The following list identifies some of the areas of consulting that have been found useful to past customers of Gessert Consulting, LLC. Several areas are often combined and customized to address a customer’s particular needs. Consulting in related areas can also be considered. All correspondences are held in confidence, and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) can be established prior to detailed discussions of customer needs.

Figure illustrates one of many types of vacuum design examples that can be developed for discussion in training presentations.

1. General Vacuum Technology Consulting Areas:

  1. a. Review of Existing Equipment Capabilities, Performance, and Maintenance
  2. b. Options for Gauging, Pumping, Hardware, and Leak Detection
  3. c. Considerations for Alternative Equipment and/or Modernization
  4. d. Considerations and Options for Staff Training
  5. e. Issues Affecting Vacuum-Process Reproducibility and/or Production Rates

2. Technical Review Areas:

  1. a. Design Review for New and/or Modified Vacuum Equipment
  2. b. Review of Vacuum-Synthesis Processes and Quality-Assessment Procedures
  3. c. Review of Options for Routine and/or Advanced Characterization
  4. d. Review of Causes, Effects, and Control of Typical Vacuum-Contamination Sources
  5. e. Functionality Design Review for R&D and/or Production Facilities

Figure is an example of the types of illustrations used in training sessions, in this case, the ion and electron trajectories expected to occur within a miniature ion gauge.

3. Material and Process Consulting Areas:

  1. a. Metals and Metal/Semiconductor Contacts
  2. b. Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCOs)
  3. c. Layers and Processes used in Thin-Film Photovoltaic Solar Cells
  4. d. Thermal Uniformity and Thermal Treatments in Vacuum
  5. e. Influence of Synthesis Sources (Evaporation Sources, Sputter Targets, etc.)