Analytical and Characterization

General Purpose

Our diversified array of equipment to support sensor design and testing, systems analysis, modeling, and experimental research efforts ensure that our products succeed in the most demanding environments.

Examples include:

Materials Characterization Facilities

  • Hitachi S-4300 Field Emission - Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with back scatter capability and an EDAX energy-dispersive X ray spectrometer. The system has a maximum spatial resolution of 1.5 nm enabling high resolution imaging of uncoated, non conductive materials such as polymers and ceramics.
  • Varian Gemini 300 MHz NMR Spectrometer equipped with state-of-the-art control software and a broadband probe for performing 1H, 13C, 19F and 31P resonance studies.
  • Perkin-Elmer Diamond Differential Scanning Calorimeter
  • Instron Model 4442 Load Frame with 10 ft-lb and 1 ft-lb load cells
  • PSS-Nicomp 480 Particle Sizer/Zeta Potential Analyzer equipped with an autotitrator for the determination of isoelectric points.
  • Agilent Technologies 6890N gas chromatograph with a Model 5975 mass selective detector.

Optical Sensor Calibration Facilities

  • NIST traceable UV and VIS/NIR irradiance standards
  • VIS/NIR tungsten radiance standard
  • Blackbody sources
  • Shimadzu Model 3100-UV UV/VIS/NIR dual beam spectrometer
  • Hitachi Model UV/VIS F-2000 Spectrofluorimeter
  • Nicolet 4700 FTIR for optical transmission and/or reflectance measurements.
  • Bristol 621 wavemeters, as well as several UV/VIS/IR emission spectrometers, for optical source quantification.

Environmental Testing – PSI maintains two facilities for environmental testing

  • TVC-1 is a stainless steel high vacuum chamber with an internal shroud capable of temperature-controlled operation from -70 C to +80 C. A 10-7 Torr base vacuum level is maintained by a closed-cycle helium cryopump. System cleanliness is monitored by a computer controlled Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer, and optionally by a Quartz Crystal Microbalance
  • TC-1 is a Tenney Model T20C-3 environmental chamber capable of operation at atmospheric pressure over a temperature range from -70 C to +200 C with a stability of ±0.2 C. The internal dimensions are 35 in. H x 30 in. W x 31 in. D.