Plasma Controls
Plasma Controls, LLC is a Fort Collins-based specialty engineering company that designs custom hollow cathodes, plasma diagnostic equipment, and proprietary simulation codes for electric propulsion R&D and thin film deposition applications, serving government agencies, aerospace contractors, and plasma research facilities worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersFort Collins, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Plasma Controls does
Plasma Controls, LLC is a privately held specialty engineering company founded in 2007 and headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, co-located with the Center for Electric Propulsion and Plasma Engineering (CEPPE) at Colorado State University. The company designs, manufactures, and sells custom plasma devices and diagnostic equipment — including hollow cathode assemblies (operating from milliamps to tens of amps in multiple gas environments), electrostatic energy analyzers (ESA), ExB velocity filters, current density probes, emissive probes, and Langmuir probes — and operates two proprietary numerical simulation codes (ffx for 3-D ion optics grid design and lifetime prediction, and Surface Evolve for sputter deposition modeling). Its technology targets two adjacent problem areas: electric propulsion research (ion thrusters, Hall-effect thrusters, spacecraft plasma contactors) and plasma thin film deposition (material surface modification, sputtering, etching, coating deposition for thermoelectric, biomaterial, and coating applications).
The company earns revenue through three streams: (1) direct, quote-based sale of custom hardware (hollow cathode assemblies, power units, gas flow systems, diagnostic equipment) to government agencies, aerospace contractors, and plasma research facilities; (2) self-service e-commerce sales of custom hollow cathode and ion source tips via its online storefront (shop.plasmacontrols.com); and (3) per-project research and testing services that leverage CEPPE's vacuum facilities for both experimental and numerical analysis work. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled via contact-based quoting for hardware and project scoping for services, with no subscription, SaaS, or recurring revenue model in evidence.
The company's customer base spans government agencies and private-sector aerospace companies involved in electric propulsion R&D, academic and commercial plasma research laboratories, and materials science researchers. There are no named customer logos, no public financial disclosures, no recorded funding rounds, no external investors, and no parent company, indicating a small, founder-led LLC reliant on organic revenue, university-tied talent, and CEPPE infrastructure to sustain operations since founding.
Plasma Controls firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Plasma Controls
- Legal name
- Plasma Controls, LLC
- Website
- https://plasmacontrols.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Plasma Controls, LLC is a Fort Collins-based specialty engineering company that designs custom hollow cathodes, plasma diagnostic equipment, and proprietary simulation codes for electric propulsion R&D and thin film deposition applications, serving government agencies, aerospace contractors, and plasma research facilities worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Plasma Controls industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plasma and Electric Propulsion Equipment
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Welding & Plasma Power Supplies (Industrial welders, cutting power sources) (IMAGADAI)
Keywords
Where Plasma Controls is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Collins
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Plasma Controls business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Hardware Products: Sale of hollow cathode assemblies, associated power units, gas flow delivery systems, and plasma diagnostic equipment including ESA, ExB probes, current density probes, emissive probes, and Langmuir probes. Custom cables, feed-thrus, and measurement equipment also sold.
- Online Web Shop: Custom hollow cathode tips and tips for existing ion sources sold through their online e-commerce storefront (shop.plasmacontrols.com).
- Research and Testing Services: Per-project research and testing services utilizing vacuum facilities available at their co-located CEPPE facility at Colorado State University. Includes experimental and numerical analysis services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Product Sales - Quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels2 records
Plasma Controls product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Plasma Controls designs, manufactures, and sells custom hollow cathode assemblies and plasma diagnostic instruments (ESA energy analyzers, ExB velocity filters, current density probes, emissive probes, and Langmuir probes), along with associated power units and gas flow delivery systems. The company also performs per-project research, experimental testing, and numerical analysis services in electric propulsion and plasma thin film deposition using co-located vacuum facilities at Colorado State University's CEPPE center.
Product overview
Plasma Controls offers a portfolio of custom and standard plasma diagnostic equipment and research services. The core product line includes hollow cathodes for plasma production and neutralization, electrostatic energy analyzers (ESA) for measuring ion and electron energy distributions, ExB velocity filters for ion charge state characterization, and current density probes (planar and aperture styles) for measuring ion current. Additional products include emissive probes, Langmuir probes, and associated power units and gas flow delivery systems. The company also provides custom manufacturing of hollow cathode tips through its online web shop. These products serve electric propulsion research, plasma thin film deposition, and material surface modification applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hollow Cathodes Custom electron sources used to initiate, sustain, and neutralize plasmas for DC ion sources, gridless end-Hall sources, ion thrusters, and Hall-effect thrusters, operating from milliamps to tens of amps across various gas environments for spacecraft and research plasma applications.
- ESA Energy Analyzer Electrostatic energy analyzer with spherical segments and narrow ion acceptance angle that obtains ion and electron energy distribution functions (EDF/IEDF/EEDF) without differentiation, intended for plasma diagnostic measurement in electric propulsion and plasma research.
- ExB Velocity Filter Plasma diagnostic tool (Wien filter) that characterizes ion charge state and distinguishes singly, doubly, triply, etc. charged ions for argon, xenon, and other working gas plasmas, and can be combined with an ESA for energy-specific charge state data.
- Current Density Probes Planar-style and aperture-style probes for determining absolute ion current density levels, with nude-style and collimated-style configurations, typically biased 10-100V negative to measure ion current in plasma environments.
- Custom Hollow Cathode Tips Custom hollow cathode tips and replacement tips for existing ion sources sold directly through the Plasma Controls online e-commerce shop for customers maintaining their own ion sources.
- Emissive Probes Plasma diagnostic probes built and delivered to clients for measurement of plasma potential, electron temperature, and electron density.
- Langmuir Probes
Quantifiable outcome
- Hollow cathodes designed to operate at 10 A of electron emission on argon
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Plasma Controls
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Plasma Controls technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Plasma Controls partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Center for Electric Propulsion and Plasma Engineering (CEPPE) at Colorado State UniversitycorePlasma Controls is co-located and closely associated with CEPPE, housed in the Daryl B. Simons building on the foothills campus of Colorado State University. This partnership provides access to vacuum facilities for research and testing services offered to customers on a per-project basis. The association enhances Plasma Controls' research capabilities in electric propulsion and plasma thin film deposition.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Plasma Controls competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- ThrustMe: ThrustMe is a European small-sat electric propulsion company developing gridded ion thrusters and plasma propulsion systems, comparable as a downstream customer/procurement counterpart for Plasma Controls' diagnostic and cathode offerings.
- Phase Four (now part of Accion Systems): Phase Four was a small-sat electric propulsion startup developing RF thrusters and cathode/plasma technologies that directly competed with Plasma Controls' downstream customers in the smallsat propulsion market.
- Princeton Scientific Corp: Princeton Scientific supplies plasma and ion-source hardware, including custom cathodes and plasma sources used in research and industrial vacuum systems, comparable to Plasma Controls' hollow cathode and power unit product lines.
- Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation: AASC is a small R&D-focused company specializing in plasma physics, vacuum arc thrusters, and hollow cathodes, with a comparable niche position to Plasma Controls in serving electric-propulsion research customers.
Broad incumbents
- Aerojet Rocketdyne (now part of L3Harris): L3Harris (formerly Aerojet Rocketdyne) is a major incumbent prime contractor for electric propulsion systems, ion thrusters, and Hall-effect thrusters used on government missions, and competes at the system level for the same customer programs Plasma Controls serves at the component level.
Direct peers
- Busek Co. Inc. Busek develops and manufactures electric propulsion hardware including hollow cathodes, Hall-effect thrusters, and ion thrusters, and is the closest direct competitor to Plasma Controls in the U.S. small-sat propulsion and cathode components market.
- Impedans Ltd. Impedans manufactures RF plasma measurement and diagnostic instruments used in semiconductor and research plasma environments, overlapping with Plasma Controls' plasma diagnostic product lines and customer segments.
- Hiden Analytical: Hiden Analytical is a leading manufacturer of plasma diagnostic instruments including electrostatic energy analyzers, Langmuir probes, and ion/electron energy distribution systems — highly comparable products to Plasma Controls' ESA, ExB, and probe portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Plasma Controls social profiles
Digital presencePlasma Controls financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Plasma Controls leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Plasma Controls funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Plasma Controls M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Plasma Controls
What does Plasma Controls do?
Plasma Controls designs, manufactures, and sells custom hollow cathode assemblies and plasma diagnostic instruments (ESA energy analyzers, ExB velocity filters, current density probes, emissive probes, and Langmuir probes), along with associated power units and gas flow delivery systems. The company also performs per-project research, experimental testing, and numerical analysis services in electric propulsion and plasma thin film deposition using co-located vacuum facilities at Colorado State University's CEPPE center.
Is Plasma Controls a public or private company?
Plasma Controls is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Plasma Controls founded?
Plasma Controls was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Plasma Controls based?
Plasma Controls is headquartered in Fort Collins, United States, in the North America region.
How does Plasma Controls make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Hardware Products are the primary driver. The others are online Web Shop and research and Testing Services.
Who are Plasma Controls's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are ThrustMe, Phase Four (now part of Accion Systems), Princeton Scientific Corp and Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation. Aerojet Rocketdyne (now part of L3Harris) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Busek Co. Inc., Impedans Ltd. and Hiden Analytical.
Does Plasma Controls have an API?
No public API is recorded for Plasma Controls.
What industry is Plasma Controls in?
Plasma Controls's product category is Plasma and Electric Propulsion Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGADAI, Welding & Plasma Power Supplies (Industrial welders, cutting power sources). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.