Advantest Expands Application Coverage of TAS7500 Series of Spectroscopic Imaging Systems with 2 New Systems; Transmittance Polarization Analysis Module Also Developed

Richer Spectroscopic Analysis Capability Increases

Applicability to Chemicals, Communications Material, Terahertz Research

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857, NYSE: ATE), a global leader in test and measurement sciences, has developed two new spectroscopy systems and a new transmittance polarization analysis module for its TAS7500 product series of systems, which employ terahertz waves to perform non-destructive imaging and analysis of samples.

・Wide-Band Coverage: TAS7500SU Terahertz Spectroscopic System

・Low-Frequency Coverage: TAS7500SL Terahertz Spectroscopic System

・Transmittance Polarization Analysis Module for Terahertz Spectroscopic Analysis

The new systems and module dramatically expand the range of applications of the TAS7500 series to include chemicals and materials for high-speed communications components, in addition to the pharmaceutical applications covered by existing systems, while also delivering the ability to analyze the polarization characteristics of samples. The new products are scheduled for launch in March, 2013.

Advantest Enables New Applications for Terahertz Technology

In recent years the terahertz frequency range has increasingly been utilized in non-destructive measurement and spectroscopic analysis applications. Advantest has led the development of this technology, launching its 3D Imaging Analysis System, the TAS7000, in April 2010, followed in September 2011 by the groundbreaking TAS7500, a non-invasive, non-destructive analysis system for pharmaceutical applications. The company has continued to invest in expanding the analysis capabilities and applications coverage of its terahertz technology, leading to the development of the new TAS75000SU and TAS7500SL systems.

In combination with the previously launched TAS7500SP, these three systems, each covering a different bandwidth, greatly expand the TAS7500 series’ analysis range, and provide enhanced measurement quality in each frequency region. Further, Advantest’s newly developed transmittance polarization analysis module for spectroscopic analysis enables polarization characteristics analysis of optically anisotropic materials,* among others.

The new systems and module expand the applications of the TAS7500 series beyond the pharmaceutical arena, to fields including terahertz wireless communications, biotechnology, and research applications utilizing terahertz waves.

* Optically anisotropic materials display varying refraction indices depending on the polarization direction of the light directed at them.

Wide-Band Analysis System TAS7500SU

■ Improved High-Frequency Coverage Enables Diverse Terahertz Research Applications

Advantest’s Cherenkov THz radiation source* enables higher-frequency terahertz wave generation, giving the TAS7500SU an analysis range of 0.5 – 7.0 THz, compared to the 0.1 - 4THz range of the previous TAS7500SP system. This wider coverage facilitates diverse new analysis applications.

■ Industry-Best High-Speed Measurement Functionality

The TAS7500 series boasts an industry-best scan time of 8 milliseconds, ensuring speedy measurement results unaffected by exterior changes in humidity and temperature.

* Advantest’s new Cherenkov THz radiation source, which generates a superior range of frequencies, was announced in September 2012, as was the company’s terahertz time-of-flight (TOF) tomography analysis system, which employs the Cherenkov radiation source.

Low-Frequency Analysis System TAS7500SL

■30GHz-2THz Analysis Range Optimal for Terahertz Wireless Communications Materials Development, Other Applications

In the field of terahertz wireless communications—a technology expected to find practical applications in the near future—it is crucial for engineers to accurately analyze the characteristics of the materials they work with, such as permittivity and absorptiveness. The TAS7500SL is specialized for the 30GHz – 2THz band of the spectrum, optimizing it for R&D in the area of materials to be used for packages, boards, and other communications components, as well as spectroscopic analysis at these bandwidths.

Transmittance Polarization Analysis Module

■ Measurement of Crystalline & Molecular Structures Provides More Detailed Analysis Results

Advantest’s new transmittance polarization analysis module, which can be mounted on the TAS7500SP, enables polarization analysis of anisotropic optical materials, among others, via polarization characteristics measurement, thus providing more detailed analysis results.

■ Easy Operation Boosts Efficiency

In common with Advantest’s existing spectroscopic measurement modules (transmission, reflection, and ATR), the new transmittance polarization analysis module is easy to install and remove, aiding ease of operation in any measurement environment.

For more information:

TAS Project

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Advantest will exhibit at SPIE Photonics West at the Moscone Center, San Francisco on February 5-7, 2013.

About Advantest Corporation

A world-class technology company, Advantest is the leading producer of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the semiconductor industry and a premier manufacturer of measuring instruments used in the design and production of electronic instruments and systems. Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. The company also focuses on R&D for emerging markets that benefit from advancements in nanotech and terahertz technologies, and has recently introduced multi-vision metrology scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask manufacturing, as well as a groundbreaking 3D imaging and analysis tool. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its first subsidiary in 1982, in the USA, and now has subsidiaries worldwide. More information is available at www.advantest.com.