The New PHI Genesis

XPS and HAXPES combined in an automated multi-technology platform

SRC is pleased to announce the release in Canada of the new PHI Genesis from Physical Electronics. The new PHI Genesis—the latest generation of ULVAC-PHI’s highly successful multi-technique XPS product line—eliminates the need to compromise by combining PHI’s successful scanning XPS/HAXPES microprobe product lines into a single, compact instrument. This delivers the VersaProbe’s multi-technique capabilities with the Quantes/Quantera’s high throughput automated analysis. The new PHI Genesis represents a real breakthrough in XPS analysis.

Market for the PHI Genesis

A broad range of high-tech products are made of complex combinations of advanced materials designed to deliver superior performance across a range of metrics. R&D of these complex combinations of materials requires rapid optimization of the performance of each material, as well as the combinations of materials. There is a growing need for powerful and highly functional surface and interface analysis that can significantly accelerate this work.

XPS and HAXPES generate vital information that provides insights into the properties and behaviour of advanced materials. Other key tasks that XPS and HAXPES can deliver on include defect analysis and the testing of cleaning processes. XPS has an information depth of about 5nm while HAXPES has an information depth of about 15nm. Click Here to learn more.

New PHI Genesis areas of application

• Semiconductors
• Batteries
• Organic devices
• Catalysts
• Quantum dots
• Nanoparticles
• Bio and life science materials
• Polymers
• Ceramics
• Metals
• Other solid materials and devices

Advantages of the new PHI Genesis

• Simple, intuitive and easy-to-use user interface experience
• With powerful XPS, HAXPES, UPS, LEIPS, REELS, AES and a variety of other options, it meets all your surface analysis needs
• The unsurpassed 5 µm X-ray beam with a small spot opens up new possibilities for micro-XPS applications
• High-throughput, high-performance depth profiling
• Non-destructive depth profiling, sputter-free depth probing using a high-energy hard X-ray source that generates information from a greater depth than with conventional soft X-ray XPS

About Physical Electronics

Physical Electronics is a subsidiary of ULVAC-PHI, the world’s leading supplier of UHV surface analysis instrumentation used for the research and development of advanced materials. Fields of application for their products include: nanotechnology, microelectronics, photovoltaics, data storage, bio-materials and catalysis. PHI’s innovative XPS, AES and TOF-SIMS technologies provide customers with unique tools to solve challenging materials problems and accelerate the development of new materials and products. For more information on this product please click here.

In drug development many applications are found for lipid-based nanoparticles (LbNPs) as successful transporters for poorly water-soluble drugs and oligonucleotides in gene therapy.

SRC suppliers are at the forefront of many key sectors of the economy, including the pharmaceutical industry. Today we look at technologies provided by WITec, a German company that has established itself as a market leader in the field of nano-analytical microscope systems, as well as by Physical Electronics, the world’s leading supplier of UHV surface analysis instrumentation.

Combining Confocal Raman Microscopy with techniques such as topographic Raman imaging and Atomic Force Microscopy

Development, production and quality control in the pharmaceutical industry requires efficient and reliable control mechanisms to ensure the safety and the therapeutic effect of the final products. Not surprisingly, these products can vary widely in composition and application, presenting challenges to pharmaceutical researchers. Several properties of pharmaceuticals can be difficult to study with conventional techniques because of their inability to be used to chemically differentiate materials with sufficient spatial resolution and without damage or staining. Therefore, methods of analysis that provide both comprehensive chemical characterization and the flexibility to adjust the method to the investigated specimen are preferred in pharmaceutical research.

alpha300 R—the benchmark in Raman imaging systems

Confocal Raman Microscopy (CRM) is a well-established and widely used spectroscopic method for investigating the chemical composition of a sample. In pharmaceutical research CRM can be used to:

• Probe the distribution of components within formulations;
• Characterize the homogeneity of pharmaceutical samples;
• Determine the state of drug substances and excipients; and
• Characterize contaminants and foreign particulates.

The information obtained through the use of CRM is also invaluable for:

• Drug substance design;
• Development of solid and liquid formations; and
• Process analytics and patent infringement and counterfeit analysis.

Confocal 3D Raman volume image of a pharmaceutical emulsion

In pharmaceutical development it is of great importance to acquire information on drug composition and the distribution of chemical components. With confocal Raman images the distribution of the chemical components in diverse drug systems can be clearly visualized. CRM is a non-destructive method and combining it with other techniques, such as topographic Raman imaging and AFM, expands its analyzing capabilities. Thus, a variety of different pharmaceutical samples can be investigated and the chemical information from Spectral Raman analyses can be linked to topographic data and further surface characteristics. CRM and its correlative analyzing methods contribute to a comprehensive understanding of a pharmaceutical product and facilitate its development.

XPS and TOF-SIMS for the pharmaceutical industr

Surface analysis techniques that analyze the top few atomic layers of materials play an important role in the pharmaceutical industry. From production quality control to understanding surface interactions in biological systems, these analytical techniques are useful at all steps in the life cycle of a pharmaceutical for creating more effective products and processes. Examples where surface analysis can provide benefits include:

• Contamination identification and qualification
• Imaging of tablet components-drugs and excipients
• Surface segregation and coverage
• Packaging analysis
• Purity and cleanliness validations
• Sterilization studies
• Reverse engineering/patent infringement

Physical Electronics nanoTOF II ToF-SIMS instrument

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) are two of the most commonly used surface analysis methods for studying pharmaceutical samples. The techniques are highly reliable and provide chemically specific complementary information:

• EXP provides quantitative analysis of elemental composition and short-range chemical bonding information. However, it may be difficult to distinguish large molecules that contain the same few primary elements.
• TOF-SIMS can distinguish molecular-scale components with high sensitivity but requires standards for quantitative analysis.
• Combined with cluster ion beams for organic profiling, XPS and TOF-SIMS can also provide 2-dimentional and 3-dimensional depth profiles and imaging.

Contact

For more information about WITec and Physical Electronics and the leading technologies they provide to the pharmaceutical industry, please contact us for an enlightening dialog on the topic. Click here to download the flyer

At Physical Electronics, the innovation never stops. And as the sole supplier of PHI products in Canada, SRC can help you leverage PHI innovation to achieve your goals.

For today’s advanced materials

The PHI VersaProbe 4 is a highly versatile, multi-technique instrument with PHI’s patented, monochromatic, micro-focused, scanning X-ray source.  The instrument offers true SEM-like ease of operation with superior micro-area spectroscopy and excellent large-area capabilities. The fully integrated multi-technique platform of the PHI VersaProbe 4 offers an array of optional excitation sources, sputter ion sources, and sample treatment and transfer capabilities.  These features are essential in studying today’s advanced materials and supporting your material characterization.

The new PHI VersaProbe 4 has improved spectroscopic performance, new large area imaging and mapping capabilities, and environmentally friendly modern configuration with efficient power consumption, faster pump-down and ergonomic design.

The PHI VersaProbe 4 offers:

• Intuitive sample navigation and confident analysis area identification
• Optimized depth profiling
• Superior micro-area analysis
• Suite of specialized solutions for in-situ characterization of advanced materials

PHI—trusted by researchers the world over

Publishing recent discoveries in science and technology in peer-reviewed literature is a critical function of members of the research community. In 2021 over 4500 scholar publications, including peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, were published using PHI XPS instruments. On top of this there were more than 60 papers published in the high-impact journals (Nature and Science group). The new PHI VersaProbe 4 will reinforce the trust that researchers have in PHI instruments.

To learn more about the new PHI VersaProbe 4 or to request a quote, contact us at SRC. We’d be delighted to put PHI innovation to work for you.

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a transformative/disruptive approach to industrial production in a broad range of fields that cost-effectively enables the creation of lighter, stronger, and more geometrically complex parts and systems. It is another technological advance made possible by the digitization of processes. AM uses data computer-aided-design (CAD) software or 3D object scanners to direct hardware to deposit material, layer upon layer, in precise geometric shapes. As its name implies, AM adds material to create an object. By contrast, when you create an object by traditional analog methods, it is often necessary to remove material through milling, machining, carving, shaping or other means.

The ability to design and print virtually any object shape using a diverse array of materials, such as metals, polymers, bioinks—and ceramics—has given rise to the use of AM in biomedicine in both research and clinical settings. The world of 3D ceramic printing has come a long way since the 1980s, when it was considered suitable only for the production of functional or aesthetic prototypes, and a more appropriate term for it at the time was “rapid prototyping.” This article reviews the additive manufacturing of ceramics in biomedicine, as well as the technology and products of a leading SRC supplier, 3DCeram.

The additive manufacturing of ceramics for biomedical applications allows for the creation of bone substitutes, custom implants and surgical tools. The exceptional biocompatibility, extremely regular porous structure, capacity for the formation of complex geometrical shapes and mechanical strength are the main qualities of these 3D bioceramics. 3Dbioceramics can also be produced cost-effectively and relatively quickly and, when incorporated into the human body, provide more safety and comfort for the patient and require less follow-up after surgery. Given these many attributes, the future of additive manufacturing of ceramics for biomedical applications is extremely bright and the market is expected to grow by leaps and bounds as healthcare systems seek to control spiralling patient care costs, and applications not previously considered advisable or possible continue to emerge.

The medical sector has always been interested in cutting-edge technologies, which is why 3DCeram began working with biomedical players in 2005. In subsequent years 3DCeram has focused on developing a mastery of the 3D printing ceramics process, 3D printers, ceramic materials and services encompassing maintenance and training. Today, the company is the undisputed global leader in the additive manufacturing of ceramics for biomedical applications.

3D Ceram leverages stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing technology to manufacture custom-made or small series bone substitutes and cranial or jawbone implants. The technology can be used to produce ceramic components layer by layer using a laser that polymerizes a paste composed of photosensitive resin and ceramic. The parts are then subjected to a heat treatment (debinding followed by sintering) that eliminates the resin and densifies the ceramic.

Custom-made HAP implant for the repair of large and complex craniofacial bone defects

With over a decade of medical 3D printing experience under its belt, 3DCeram produces a range of ceramic 3D printers and materials that are suitable for biomedical applications, including the accessible C100 EASY FAB system and the production-grade C3600 ULTIMATE. The company offers a number of materials that have been specifically formulated for biocompatibility and osteointegration, such as HAP (Hyd roxyapatite), TCP (Tricalcium Phosphate) and ATZ (Alumina Toughened Zirconia). 3DCeram’s products are suitable for many types of biomedical applications, from cranial and jawbone implants to dental devices.

Ceramaker 3600 ULTIMATE

In the biomedical sector, however, the ability to 3D print highly advanced or customized devices is not quite enough: all medical parts and products must undergo and meet stringent requirements. When it comes to the adoption of ceramic 3D printing in the medical sphere, certifications have not been a deal breaker, but they have created a bottleneck. CDCeram has pursued streamlining of the certification process for its biomedical customers through a new partnership with Gregory Nolens.

With a PhD in Biomedical Sciences and expertise in additive manufacturing and medical regulations, Gregory Nolens is uniquely equipped to help biomedical companies and players to not only implement ceramic 3D printing for medical device development and production, but to obtain the necessary certifications.

Contact

SRC is proud to represent 3DCeram in Canada and make available to our Canadian customers in the biomedical field the full range of 3DCeram products. Click here to contact SRC to learn more.