J.A. Woollam

09/30/2026

📢 New Publication from Prof. Hiroyuki Fujiwara and collaborators!

We’re pleased to highlight a new publication featuring Prof. Hiroyuki Fujiwara and researchers from Gifu University, J.A. Woollam Co., J.A. Woollam Japan, ROHM, and AIST:

🔬 “Adaptive mixture-of-experts denoising for deep learning of optical ellipsometry spectra”

Published in Machine Learning: Science and Technology, this work presents a deep-learning approach that combines a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture with a U-Net model to adaptively reduce noise in spectroscopic ellipsometry data.

The researchers demonstrate the approach using experimental data from 27 semiconductor thin-film materials measured with two different J.A. Woollam ellipsometry systems. The iterative MoE approach reduced global DLE prediction error by up to 65.0% for 1-second measurements and improved bandgap estimation accuracy by 44.3%.

👥 Authors:
Yuki Yamamoto, Ren Iwayama, Yuki Ikarashi, James N. Hilfiker, Jyunya Takashima, Takuji Maekawa, Hitoshi Tampo, and Hiroyuki Fujiwara.

Congratulations to Prof. Fujiwara and the entire research team on this work advancing AI-assisted spectroscopic ellipsometry and high-throughput materials characterization!

🔗 https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2632-2153/ae9691

09/10/2026

We are excited to see members of the Conformal Coating of Nanomaterials (CoCooN) group from Ghent University 🇧🇪 sporting their new J.A. Woollam T-shirts after the 2026 ALD/ALE Conference in Tampa, Florida!

The CoCooN group focuses on developing thin films and nanomaterials for applications that matter to society, using techniques including sputter deposition and atomic layer deposition (ALD).

We're especially excited to see our M-2000 Spectroscopic Ellipsometer being put to work in their research. The team uses the M-2000 to monitor in situ and ex situ film thickness evolution, gaining fundamental insight into both film properties and the deposition process. These insights help optimize materials for applications in batteries, electrocatalysts, electronics, and more. ⚡🔋

Thank you to the CoCooN team for sharing this great photo — and for putting your J.A. Woollam shirts to good use! We love seeing our instruments supporting innovative thin-film research around the world. 🌎🔬

Learn more about the CoCooN group and their research:

CoCooN Website
http://www.cocoon.ugent.be/

Ghent University Faculty of Sciences Website
https://www.ugent.be/we/en

08/27/2026

Get ready to rock! 🎸✨

Last night, the Marriott Marquis Marina Terrace in San Diego came alive for the SPIE Optics + Photonics Jam Session—and what an incredible night of music and community it was! 🎶

We were thrilled to see J.A. Woollam's very own Ron Synowicki take the stage and bring the house down alongside a talented lineup of fellow optics pros. Not only did everyone show off their serious musical chops, but the energy was officially "Hot for Optics" as the community came together for a great cause.

Thank you to SPIE for organizing such a fantastic fundraiser, and to everyone who came out to support, listen, and jam with us. See you all on the exhibit floor! 🔬✨

08/26/2026

🔬✨ Heading to SPIE Optics + Photonics in San Diego?

If you’re attending the conference, be sure to stop by the J.A. Woollam booth and say hello! 👋

Come see how our spectroscopic ellipsometry solutions can help you get more from your optical and thin-film measurements. We’d love to connect, talk research, and learn more about what you’re working on!

📍 SPIE Optics + Photonics | San Diego, CA
🤝 Stop by the J.A. Woollam booth!

See you in San Diego! 🌴🔬

08/18/2026

Join Us in Sunnyvale for the 2026 CompleteEASE Fall Short Course!

J.A. Woollam invites you to join us for our 2026 CompleteEASE Fall Short Course, taking place October 6–8, 2026, in Sunnyvale, California.

This three-day, hands-on learning experience will cover a wide range of topics—from basic ellipsometry theory and data analysis strategies to transparent and absorbing films, oscillator models, multilayer analysis, mapping data, and more.

Course Details
📍 Location: Covalent, Sunnyvale, CA
📅 Dates: October 6–8, 2026
📝 Registration Deadline: October 1, 2026
⚠️ Space is limited!

San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) is the primary airport for the Sunnyvale area. (8 miles from course location)

06/30/2026

🔬📍 We're at ALD/ALE 2026 in Tampa! 🌴

The J.A. Woollam team is excited to be attending the ALD/ALE 2026 Conference at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street this week!

If you're attending the conference, be sure to stop by and connect with our team to learn how our spectroscopic ellipsometry solutions can help advance your thin film research and process development. From in situ and in-line measurements to advanced thin film characterization, we're here to discuss your application challenges and answer your questions.

Come say hello, grab some J.A. Woollam swag, and see what's new in ellipsometry! 👋

📍 Location: JW Marriott, Tampa, FL
🗓️ Event: ALD/ALE 2026

We look forward to seeing you there!

🔬✨

06/18/2026

📢 New Publication Alert!

We're excited to share a new publication by Hans Arwin that features researchers from J.A. Woollam, among other collaborators worldwide.

🔬 Transmission Ellipsometry, Circular Birefringence and Circular Dichroism in the Mueller-Matrix Formalism

The study demonstrates how full Mueller-matrix measurements can separate complex anisotropic effects and help avoid misleading results that can arise when multiple polarization phenomena occur simultaneously.

💡 Key insights include:
🔹 Relationships between conventional measurements and Mueller-matrix elements
🔹 Improved interpretation of circular birefringence and circular dichroism data
🔹 Analysis of measurement accuracy, precision, and potential artifacts
🔹 The advantages of full Mueller-matrix characterization for advanced materials and metamaterials

Congratulations to Hans Arwin, Stefan Schoeche, James Hilfiker, and collaborators on this important contribution to the field of optical materials characterization! 👏

📖 Read the article to learn how Mueller-matrix methodologies continue to expand the possibilities of polarization-based materials analysis.

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0314738

Hans Arwin is a retired Professor from Linköping University and spends his summers on the Swedish coast, where fresh seafood is plentiful.

06/11/2026

J.A. Woollam Company Proudly Supports the Society of Vacuum Coaters Foundation's 2026 Virtual 5K! 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ 🏃‍➡️

As longstanding supporters of the Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC), J.A. Woollam Company was honored to participate in the 2026 SVC Foundation Virtual 5K. This annual event serves as a significant fundraiser for the SVC Foundation's educational scholarships.

Team Woollam's Highlights:

* Top Female Runners: 🏅
* Shoshana
* Lisa
* Jianing

* Top Male Runners: 🏅
* Reuben
* Andrew
* Zach

* Special Recognitions: 🎉
* Most 5Ks Completed: Brian
* Most Scenic Route: Ping
* Best Selfie: Greg

We're proud to contribute to the SVC Foundation's mission of supporting education in vacuum coating technology. Thank you to all participants and organizers for making this virtual event a success!

06/09/2026

📚 New Publication Announcement!

We're excited to highlight new research led by Olivia Gough and Kate Trinkaus, whose work explores how naturally derived templating layers can influence the growth and performance of organic photovoltaic materials. James Hilfiker of the J.A. Woollam Company was among the contributors on this collaborative study.

"In situ growth studies of vacuum-thermally evaporated films using ellagic acid templating for organic photovoltaics" Organic Electronics, Volume 156, September 2026, 107445.

This research demonstrates how ellagic acid can significantly influence the growth, molecular orientation, and performance of organic photovoltaic materials.

Using advanced in situ characterization techniques, the team showed that ellagic acid can reorient molecular packing in vacuum-thermally evaporated donor films, leading to improved charge carrier dynamics and enhanced solar cell performance.

🔬 Highlights:

✅ 5 nm of ellagic acid induces edge-on to face-on reorientation.

✅ Templating effect persists up to 90 nm thickness.

✅ Ellagic acid induces H-aggregation and reduces absorption.

✅ 5 nm of ellagic acid increases the short circuit current by 12% in BHJ devices.

Congratulations to Olivia, Katherine, James, and all co-authors and collaborators on this important contribution to the field of organic photovoltaics.

📖 Read the publication:
https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1nEfH5a62rtMnb

06/08/2026

📢 Join J.A. Woollam at the 2026 ALD/ALE Conference in Tampa, Florida! 🌴☀️

We're excited to be exhibiting at Booth #203 and connecting with the ALD/ALE community. Stop by to learn how spectroscopic ellipsometry can help advance your thin film characterization and process development.

🎤 Tutorial Session
📅 Sunday, June 28
👨‍🏫 James Hilfiker
📖 "Advances in Spectroscopic Ellipsometry for ALD and ALE Thin Film Characterization"

Whether you're working with ALD, ALE, or other advanced thin film technologies, we invite you to attend the tutorial and visit our team at the exhibit hall.

✅ Register for the conference here: https://ald2026.avs.org/

We look forward to seeing you in Tampa! 🌊🤝