Applied Thin Films Signs Agreement on HTS Wire Development
EVANSTON, Ill.--Nov. 29, 2001--Applied Thin Films Inc. (ATFI), a privately held company developing advanced materials and thin film technologies for the energy, aerospace and automotive industries, today announced a non-exclusive license agreement related to low cost thin films for second generation high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. ATFI will work jointly with a key industrial partner to further develop ATFI's thin film technology for HTS wire applications.
ATFI has developed a new and unique HTS buffer layer technology, under funding from the Department of Defense (Ballistic Missile Defense Organization) through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs, that has excellent potential to help meet the performance and cost goals for second generation HTS wire.
"Our goal is to develop innovative advanced materials and thin film technologies to serve next generation aerospace, energy, and automotive products and this agreement is a demonstration of our commitment to technology transition," said Dr. Sankar Sambasivan, president and chief executive officer, Applied Thin Films, Inc. "Under the auspices of our industrial partner's contractual funding and the BMDO SBIR program, we will work to develop a low cost buffer layer technology needed in the next generation HTS wire."
One of the key technical challenges for HTS wire is the development of a scalable, high quality, low cost buffer layer existing between a substrate tape and high temperature superconducting HTS layer. ATFI has successfully demonstrated an innovative approach to buffer layers on short samples and will work with its industrial partner to meet technical and engineering challenges to further develop the technology and scale it up to long lengths. "We have been collaborating with ATFI for over 3 years on this promising technology and are pleased to see the technology transition," said Dr. Paul Barnes, program manager of the BMDO program, Air Force Research Laboratory. "The Air Force is seeking new and advanced HTS wires for use in high power generation. HTS generators are compact, lightweight, and more efficient enhancing ground, mobile and airborne operations."
HTS wire products are entering the commercial market place in electric power applications such as power transmission cables, motors and generators. HTS wire products could in the future offer customers an even better price-performance ratio. The primary technological challenge is to economically produce long length second generation HTS wire containing ceramic superconductors that meet the current densities and quality levels customers require, and ATFI technology helps address this challenge.
About Applied Thin Films, Inc.
Founded in 1998, ATFI develops innovative advanced ceramic materials and thin film technologies (physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and sol-gel) suited for next generation energy, aerospace, and automotive needs. ATFI's current R&D programs are targeted toward buffer layer development for HTS, high temperature protective coatings, solid oxide fuel cells, superhard coatings for cutting tools, and thermal barrier coatings. ATFI is committed to protecting its proprietary technologies by establishing strong intellectual property rights in the aforementioned areas (one patent awarded, six pending, and several more under preparation) with broad provisions that include novel material compositions and processing technologies. ATFI has secured over $3 million in R&D funds from both government and industrial sponsors. For more information visit ATFI online at www.atfinet.com.