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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

What happens when you use general-purpose AI to help recommission a new microscope? Ke Wang & colleagues built and sandbox-tested a new control system for a CORDE Scanning Helium Microscope, then demonstrated it on real imaging and diffraction experiments. Read the paper: doi.org/10.1039/d6dd...

Digital Discovery journal's inside cover featuring the research.

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

When materials are only atoms thick, even tiny contamination matters. New AFM paper from Cambridge researchers, with work carried out in part at CORDE, uses scanning helium microscopy to map sub-monolayer contamination on wafer-scale 2D MoS₂. 🔗 buff.ly/whrxZyX

$Schematics of helium atom diffraction from crystalline surfaces under different levels of contamination. The scattering is a mixture of ordered Bragg scattering and disordered diffuse scattering. Figure adapted/reproduced from Zhao et al., Advanced Functional Materials, 2026, DOI: 10.1002/adfm.75366, used under the article’s Creative Commons licence.$ Spatial resolution of the contamination process on MoS2.

Figure adapted/reproduced from Zhao et al., Advanced Functional Materials, 2026, DOI: 10.1002/adfm.75366, used under the article’s Creative Commons licence.

Spatial resolution of the contamination process on MoS2.

Figure adapted/reproduced from Zhao et al., Advanced Functional Materials, 2026, DOI: 10.1002/adfm.75366, used under the article’s Creative Commons licence.

$A schematic depiction of the Cambridge B-SHeM as employed in the current work. High pressure helium gas is expanded into a vacuum and repeatedly collimated to produce a microscopic probe. The helium atoms scatter from the sample either in ordered manner (specular/diffraction) or disordered manner (diffuse). The atoms scattered in a specific direction are collected and detected. The sample is manipulated in x y to image and y z to perform diffraction scans. A specialized, heater compatible, SEM sample stub is used to control the sample temperature. Figure adapted/reproduced from Zhao et al., Advanced Functional Materials, 2026, DOI: 10.1002/adfm.75366, used under the article’s Creative Commons licence.$

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Progress at CORDE! We’re recommissioning our world-unique helium spin-echo spectrometer after its move to the Ray Dolby Centre. Latest milestone: a clean Airy disc from precision alignment 🎯Thank you Ke Wang for the photo! Ultrafast surface dynamics coming to CORDE soon…

$Airy disc diffraction pattern from alignment of a helium spin-echo spectrometer, showing a sharp central maximum and concentric rings indicating good optical alignment.$

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

New research from CORDE shows the first direct imaging of hydrogen on silicon surfaces using helium microscopy 🔬 A major step forward for semiconductors + hydrogen tech. Led by Prof. Paul Dastoor (Royal Society Wolfson Fellow) Read more in Applied Physics letters: doi.org/10.1063/5.03...

Schematic drawing of the experimental geometry showing multi-detector positions, the helium beam source and a representation of the sample surface.

$Graph showing a silicon waver that has been chemically etched, SHeM micrographs and polar plots of spatially resolved diffraction scans followed by intensity maps as a function of rotation angle.$

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

We’ve invested in a J Series III Cluster SIMS from Ionoptika, adding powerful new chemical imaging capability to CORDE. Part of our growing 3D materials characterisation infrastructure, supporting research and industry users. 🔗 ionoptika.com/j-series-iii/ #SIMS #CORDECHARACTERISATION

ionoptika.com

J Series III | Ionoptika

Discover the J Series III, our most innovative offering yet. It’s a feature-rich, modular solution that’s perfect for a range of applications. Find out more here.

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

CORDE’s Jack, David E. & Shaoliang attended the #TSNROKS Proposal Support Workshop at Warwick. 4 days of hands-on work on a mock EPSRC Strategic Infrastructure bid, panel interview practice & strategic thinking for large-scale proposals. #RTP #ResearchInfrastructure #EPSRC

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

$Graph showing a silicon waver that has been chemically etched, SHeM micrographs and polar plots of spatially resolved diffraction scans followed by intensity maps as a function of rotation angle.$

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

NanoDTC students got their first hands-on introduction to electron-beam lithography in the CORDE cleanrooms 🧪✨ From preparing their own test devices to seeing them written on the Nanofab’s VB6-UHR system, it was nanofabrication in action at the RDC. corde.phy.cam.ac.uk/nanofabricat...

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Last week’s @roycecambridge.bsky.social Cleanroom Training was a success 🧪Delivered jointly by CORDE and the teams from Leeds and Swansea, the programme took participants through the full nanofabrication workflow. A huge thank you to all the participants, speakers and demonstrators.

One of the participants preparing the sample during the cleanroom training.

Participants during the Cleanroom training.

One of the presentations during the meeting.

All the participants during the training.

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

The Royce Cleanroom Training Course is off to a fantastic start! Participants are gaining hands-on experience in transistor fabrication and analysis inside the new state-of-the-art cleanroom at the Ray Dolby Centre, alongside expert-led lectures from academia & industry. @roycecambridge.bsky.social

Royce 2026 Cleanroom Training in progress

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

🌟✨We wish you all a wonderful New Year. May 2026 be filled with joy. Happy New Year!

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

🎄Device fabrication doesn’t always have to be serious ✨ This festive season, we patterned silicon wafers with a Christmas design as a gift for our cleanroom team. Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas - filled with warmth, laughter, and unforgettable moments 🎄🎅🏻

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

We will be taking a social media break over the festive period and will return in January. In the meantime, on behalf of everyone at CORDE, have a safe and peaceful festive season and a Happy New Year!

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

🛠️ CORDE’s Technical Services team supports researchers with end-to-end precision design, fabrication and manufacturing. With decades of experience, the team transforms early-stage ideas into high-quality scientific equipment. More details: corde.phy.cam.ac.uk/research-sup...

Helmholtz Coil
This Helmholtz coil was manufactured and assembled at Cavendish Laboratory workshop. In 1873 James Clark Maxwell helped push the design for the Helmholtz coil stating that “adding a third larger-diameter coil located midway between the two Helmholtz coils with the coil distance increased from coil radius R to √3R can reduce the variance of the field on the axis to zero up to the sixth derivative of position”.

Bacterial Collection Device
This device was designed and then manufactured at Cavendish Laboratory. Firstly a prototype was made to test to see if the device worked, before it was sent out to mass production. The idea for this device was to test bacteria in water all around the world, such as India and Africa. To help towards a better overall world.

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

🔬 After coating the wafer with resist, it’s time to transfer the design into the photosensitive film. Here we see a resist-coated wafer being mounted and loaded into the VB6 Electron Beam Lithography tool ahead of the process.

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

🧪Lithography is a crucial step in any micro or nanofabrication process. It’s how patterns from a design are precisely transferred onto a chip or wafer. Here, we capture the spin-coating of a resist film onto a 150mm wafer. See how CORDE can support your research: corde.phy.cam.ac.uk/nanofabricat...

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Have you signed up for the XRD Training Workshop at Royce Cambridge yet? Join our one-week, hands-on course (24–28 November 2025) at the Maxwell Centre, and learn how to analyse X-ray Diffraction patterns from the experts. Book your place : www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/royce-xrd-...

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

From chip-scale experiments to wafer-level innovation💫 Our new Nanofabrication Cleanrooms at the Ray Dolby Centre are equipped to support it all. Here, a researcher runs a 200 mm wafer through the Oxford Instruments ICPCVD tool - used to deposit uniform, dielectric films onto wafers and chips.

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

New from CORDE 👨🔬 — Ben Collishaw has developed a modular kinetic Monte Carlo simulation to model sulphur diffusion on Ni(111) surfaces. more in thread...

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

🎓 Ethan Cantor (Manchester @OfficialUoM) explored Haralick texture analysis on SHeM data — building a Python tool to detect subtle surface changes and joining us at the UK SHeM conference in Durham. A fantastic contribution from a first-year student! #UndergraduateResearch #STEM #SHeM

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

New paper out: Surface visualisation of bacterial biofilms using neutral helium microscopy. Led by Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellow Prof. Paul Dastoor with the CORDE Characterisation team, this international collaboration used the UK’s only SHeM to image biofilms — no coating, no damage.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Surface visualisation of bacterial biofilms using neutral atom microscopy - Jeinsen - Journal of Microscopy - Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jmi.70038

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

🌟 Cambridge’s Collaborative R&D Environment (CORDE) is your gateway to world-class #nanofabrication, #characterisation, and precision fabrication. Our mission is to power your future physics research with flexible support and collaboration. Explore the CORDE offer: corde.phy.cam.ac.uk

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Join one-week course on the fundamentals of X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern analysis, running from 24–28 November 2025. More details 👇

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

We’re wrapping up an inspiring summer with our undergrad researchers 🎓✨ Meet Ethan Cantor (Manchester) & Ben Collishaw (Cambridge), two of our brilliant students. Videos of their reflections coming next week — stay tuned! #UndergraduateResearch #STEM

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

✨ Step inside the future of innovation ✨ Our CORDE Nanofabrication Cleanrooms are state-of-the-art facilities, equipped with advanced tools and exceptional flexibility, turning the most ambitious research ideas into reality. Details on ways to work with us: corde.phy.cam.ac.uk/nanofabricat...

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Fantastic to host 40+ researchers & students at Durham for the 7th Surfaces, Interfaces & Thin Films Day with @IoPThinFilmsAndSurfacesGroup.Thanks to Jack Kelsall , Daniel Dobrowolski & Kislon Voitchovsky. Stay tuned for #TFSGSummerSchool2026 corde.phy.cam.ac.uk/research-sup...

IoP Thin Films and Surfaces Poster Prize Winner: Jack Fawcett-Houghton

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

At CORDE's #AtomScattering and #AtomMicroscopy Facility, we’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible✨ Using helium atom scattering the researchers can carry out ultra-sensitive structural and dynamic analysis of 2D materials and surfaces. 🔗 Find out more: corde.phy.cam.ac.uk/characterisa...

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Among the many capabilities that #CORDE offers, here are 5 that can advance your research and innovation! 👇 Follow us and explore our website to hear more: corde.phy.cam.ac.uk

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CORDE @cordecavendish.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

🌐 We’re live! Cambridge’s Collaborative R&D Environment (CORDE) is here to connect ideas, people, and scientific innovation. Follow us for updates on how CORDE can support your research and open doors to new ideas and discoveries💡 corde.phy.cam.ac.uk #CORDE #Innovation #CambridgeResearch

corde.phy.cam.ac.uk

Home - CORDE Web Portal

CORDE is a gateway to outstanding nanofabrication, characterisation and precision fabrication capabilities for the research community.

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