Bellatera, Spain, and Besançon, France, March 13, 2008-ICMAB-CSIC (Institut de Ciéncia de Materials de Barcelona, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), an advanced materials research institute at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and Digital Surf, a surface metrology solutions provider, announce that they have signed a cooperation agreement. The agreement falls within the framework of Digital Surf’s Mount Shasta technical cooperation program with internationally reputed laboratories engaged in scientific research and already using Digital Surf’s MountainsMap surface analysis software. Under the agreement the MountainsMap installed base at ICMAB will be expanded and ICMAB will provide Digital Surf with technical feedback pertinent to the development of future generations of MountainsMap software.

ICMAB carries out advanced materials research in numerous fields. The institute is engaged in projects and research contracts for the synthesis, preparation, crystallization and characterization of functional high-performance materials, including nanomaterials, and has constructed several device prototypes. Current projects include the self-assembly of nanostructures for superconducting wires using chemical solution deposition (CSD), magnetic systems for spintronics, self-assembled supramolecular wires for molecular electronics, and many other applications including renewable energies and biomaterials.

MountainsMap inputs and processes multi-layer SPM files, including topography, phase, current, deflection and other layers. Reports are generated using an intuitive multi-language desktop publishing user interface. A wide range of filters can be applied to enhance image quality and to separate different frequencies.A comprehensive set of studies include dimensional control, the analysis of grains, particles and nano-islands, and advanced spectral and autocorrelation analyses. A unique feature of the software is its ability to partition a surface into sub-surfaces and to analyse a sub-surface in exactly the same way as a full surface. The software is compliant with international and national standards, including the new ISO 25178 standard, the first international standard on areal surface texture, and the ISO 16610 standard, which specifies advanced filtering techniques.