On April 15^th 2013, SAMCO Inc (head quartered in Kyoto, Japan expanded its OPTO Films Research Laboratory in California’s Silicon Valley in order to strengthen its research structure and after-sale process support. Placing an emphasis on interaction with cutting edge research SAMCO is expanding its research and development activities at its three global R&D centers – The ‘Kyoto Research and Development Center’; the Silicon Valley ‘OPTO Films Research Laboratory’; and ‘Cambridge Research Center’ located in England’s University of Cambridge .

SAMCO was the first Japanese venture company to open an R&D center in the Silicon Valley. The OPTO Films Research and Development Center in Silicon Valley was established in 1987 as SAMCO’s first overseas research and development center.  Since its establishment it has lead the research of carbon type materials such as diamond thin films, diamond like carbon (DLC), and materials for electrodes etc., as well as the development of thin film deposition systems.  Furthermore, the facility also plays an important role in joint research with universities.

Highlighting SAMCO’s plans for business expansion and the strengthening of its research and development structure, the new facility is about twice as large as the one it replaces. Furthermore, in order to maximize research efficiency, the laboratory is again located in the Silicon Valley, a hub of company research centers and ventures.

The new laboratory is equipped with SAMCO CVD systems, dry etching systems, cleaning systems, and a suite of thin film measurement systems.  Research will continue on thin films of carbon-based materials and new research will begin on MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) fabrication for the bio-medical industries.  Recruitment of local researchers is also progressing, with plans for up to ten researchers to be based at the facility (currently six).

Along with the expansion of the Silicon Valley facilities, SAMCO has also increased sales personnel in its East Coast Sales and Service Office located in North Carolina’s ‘Research Triangle Park’.  The new OPTO films Laboratory will play an important role, as a demo laboratory, in supporting the expansion of North American sales.