If you have generated some interesting results and exceptional micrographs with one of our Raith systems we encourage you to share your work with the community and enter our annual Micrograph Award. All Raith users are welcome to participate and get the chance to win a fully sponsored trip to a nanofabrication conference of their choice.
Raith’s PIONEER Two helped to detect “Big Bang molecule”
The first astrophysical detection of the helium hydride ion hit the news in April, immediately generating massive interest. The ion was the first molecule that formed after the Big Bang but could never before be detected in interstellar medium. With GREAT’s (German REceiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies) far-infrared spectrometer onboard the flying observatory SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy) detection was now made possible, offering a glance at the history of the early Universe. A central part of the receiver was fabricated with the help of a Raith PIONEER Two system: The NbN Hot-Electron-Bolometers used to down-convert the incoming THz signals to amplifiable GHz frequencies were designed and patterned at the microfabrication laboratory of University of Cologne’s I. Physikalisches Institut.