Congratulations to Nicolai Taufertshöfer, PhD student in the Quantum Photon Science Group, for receiving a distinction in the “Locations and Instruments” category of the 2025 SNSF Scientific Image Competition.
Nicolai's captivating image titled "Gilded with Science" offers a unique glimpse into the interior of an electron beam evaporator in the PICO cleanroom after the vacuum chamber has been vented. The walls are coated with gold deposited through evaporation – a routine experimental process that has produced a striking result.
This kind of evaporator is a crucial tool for material science as well as the semiconductor industry, enabling the precise deposition of ultra-thin metal layers on various substrates. In this instance, gold was deposited on a silicon wafer through a shadow mask to pattern electrical contacts on the micrometre scale.
The jury selected 20 winning images from 430 entries—a record number. The work is exhibited at the Biel/Bienne Festival of Photography until May 25, 2025.
