Tool architecture: modular hardware & software

Tool control software / HMI
CEVP's tools are controlled by a sophisticated software package developed over more than six years, which emphasises versatility of processing to support advanced use in research and development. The software presents a SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) style interface - using MIMIC displays of the system and other graphical techniques to provide fine control over all stages of processing.

Users are typically provided with ready-to-use processing programs, which provide recipe templates that may be adapted easily by users for their own applications. Users also have full manual control of the tool, and can create their own custom processes using a menu-driven user interface to control gas flow rates, voltage and current levels, RF power, temperatures, etc. 

Sophisticated datalogging, trending and batch tracking facilities help users to develop and document their own processes, to optimise recipes for commercial production.  Remote monitoring is also possible. 

This software has been field proven on scientific tools for over six years and is configured to suit the application, and provided under the names of GammaSoft or NanoSoft™, for thin film or nanomaterial applications respectively.