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May 15, 2023
New Membrane Mirror Fabrication Method a Breakthrough in Telescope Technology 
Scientists developed a new method to produce thinner, lighter, high quality  membrane mirrors  for space telescopes. This new approach is a game changer when it comes to launching and deploying space telescope mirrors. the parabolic membrane mirrors are fabricated using  chemical vapor deposition and in this case chemical vapor deposition was used to grow the membrane mirrors on a rotating liquid inside a vacuum chamber. The resulting product is a light, highly flexible, and it can be rolled up easily enabling  more efficient packing and storage during launch.  Additionally their flexibility and storage capabilities allow more room for lighter and larger mirrors , which make telescopes more sensitive and less costly. The flexibility of these mirrors is incredible in and of its self but perhaps the most important attribute is their ability to adaptively correct imperfections that may be present after the mirror has unfolded in orbit. To reshape the membrane mirror   scientists developed a  thermal method that utilizes localized temperature  change created from light that enables adaptive shape control that can mold the  thin membrane into the desired optical shape. Learn more here. 
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May 31, 2023
Is it Possible to Charge Electronics With Only Air?
Scientists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst discovered a way to generate electricity by combining a thin film material and humid air. The discovery which they refer to as the “generic air gen effect” is an incredible phenomenon which occurs when a thin material with nanopores no larger than 100 nanometers in diameter is exposed to humid air and thereby creates electricity. More specifically, the material is able to harvest electricity from microscopic water droplets that are present in humid air. The scientists describe the phenomenon as similar to how a cloud discharges lightning. Clouds are made up of microscopic droplets of water which are electrically charged and under the right conditions they can produce lightning. This same principle is what allows the scientists to produce electricity from thin materials. They basically created a small-scale cloud that produces energy predictably and continuously. The material called the “generic air gen device” can be made up of graphene oxide, silk protein, or cellulose but it is absolutely vital that the chosen material is embedded with nanopores as this is what allows it to generate electricity. It is believed that the energy emanating from the thin material could be redirected to a cell phone or other electronic device. Nonetheless, in its current form the material is only able to produce around 260 millivolts, not nearly enough for a phone which generally requires at least 5 volts. The researchers believe that this could be solved by stacking the material to create a stronger charge. Learn more here.