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Newsletter June 2019
“As a designer in the AFM field, I truly appreciate the ingenious design of this bench top platform...."
More customer comments...

1. Microscopy Vibration Isolation

2. Featured Product: BM-8 Bench Top Vibration Isolation Platform
3. Vibration Isolator Steadies Optics for NASA Telescopes + Vacuum Isolation

4. Biology/Neuroscience Vibration Isolation

5. Vacuum Chamber Vibration Isolation

6. Vibration News & Articles | Previous Features
7. 300 leading universities and private and government laboratories
in 51 countries use Minus K technology


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Microscopy Vibration Isolation
Tables, Platforms, Benchtops & Custom Systems for
SEM, AFM, TEM, SPM, STM, STEM, NSOM-SNOM



Zeiss Axio Obersver Z1 AFM
on a Minus K BM-8


Delong LVEM5 Desktop SEM
on a Minus K BM-8


Nion STEM on a four-isolator
Minus K FP-1


NanoMagnetics ezAFM
on a Minus K 50BM-4


Many of our clients' microscopes have nano and micro vibration isolation requirements that are unparalleled in the metrology world (for brain research and at NASA as examples). Minus K's negative stiffness and "passive" verses "active" technology, enables microscopes to achieve their highest level of performance. Our isolators and custom systems provide the performance of an ideal bungee system and the convenience of a bench top system without any of the problems associated with many of them, including air tables.

From the ubiquitous bungee suspension systems, to large beds of sand on inner tubes, there have been many attempts at achieving the ultimate isolation. Air tables have been used with some success. However, our negative-stiffness isolators provide superior isolation control and performance while offering better ease of use and no facility requirements. We even have the flexibility of custom tailoring resonant frequencies vertically, horizontally and in tilt to your liking.

Small "active" systems (as opposed to our "passive" systems) are sometimes used. However, those have several drawbacks:
  • They are expensive and fragile.
  • They are subject to the noise floor of every component in the entire feedback loop plus AC line noise.
  • They have a limited dynamic range, typically only a few thousandths of an inch. If this is exceeded (very easy to do) the isolator goes into positive feedback and you have a very expensive noise generator underneath your SPM.
  • They have to be sitting on an infinitely rigid structure to work at their theoretical best. Obviously, infinitely rigid structures are not easy to find in most labs. The result is that the isolator is not always doing what you think it's doing.
Our isolators give you the best possible performance in all axes, from high to low frequency isolation. They provide the performance of an ideal bungee system and the convenience of a bench top system without any of the problems associated with any of them, including air tables. We enable our users to achieve the highest level of noise performance possible.


More images...

Microscope isolation testimonials...

 

Featured Product: BM-8 Bench Top Vibration Isolation Platform

The BM-8 bench top platform offers 10-100 times better performance than a full size air table in a package only 4.6 inches tall, and without air or electricity!
  • Horizontal frequencies are weight dependent.
  • Horizontal frequency of 1.5 Hz (or lower) is achieved at the upper limit of the payload range.
  • At the lower limits of the payload range the horizontal frequency is approximately 2.5 Hz.
  • Vertical frequency is tunable to 0.5 Hz throughout the payload range.
More...

Pricing & sizes for BM-8

Specifications (pdf)


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Vibration Isolator Steadies Optics for NASA Telescopes + Vacuum Isolation

Anybody who has ever tried to hold a camera steady for a long exposure in low light knows exactly what inevitably happens: the camera shakes, and the image blurs. The same can happen with images from telescopes or any other long-range image. In fact, for some very sensitive optics, even ordinary ground vibrations can be enough to throw off the results.

Thats why, explains Serge Dubovitsky, instrument system engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA often needs a tool called a vibration isolator. These work in a few different ways but essentially create a more stable platform where external vibrations wont interfere with sensitive measurements..

Dubovitsky often works on optics, including systems of mirrors for observational missions like telescopes. The mirrors reflect light in different wavelengths, concentrating it into an image that can be analyzed by other instruments. But before these optics are installed, they have to be tested to ensure they perform as intended.

For optics that operate in roughly visible wavelengths, says Dubovitsky, any motion on the scale of one micron [that is, one-millionth of a meter], or in some cases even much less than that, disturbs the image quality.



Optics testing is also often done in a vacuum, with ramifications for vibration isolators. Vacuum is important in verifying optics, because air interferes with light. If you are aiming at space applications, on the ground you need vacuum, Dubovitsky explains. Even when working with optics that will remain on the ground, a vacuum can be helpful for testing. More...

Related: Spacecraft Vibration Isolation On the Ground isolation...

Related: Vacuum Chamber Vibration Isolation...


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Biology/Neuroscience Vibration Isolation

Minus K vibration isolation systems offer significant advantages for patch clamping, electrophysiology measurements, fluorescent dye imaging, genomic sequencing and other applications in biology and neuroscience. They eliminate the nuisance of air and outperform air tables by a factor of 10 to 100, depending on the vibration frequency. The bench top platforms are compact, saving valuable lab space, and are easy to move around.

Biology/Neuroscience Testimonials

Vibration can be caused by a multitude of factors that are internal and external to the building in which the system resides, including vibrations from heating and ventilation system, fans, pumps, and elevators as well as vibrations from adjacent road traffic, nearby construction, loud noise from aircraft, and even wind and other weather conditions that can cause movement of the structure. These internal and external influences cause vibrations as low as 2 hertz (Hz) that can create strong disturbances in sensitive equipment.

Pacific Biosciences Automated Genomic Sequencer Sequel System with fully intergrated customized Minus K BM-6
 
Bruker Biospin Ascend Aeon 950 NMR magnet with two fully intergrated customized Minus K LC-4Us

Related article regarding Neurology & Brain Imaging...

Related article regarding Neuronal Research into Animal Learning and Memory...



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Vacuum Chamber Vibration Isolation

Minus K vibration isolation systems can be made vacuum compatible so they can be used right inside vacuum chambers. In addition to their superior vibration isolation performance, this offers other advantages of much lower payload weights, more compact systems, and eliminates problems associated with vacuum chamber feed-throughs. They require no electriciity or air, so they can operate in isolation. See below example with NASA/JPL SIM Interferometer Testbed Spectral Calibration Development Unit (SCDU).

Our vibration isolation systems have also been used to support entire vacuum chambers. This offers the advantages of more standard designs and lower costs in some cases.


Three 1350 lb capacity Vacuum Minus K SM-1s for the
SCDU in JPL's testbed configuration.


Minus K BM-1 Vacuum Isolation

Modifications for to the isolators based on your application requirements could include:
• Use of Stainless Hardware
• Removal of Paint and/or Powder Coating
• Removal of Anodizing
• Replacement of Nylon or Plastic Parts
• Electroless Nickel on Steel Parts
• Venting Blind Holes
• Use of Vacuum Grease for Low Outgassing
• Bare Aluminum
• We'll need to provide custom pricing for vacuum applications. The price is typically 3 times the standard units for vacuum compatible (internal chamber) placement.

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Vibration News & Articles



  Vibration Isolator Steadies Optics for NASA Telescopes



  Negative-Stiffness Vibration Isolation at the South Pole



  Neuronal Research into Animal Learning, Memory Neuronal Research, Vibration Isolation Problem & Solution



  Nano-Research into Superionic Solid Electrolytes for Next-Generation Lithium Batteries
Battery Power Magazine Online, July 2017 




  Negative-Stiffness Vibration Isolation For The Sharpest Micro-World Images
Apogee Photo Magazine, August 2017 


  Negative-Stiffness Vibration Isolation Provides Improved Performance For Cleanroom Applications
Commercial Micro Manufacturing International , August 2016 
  Minus K offers several standard and custom vibration isolation products
- All Media, June 2016
  Ultra-Low Frequency Vibration Isolation Stabilizes Scanning Tunneling Microscopy
- R&D Magazine, June 2016


        More Articles & News...

Previous Features:

Optical-Laser Vibration Isolation + video

Cryostat Vibration Isolation

Nanoindentation & Micro Hardness Testing
Vibration Isolation

Ultra-Low Frequency Vibration Isolation Stabilizes Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Neuronal Research into Animal Learning, Memory Neuronal Research,
Vibration Isolation Problem & Solution

Sunken Treasure Surrounding The Coldest Cubic Meter In The Universe
Supported by Minus K Vibration Isolators

Lithium Batteries: Superionic Solid Electrolytes for Next-Generation

Spacecraft Vibration Isolation On the Ground

Behavior of a Single Molecule-UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute

Cleanroom Precision Vibration Isolation

Negative-stiffness vibration isolation is utilized to provide ultra-stability for multi-disciplined, nano-level research at UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute.

NASA/JWST Update: Custom James Webb Space Telescope Vibration Isolators Working Well

Audiophile Interests: The Doehmann Helix 1 Turntable

2018 Winners | Minus K Technology Educational Giveaway to U.S. Colleges and Universities

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Vibration Isolation News | What's Here for You:
With users at more than 300 leading universities and private and government laboratories in 51 countries, Vibration Isolation News is designed to keep our customers and friends up to date on the latest products and applications designed to facilitate better measurements and improved nanomanufacturing. We are an OEM supplier to leading manufacturers of scanning probe microscopes, micro-hardness testers and other sensitive instruments.


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The MK52


NASA Telescope Project

How Our Isolators Work


Spacecraft Vibration Isolation On the Ground




Minus K Technology Inc., Vibration Isolation Systems
460 Hindry Ave., Unit C | Inglewood, CA 90301 | Tel: 310-348-9656 | Contact Us | www.MinusK.com