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Tousimis

Automegasamdri 915B

The Tousimis Automegasamdri-915B is an automated critical point drying system. The Tousimis Automegasamdri-915B can process substrates up to 150 mm wafers. The Tousimis Automegasamdri-915B is used for scanning electron microscopy sample preparation.[1][2]

TousimisAutomegasamdri 915B
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  • Plate 01Tousimis AutoMegaSamdri 915B Mems Critical Point Dryer #61892

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  • Plate 02Tousimis Automegasamdri 915B Critical Point Dryer

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What it is

General reference — not yet source-verified

Critical point dryers are used to dry delicate micro- and nano-scale structures without subjecting them to surface tension forces that can cause collapse or stiction. The process relies on supercritical carbon dioxide to avoid a liquid-gas interface.

How it works

General reference — not yet source-verified

Supercritical drying begins by dehydrating the sample in a solvent such as ethanol. The sample is placed in a pressure chamber and the solvent is replaced with liquid carbon dioxide. The chamber is then heated and pressurized above the critical point of carbon dioxide. In this supercritical state, the fluid does not exhibit surface tension. The carbon dioxide is then vented as a gas, leaving the sample dry without the capillary forces that would occur during a liquid-gas phase transition.

Applications

The Tousimis Automegasamdri 915B has been used to dry biological biofilm samples on test materials after dehydration in an isopropyl alcohol series, prior to scanning electron microscopy.[2]

  • Drying freshly released structures with minimum sticking issues

What do the numbers mean?

Vacuum & pumping1

Chamber pressure before opening
0 psi[3]
Accurate?

Wafer handling1

Substrate size
Up to 150 mm wafer[1]
Accurate?

Configuration & options6

Equipment type
Critical point dryer[3]
Accurate?
Process mode
Samples are dried at the CO2 supercritical point[3]
Accurate?
Starting medium
Ultra pure ethanol[3]
Accurate?
Operation modes mentioned
Auto Mode, HEAT, BLEED, VENT, COOL[3]
Accurate?
Type
Automated critical point drying system[1]
Accurate?
Manufacturer location
Rockville, MD, United States[2]
Accurate?
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What does it need to run?

Site utility requirements, footprint, and infrastructure needed to install and operate this tool. Sourced from public records.

  • Chamber pressure before opening0 psi[3]

Where are the manuals?

Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.

Not publicly documented

Field notes

No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main function of the Tousimis Automegasamdri 915B?

It is used to dry freshly released structures with minimum sticking issues.[3]

What drying principle does it use?

It dries samples at the CO2 supercritical point.[3]

What liquid is used before CO2 substitution?

Samples are kept in ultra pure ethanol at room temperature before ethanol is substituted by CO2 in its liquid phase.[3]

What happens during HEAT mode?

Pressure and temperature are increased in order to reach the critical phase.[3]

What happens during BLEED and VENT mode?

Pressure and temperature are decreased to reach the gaseous phase without directly crossing the liquid-to-gas transition.[3]

Not publicly documented

The following facts about the Automegasamdri 915B are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.

  • No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the Automegasamdri 915B are on record.

    Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement

  • No publicly documented variants, configuration options, or revision breakpoints of the Automegasamdri 915B are on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM product catalog or an engineer who ordered or specified the tool

  • The control-system platform and OS era of the Automegasamdri 915B are not on record.

    Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records

  • No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the Automegasamdri 915B are on record.

    Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician

  • The process node or technology generation of the Automegasamdri 915B is not on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report

No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.

Sources & citations

Sources (3)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
  1. [1]nanofab.ece.cmu.edunanofab.ece.cmu.edunanofab.ece.cmu.edu
  2. [2]frontiersin.orgfrontiersin.orgfrontiersin.org
  3. [3]epfl.chepfl.chepfl.ch
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Last updated Sep 3, 2026.

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