What Angstrom Engineering does

Angstrom Engineering Inc. is a privately held Canadian manufacturer of thin film deposition systems, founded in 1992 and headquartered at 160 Boychuk Drive, Cambridge, Ontario. The company designs, assembles and supports a comprehensive portfolio of physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and ion beam sputter deposition (IBSD) systems, organized across multiple platform tiers — from the compact Covap thermal evaporator to the fully automated Nebula Cluster multi-chamber system — and process-specific platforms including ALD ONE, Quantum Series, Perovskite Series and RETICLE IBSD. Magnetron sputtering configurations span RF, DC, Pulsed DC, HiPIMS and linear variants, complemented by low-damage techniques (Facing Target, Hollow Cathode, Gas Flow) for sensitive organic and soft-material layers.

The business operates a direct enterprise field sales model, with technical specialists collaborating with customers from initial inquiry through specification, build, deployment and lifetime support. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed because systems are custom-engineered to each application's requirements. Revenue streams include capital-equipment sales (the dominant stream), coating and analytical services delivered through the affiliated Substrata Thin Film Solutions entity, and aftermarket parts, consumables and materials-reclaim services. The proprietary Aeres control software unifies recipe management, automation and process control across the platform portfolio.

The customer base is concentrated in research universities and academic nanofabrication facilities (Princeton, MIT, Columbia, UC Santa Barbara, University of Michigan, UMass, Ottawa, Tulane, McMaster, UT Austin, Texas State), with growing exposure to quantum computing hardware, organic electronics and optoelectronics, perovskite and thin-film photovoltaics, and precision optical coatings. No industrial or commercial customer logos are disclosed in the available source material, and the company maintains a global footprint with direct sales coverage and event presence (notably AVS ALD 2026).

Name

Angstrom Engineering

Legal name

Angstrom Engineering Inc.

Website

https://angstromengineering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Angstrom Engineering, founded in 1992 and based in Cambridge, Ontario, designs and manufactures custom thin film deposition systems — PVD, CVD, ALD, PLD and IBSD — sold primarily to university and research-institution R&D facilities globally, with additional coating services via its affiliated Substrata subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Thin Film Deposition Systems (Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment)

NAICS

Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242)

akta.pro primary industry

Deposition Equipment (CVD/PVD/ALD/Epitaxy) (HDAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Thin film deposition
• Physical vapor deposition
• Chemical vapor deposition
• Atomic layer deposition
• Magnetron sputtering systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Kitchener

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Thin Film Deposition Systems: Sale of physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and atomic layer deposition systems. Systems range from compact two-source thermal evaporators to fully automated multi-chamber cluster systems. Customized configurations based on customer application requirements.
2. Coating Services: Thin film coating services for batch projects and proof-of-concept work including gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, copper, palladium, iridium, titanium nitride, and molybdenum coatings on various substrates. Also includes custom patterned coatings and analytical services (SEM, EDX, AFM, Ellipsometry, Profilometry).
3. System Support & Consumables: Parts support, materials reclaim services, and consumables (high purity materials) with global shipping.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Angstrom Engineering designs, manufactures, and supports physical and chemical vapor deposition (PVD/CVD) systems for thin film engineering, sold to research institutions, universities, and commercial R&D facilities. The product portfolio spans compact thermal evaporators to fully automated multi-chamber cluster systems, with process-specific platforms for atomic layer deposition, ion beam sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, and superconducting/qubit fabrication. The hardware is unified by the proprietary Aeres control software and complemented by thin film coating services and analytical support delivered via affiliated partner Substrata.

Product overview

Angstrom Engineering provides a comprehensive portfolio of thin film deposition systems and services. The product lineup centers on multiple PVD platform tiers (Covap, Nexdep, Amod, EvoVac, Box Coater, Nebula Cluster) that scale from compact research tools to fully automated multi-chamber production systems. Process-specific platforms include ALD ONE for atomic layer deposition, PLD for pulsed laser deposition, RETICLE IBSD for ion beam applications, Quantum Series for superconducting/qubit fabrication, and Perovskite Series for solar cell research. Deposition technologies span magnetron sputtering (with RF, DC, pulsed DC, HiPIMS variants), electron beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, ion beam processing, chemical vapor deposition, and atomic layer deposition. The ecosystem is unified by Aeres proprietary control software for recipe management and automation. Services include custom thin film coatings and analytical support through Substrata Solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ALD ONE: Advanced atomic layer deposition platform for precision thin film engineering
• RETICLE
• Aeres
• Quantum Series
• Perovskite Series

Products and services

• Covap A compact, economical physical vapor deposition platform designed for thermal evaporation in laboratory settings, featuring a rectangular clam-shell chamber for accessibility and 2 or 4 thermal-resistive sources. Targeted at researchers needing an entry-level evaporation tool.
• Nexdep A compact, configurable PVD workhorse platform outfitted with sputtering (RF, DC, pulsed DC, HiPIMS, reactive), electron beam evaporation, plasma and ion beam sources, and various automation enhancements. Positioned as a versatile mid-range research tool.
• Amod A PVD platform with larger chamber throw distances and capacity for more process enhancements, suitable for water-cooled configurations and multi-source setups. Used by research groups for multi-year production workflows.
• EvoVac The most customizable single-chamber PVD platform, with a large chamber outfitted with any source or process enhancement, supporting roll-to-roll processing, load lock integration, and multi-source configurations. Used by multi-user cleanrooms.
• Box Coater A flexible, cleanroom-compatible coating platform capable of low to high-volume production, with active modeling and correction of film thickness non-uniformity and substrate support from 100mm to 1200mm.
• Nebula Cluster Angstrom's pinnacle of automation, featuring multi-chamber cluster integration designed to meet customer process requirements with customer-selected vacuum modules for future expansion.
• ALD ONE Advanced atomic layer processing platform delivering precision and process flexibility for thin film engineering. Supports standalone or cluster-integrated operation with real-time process optimization.
• PLD (Pulsed Laser Deposition) Pulsed Laser Deposition systems engineered for precision in thin-film fabrication, enabling stoichiometric accuracy, epitaxial growth capability, and real-time RHEED monitoring.
• RETICLE IBSD Ion Beam Sputter Deposition platform designed for precise optical films with highest purity, density, and stability. The process standard for many optical thin film applications.
• Quantum Series Deposition platforms specifically designed for qubit fabrication, superconducting materials research, and indium bump bonding requirements for quantum computing applications.
• Perovskite Series Process-specific platforms addressing perovskite-specific deposition challenges for solar cells and related applications, with identified process solutions for perovskite materials.
• Linear Sputter Specialized PVD platform for large-area deposition and production throughput using linear magnetron cathodes with minimal throw distance for high deposition rates and material utilization.
• LPCVD Chemical vapor deposition platform for graphene, carbon nanotubes, and other 2D materials and applications.
• Aeres Control Software Advanced recipe and automation software platform that provides complete control over deposition processes, with parallel task management, recipe control, advanced deposition control, and SECS/GEM readiness. Unifies control across Angstrom's deposition system portfolio.
• Coating Services Expert team of process scientists designs and deposits thin-film solutions for batch projects and proof-of-concept work, including gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, copper, palladium, iridium, titanium nitride, and molybdenum coatings on various substrates; includes custom patterned coatings and analytical services such as SEM, EDX, AFM, Ellipsometry, and Profilometry. Delivered via affiliated partner Substrata (Thin Film Solutions).

Quantifiable outcome

• 45% reduction in transition times using Aeres parallel task management
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Substrata (Thin Film Solutions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubstrata is a subsidiary/affiliated company providing custom thin film coating services, patterning, and analytical services including SEM, EDX, AFM, Ellipsometry, and Profilometry. Angstrom Engineering directs customers to Substrata for coating services and analytical work, representing a coordinated service ecosystem under common ownership/control.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Veeco Instruments: Public equipment maker with MOCVD, ion beam, sputter, and ALD product lines serving LED, photonics, MEMS, and data storage — a broader incumbent whose deposition portfolio overlaps with Angstrom's RETICLE IBSD and ALD ONE platforms.
• Lam Research: Global semiconductor equipment leader with deposition (ALD, CVD) product lines competing primarily at high-volume production scale — relevant as a competitive ceiling for Angstrom's Nebula Cluster and Box Coater production aspirations.
• ULVAC: Large Japanese vacuum and deposition equipment maker with broad PVD, CVD, sputtering, and ALD systems spanning research through high-volume production — overlaps with Angstrom at the research end and competes at the production end.
• Oxford Instruments (Plasma Technology): Subsidiary of a broader scientific instrumentation group; supplies plasma etch, deposition (PECVD, ALD, sputter), and growth systems to research and specialty industrial markets — directly comparable to Angstrom's research-deposition portfolio.

Direct peers

• AJA International: Manufacturer of sputtering and deposition systems (e.g., ATC Orion, PVD product lines) targeting research labs and academic customers with magnetron sputtering configurations analogous to Angstrom's Nexdep and Amod platforms.
• Plasma-Therm: Specialty manufacturer of plasma etch and CVD deposition systems serving semiconductor, MEMS, photonics, and research customers — directly comparable on deposition equipment and end-market mix.
• Kurt J. Lesker Company: Privately held manufacturer of thin film deposition systems, vacuum components, and materials — overlapping directly with Angstrom's PVD/CVD/ALD portfolio and serving a similar research and industrial R&D customer base.
• PVD Products, Inc. Specialty manufacturer of PVD, PLD, and sputter deposition systems for research and pilot production — closely comparable to Angstrom in technology breadth and end-market focus on materials research and superconducting thin films.

Emerging players

• SENTECH Instruments: Germany-based specialist in plasma-enhanced CVD, ALD, and ICP etching systems — comparable in technology scope and academic customer focus, though with a stronger European footprint.
• NANO-MASTER: Smaller supplier of ALD, PECVD, and PVD systems targeting research and small-scale production — narrower product portfolio than Angstrom but operating in directly overlapping research and pilot-line customer segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Angstrom Engineering