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Thanks to quantum technology, computing capacities and speeds are advancing into previously unknown dimensions and enabling a completely new approach to tasks. This offers new opportunities for research and industry. VAT technology is an important element in this.

At the world-famous research facility, CERN, thoughts are turning to the future of particle research. There is no question about it: the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has produced sensational results worthy of a Nobel Prize. However, these results immediately raised further questions, the answers to which in turn require new developments in accelerators. Technology from VAT should also be part of this in the future because that technology is already delivering outstanding service in the LHC.

In complex vacuum systems, there is a lot to close, open, meter and control. Wherever many valves are used, the number of connection points, connectors and seals also increases. This requires installation time, space, and increases the vacuum volume to be controlled as well as the number of potential leakage points.

In 2019, the National Science Foundation (NSF) held a workshop for “Large Ultrahigh Vacuum Systems for Frontier Scientific Research Instrumentation” to help identify cost effective technologies to design, build and operate a new generation gravitational wave observatory based on the original LIGO concept.* This new design will be an order of magnitude more sensitive than the current generation systems in the USA (LIGO), EU (Virgo) and Japan (KAGRA) – and also MUCH larger.

In order to penetrate the innermost structures of matter and gain new insights, particle accelerators must become steadily more powerful and larger. This increases construction and operating costs. Researchers are trying to take an alternative path with plasma wave-driven accelerators and are thus defining new challenges for vacuum valves as well.

The Hyperloop transportation concept – based on high-speed travel in a low-pressure tube – promises to revolutionize ground transportation. As a research partner to the EuroTube Foundation, VAT is developing large valve solutions that will help maintain the enormous vacuum volumes needed for the Hyperloop systems.

Solar cell technology is widely seen as crucial renewable energy source to help fight climate change. These expectations have been fueled to even greater levels by recent breakthroughs in solar cell efficiency. With a new generation of large transfer valves for solar cell production lines, VAT offers manufacturers the technological improvements needed to produce these high-performance solar cells.

As the number of satellites in orbit increases, so does global demand for pre-launch testing under simulated space conditions. VAT recently delivered yet another large valve to a European satellite test center. Oversized VAT vacuum valves play a key role in helping simulate the extreme temperatures and pressures of outer space – to ensure that satellites are ready for lift-off.

Haag, June 2021, VAT has launched “Quick Spec Bellows”, a new online configuration and order service for welded metal bellows. The online service provides convenient configuration, quick price information and a guaranteed three-week delivery time ex works VAT Switzerland.

Could life thrive in an ocean beneath the icy surface of Europa, one of Jupiter's 79 moons? NASA wants to investigate this question with its "Europa Clipper" mission. VAT engineers contributed to the design of the research satellite's central mass spectrometer.

VAT has a long-term collaboration with CERN, the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Sector valves developed by a dedicated VAT team help keep the ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions within CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) intact.