At a glance
| Booth | Q6134 |
| Country | JP |
| Website | www.ballwave.jp/english/event |
Company profile
Ball Wave Inc develops the Ball SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) sensor as its core chemical-sensing technology, combining compact size, high-speed response and high sensitivity for gas detection. The sensing approach forms a target-specific sensitive film on the surface of a tiny quartz ball so that trace moisture, hydrogen, natural gas, organic gas mixtures and other gases can be detected. By using the piezoelectricity of quartz and eliminating edges through spherical processing, the Ball SAW architecture is designed to combine high sensitivity with a response speed that flat SAW sensors cannot achieve.
Exhibits
The product range includes the FalconTrace trace moisture analyzer and the Sylph ultra-compact gas chromatograph, both built around Ball SAW sensing technology. FalconTrace quantitatively measures water molecules present in ultra-small quantities in industrial gases and natural gas by using a Ball SAW sensor. Its extremely fast response enables real-time monitoring of changes in moisture, and it can perform two-component measurement of moisture quantity together with background-gas composition analysis while measuring moisture concentration accurately down to the 1 ppb level. In the Ball SAW measurement sequence, an interdigital transducer generates surface acoustic waves, which propagate around the equator of the quartz ball and respond to slight changes in the sensitive film. The interdigital transducer then detects the signal change in the reacted surface acoustic waves, and highly sensitive sensing is achieved by integrating minute changes accumulated over multiple laps around the ball. Example installations include semiconductor fabrication equipment manufacturers, mainly in preprocessing, manufacturing processes for rechargeable-battery and material manufacturers, and industrial gas manufacturers. Because moisture changes can be monitored in seconds, FalconTrace can be used to help stabilize product yield and quality in semiconductor and rechargeable-battery manufacturing processes. The analyzer does not need to be reconfigured for each background gas and can support simultaneous detection when constituent composition varies, as in natural gas; its quartz-crystal-ball sensor also provides corrosion resistance while remaining lightweight and easy to carry. The FT-700WT Mk-II is the top model in the series for ultra-trace moisture measurement, covering a dew-point range from –110°C to –42°C. In addition to dew-point measurement, the FT-700WT Mk-II detects background-gas composition, expressed as equivalent average molecular weight, at the percent level, and one unit covers different background gases from natural gas to high-purity gas. Its cited applications are quality control of industrial gases during production and shipment and purity control of gases used for semiconductor manufacturing. The FT-450WT is a high-end model emphasizing high-speed response and equipment build-in, with a dew-point measurement range from –100℃ to –42℃ and a separated sensor unit that improves layout freedom. FT-450WT applications include industrial-gas quality control during production and shipment and integration into purifier systems and cylinder cabinets. The FT-400WT is a medium model for real-time measurement in the middle range; it detects changes from a dew point of -90°C within 1 second, is suited to real-time control-system measurement, and is also available as a built-in type. Its application examples include quality control on general manufacturing lines and moisture-content monitoring in battery manufacturing processes. Sylph is an ultra-compact gas chromatograph using the Ball SAW sensor; it received a CES 2023 Innovation Award and is an A5-sized portable gas analyzer that measures the types and concentrations of various mixed gases.
Capabilities and products
- Ball SAW trace-gas chemical sensing
- 1 ppb trace-moisture analysis for industrial and natural gases
- ultra-compact gas chromatography for mixed gases