AVS National Short Courses 2026
March 23-25, 2026 - Online
| March Online Courses | Dates and Times | Type | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday, March 23, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (ET) |
Zoom |
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Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (ET) |
Zoom |
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Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (ET) |
Zoom |
November 9-12, 2026 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (with AVS 72)
| November In Person Course | Date and Times | Type | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday-Thursday, Nov. 9-12, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (ET) |
In Person |
Costs and Inclusions -
During the online course you may ask questions. Instructors will review and answer them periodically throughout the course.
- Course Includes: Link to PDF file of the copyrighted course notes for online course; Printed copy of the copyrighted course notes for in person course. Digital badge and certificate following course completion.
- Requirements: You must be present the day of the course, recorded versions will not be available.
March 23-25, 2026 - Online
| Attendee Registration Type | Online Cost |
|---|---|
AVS Platinum Member |
$350 (1-day course) |
Non-Member |
$400 (1-day course) |
Full-time Student/Requires Student I.D. |
$200 (1-day course) |
November 9-12, 2026 - Pittsburgh, PA
| Attendee Registration Type | In Person Cost |
|---|---|
AVS Platinum Member |
$1,820 (4-day course) |
Non-Member |
$1,895 (4-day course) |
Full-time Student/Requires Student I.D. |
$400 (4-day course) |
UHV Design and Practices
- Understand the pump factors that limit ultimate pressure.
- Know the degassing methods that minimize the total outgassing rate.
- Learn how to measure total and partial pressures in UHV.
- Learn the operating methods necessary to maintain UHV.
Controlling Contamination in Vacuum Systems
- Understand the three phases of vacuum chamber contamination: gases, films, and particulates.
- Learn the origins of vacuum chamber contaminants and methods for controlling or eliminating them.
Sputter Deposition
- Understand the fundamentals of sputter deposition
- Review and discuss options for sputtering system design
- Learn how rf sputtering differs from dc sputtering and understand how rf sputtering works
- Understand reactive sputtering
- Understand thin film properties are modified by adjusting sputtering parameters
Instructor
Angus Rockett
Head of the Dept. of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines; Emeritus Professor, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois (Retired)
Fundamentals of Vacuum Technology
- Understand vacuum fundamentals essential to operating, maintaining, designing, or using vacuum systems.
- Know the working principles and limitations of pumps, gauges, and other vacuum system components.
- Understand the procedures for operating and performing preventive maintenance on vacuum systems, including analyzing and troubleshooting malfunctioning vacuum systems and leak detection.
- Learn the design concepts involved in matching equipment and instrumentation to applications.
Instructors
Tim Gessert
Principal Scientist and Managing Member, Gessert Consulting, LLC
Instructor
Neil Peacock
Consultant, Pine Place Consulting, LLC
Other AVS Events
AVS e-Talks & Webinars 2026 - Coming Soon
| e-Talks and Webinars 2026 | Date and Times | Type | Presenters |
|---|---|---|---|
Title Coming Soon |
Tues. April 28, 2026 |
FREE |
Ekta Bhatia, |
Atomic Layer Etch for Better Quantum Device Performance |
Wed., May 13, 2026 |
FREE |
Russ Renzas, |
Inside Industry: Career Growth, Leadership & Professional Impact |
Wed., May 20, 2026 |
Zoom Webinar |
Panel |
Have an Idea for a Webinar or e-Talk?
We welcome suggestions for future Webinars and/or e-Talk topics and speakers.
Please e-mail Webinar suggestions to David Adams, AVS Short Course Chair, david_adams@avs.org.
Please e-mail e-Talk suggestions to Katherine Burzynski, AVS e-Talk Chair, katherine_burzynski@avs.org.
Courses by Request Form: Don’t see the course you need? Fill out this form to help us schedule it for you.
AVS Onsite/Online Training Form: Want a custom onsite course at your facility? Fill out this form for a quote (10+ participants ideal)