Introducing the new ALV-MultiCorr Multiple Tau Digital Realtime Correlator series

Langen, 1st of July 2007

After serving as a successful and reliable tool in many photon correlation experiments for nearly 20 years (accounting for all its predecessors), sales and production of the ALV-5000/60X0 Multiple Tau Digital Real Time Correlatoris is discontinued from September 2007 on (latest orders accepted by this date). 

As an enhanced replacement for the ALV-5000/60X0 Multiple Tau Digital Real Time Correlator Series, ALV introduces the ALV-MultiCorr Digital Real Time Correlator Series per July 2007 with taking orders on the first models of this series by this date with delivery by early Q4/2007 ...

Read the full article here

New version of the ALV/CRTU Cuvette Rotation Unit now features stepper motor drive

From 01.04.2007 on, the ALV/CRTU will be shipped with geared stepper motors. These ensure a high torque drive capability maintaining the set speed at extremely high precision, which - in combination of a wide selectable speed range (>1 : 32 now) is almost impossible to achieve with DC-motors. The high gear ratio of the used gears ensures smooth travel even for low speeds without noticable “stepping” effect, but for extremely low speeds only.

The speed is selectable from ~0,013...~4 turns/min for the cuvette rotation, the cuvette up/down movement features speeds of  ~120 µm/min to as small as ~22 µm/h.

ALV/LSE-5004, the latest model of the ALV-Light Scattering Electronics is now available

From 01.04.2007 on, the ALV-Light Scattering Electronics ships in the latest version, ALV/LSE-5004. Featuring some significant improvements over previous models, it as well shows significantly reduced power consumption and is of course fully RoHS compatible. In detail, the following features have been added compared to the ALV/LSE-5003 version

• High speed / low power MCU featuring up to 24 MIPS, 256kbyte EEPROM, 16 kbytes RAM
• USB 2.1 connection to the PC instead of RS-232
• Firmware upgradable via USB (PC and internet connection required)
• Allows the attachment of up to two ALV-Monitor Diodes and two Pt-100 based temperature measurement probes
• Full support for the all ALV/CRTU versions, including the latest stepper motor type
• Full support for all ALV-Angle Encoders, including the newest 14bit type (parallel encoders are not supported)
• Inbuilt protection electronics to independently protect up to two ALV/APDs (Avalanche Photo Diode) from damage by
  too high light levels
   

RoHS conformal products

As required per guideline 2002/95/EG and 2002/96/EG, ALV will comply to the RoHS regulations for all products newly sold within the EU from 31.06.2006.

ALV’s new building

ALV moving to a new building on October 27/28 2005

ALV will move to a new building on October 27/28. On these two dates, no telephone communication with ALV will be possible. In urgent cases, please correspond to the usual e-mail adresses, however, it is unlikely you will receive answers before October 31. Thank you for your understanding.

With moving to the new building, a newly build facility and therefore customized to ALV’s needs, ALV will be able to serve the customers needs even better, because of an significant increase in available space combined with a reorganisation of all the processes involved in manufacture/assembly and test of our products. In addition, a training center for groups of up to 12 people is part of the new building, offering the opportunity to have combined training with direct access to the instruments etc. pp. An update on this with pictures will follow as soon as possible.

All phone/fax numbers and e-mail addresses as published on this homepage will be unchanged, still, from October 31 on, the new address for shipments to ALV should read

ALV-GmbH
Siemensstrasse 4

D-63225 Langen / Hessen
Germany

Support for ALV-Software running on WIN-95/98 operating system to be discontinued by 01/01/2005

More than 5 years after the latest release of the “last” 16-bit/DOS oriented WINDOWS operating sytem by Microsoft, namely from 01/01/2005 on, ALV will no longer actively support WINDOWS-95, WINDOWS/98, WINDOWS-98/SE and WIN-ME as compatible operating systems but for the “Simultaneous Multi-Angle Software”. Users should use WIN-NT, WIN-2000 (prefered), WIN-2003 or WINDOWS-XP (prefered) operating systems instead.

Important Information for using ALV-Correlator Control Software with INTEL HyperThreading CPUs !

This information does only apply to users of WIN-2000, WIN-2003 and WIN-XP operating systems AND a CPU with activated HyperThreading support.

All ALV-Correlator Control Software versions < 3.0.2.0 will not work properly with HyperThreading CPUs. These CPUs, with their ability of simulating two “virtual” CPUs being installed on the system, seem to lack certain synchronization mechanisms which were naturally “given” with just a single CPU installed and are present in an real DUAL-CPU system as well. Effectively these CPUs must be declared “incompatible” in these situations, situations, which do not introduce problems for the overwhelming number of applications, since exact synchronization of software threads is not at all required, but do infact impose significant problems, whenever such synchronisation is mandantory, as is the case in many measurement oriented applications.

Possible Workarounds in case you encounter problems (in particular strange CR-Displays, obviously wrong AutoScaling or hang-up in the AutoScale routine , spurious count-rate alerts ...):

• Make certain your CPU is a HT-CPU. If so, disable the HyperThreading support. Usually it can be switched off in the BIOS of your PC. Noteworthy, most larger PC-manufacturers seem to have it disabled by default - let’s guess why ;-)
   
• Call ALV for details and update/upgrade to the latest software version. All version 3.0.2.X or larger of the ALV-Correlator Control Software fully support INTEL HyperThreading CPUs.
   

New design for ALV-5000/60X0 Correlator Series

Since September 2002 the ALV-5000/60X0 Multiple Tau Digital Correlator Series will be delivered in a newly designed housing. See below pictures.

Integration of the ALV-Light Scattering Electronics and  ALV-5000/60X0 Correlator Series for ALV-Goniometer Customers

In addition, ALV-Goniometer customers will benefit from the integration of the ALV-Light Scattering Electronics and the ALV-5000/60X0 Multiple Tau Digital Correlator Series into a single product, now including several additional feature, such as

- even higher protection level of the Singel Photon Detectors against too high light levels
- larger LCD screen to allow even more information to be displayed
- easy control of the stepper-motor driven ALV-Laser Attenuator
- direct implementation of all electronics required for the ALV-Cuvette Rotation unit
- cable length invariant temperature measurement
 

Malvern Instruments acquires exclusive rights to patented technology from ALV

15 August

Malvern Instruments Ltd (Malvern, UK) has acquired the exclusive rights to patented technology from ALV GmbH (Langen, Germany). This technology, which is known as NIBS ® (non-invasive backscatter), enables the reliable measurement of submicron particles over a wide range of sample concentrations in a single instrument. It has particular application in the measurement of colloidal systems, proteins and macromolecules in solution, areas of growing importance in biotechnology, drug development and pharmaceutical formulation, for example, as well as traditional applications in the chemical industry.

The technology comprises a patented optical system with a unique layout that offers high sensitivity combined with the ability to measure at high sample concentrations. Traditional approaches to the measurement of submicron particles require that the instrument design is focussed on either high concentration or high sensitivity, whereas the NIBS technology is equally adept at both.

Commenting on the agreement, Paul Walker, managing director of Malvern Instruments, said:

"ALV's excellence and expertise in light scattering technology is respected world-wide and we are very pleased to have developed a relationship that allows us exclusive access to the NIBS technology.

The fit between our two companies is a good one. As world leaders we share the same concern for high quality, technically advanced products that properly serve the needs of customers"

"Later this year Malvern will launch the first products to incorporate the NIBS technology, further extending our range of particle characterization systems and enabling us to meet specific needs in rapidly emerging specialist areas".

Wilhelm Peters, general manager of ALV-GmbH, gave a warm welcome to the agreement saying:

"Malvern Instruments' wide network of contacts, their relationships with users of submicron particle size analyzers and their expertise in this field, will ensure the effective and rapid development of the full potential of the NIBS technology in this market"