Zygo Receives Order to Manufacture Optics for European Advanced Virgo Project
Posted: 2013-3-31
Zygo Corporation (Nasdaq:ZIGO), a worldwide supplier of optical metrology
instruments and high precision optical systems, today announced that its Optical
Systems Division was awarded a substantial order to manufacture a series of very
high precision optics for the European Advanced Virgo project.
Advanced Virgo is an upgrade of the Virgo detector located near Pisa, Italy, to a
second generation instrument with an order of magnitude improvement in
sensitivity to explore a volume of universe 1,000 times larger than Virgo. The
ultimate goal of this high-end scientific instrument is the detection of
gravitational waves originating from cosmic sources as predicted by Albert
Einstein.
"Zygo is very proud to have been chosen as the key optics supplier for this state-
of-the-art instrument," said Dr. Frank Nowak, Optical Products Manager for
ZygoLOT GmbH Germany. "We have a long tradition in manufacturing large
optics with sub-nanometer specifications for gravitational wave detection that
utilizes similar manufacturing technology offered to our semiconductor
lithography customers." In addition, Dr. Raffaelle Flaminio, director of the
Laboratoire des Matériaux Avancés (LMA) and responsible for the procurement of
Virgo optics, commented, "After a comprehensive evaluation of many potential
suppliers worldwide, the LMA has selected Zygo as the key, and only, supplier of
optics for our Advanced Virgo program in light of Zygo's outstanding track
record in manufacturing these types of high-end optics and their associated
expertise in metrology at the sub-nanometer level. We look forward to
interacting with their world class team throughout the duration of this program."
The Virgo optics will be manufactured in Zygo's Precision Optics and Extreme
Precision Optics groups in Middlefield, CT and Richmond, CA.
The LMA is a USR (Unité de Service et de Recherche n°3264) from the French
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France). The laboratory is
specialized in the study, the realization (several deposition systems) and the
characterization (optical and mechanical means) of thin films realized by several
vacuum deposition processes (CVD, PVD). The LMA is particularly involved in the
Franco-Italian program VIRGO (VIRGO mirrors realized by the LMA) and in the
American program Advanced LIGO.
Zygo Corporation is a worldwide supplier of optical metrology instruments,
precision optics and electro-optical design and manufacturing services serving
customers in the semiconductor capital equipment, bio-medical, scientific and
industrial markets.
instruments and high precision optical systems, today announced that its Optical
Systems Division was awarded a substantial order to manufacture a series of very
high precision optics for the European Advanced Virgo project.
Advanced Virgo is an upgrade of the Virgo detector located near Pisa, Italy, to a
second generation instrument with an order of magnitude improvement in
sensitivity to explore a volume of universe 1,000 times larger than Virgo. The
ultimate goal of this high-end scientific instrument is the detection of
gravitational waves originating from cosmic sources as predicted by Albert
Einstein.
"Zygo is very proud to have been chosen as the key optics supplier for this state-
of-the-art instrument," said Dr. Frank Nowak, Optical Products Manager for
ZygoLOT GmbH Germany. "We have a long tradition in manufacturing large
optics with sub-nanometer specifications for gravitational wave detection that
utilizes similar manufacturing technology offered to our semiconductor
lithography customers." In addition, Dr. Raffaelle Flaminio, director of the
Laboratoire des Matériaux Avancés (LMA) and responsible for the procurement of
Virgo optics, commented, "After a comprehensive evaluation of many potential
suppliers worldwide, the LMA has selected Zygo as the key, and only, supplier of
optics for our Advanced Virgo program in light of Zygo's outstanding track
record in manufacturing these types of high-end optics and their associated
expertise in metrology at the sub-nanometer level. We look forward to
interacting with their world class team throughout the duration of this program."
The Virgo optics will be manufactured in Zygo's Precision Optics and Extreme
Precision Optics groups in Middlefield, CT and Richmond, CA.
The LMA is a USR (Unité de Service et de Recherche n°3264) from the French
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France). The laboratory is
specialized in the study, the realization (several deposition systems) and the
characterization (optical and mechanical means) of thin films realized by several
vacuum deposition processes (CVD, PVD). The LMA is particularly involved in the
Franco-Italian program VIRGO (VIRGO mirrors realized by the LMA) and in the
American program Advanced LIGO.
Zygo Corporation is a worldwide supplier of optical metrology instruments,
precision optics and electro-optical design and manufacturing services serving
customers in the semiconductor capital equipment, bio-medical, scientific and
industrial markets.
