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xemX materials space exploration GmbH
We create materials.
We create thin-film material libraries, measure 342 registered positions, and return composition-property maps that show which regions deserve validation. Selected regions can then be deposited as controlled uniform coatings or test layers on short timelines.
37Elements available
342Measured positions
7Cathodes per run
100 mmSingle wafer
Materials
We create alloys and thin-film materials.
xemX deposits real, physical thin-film samples across a continuous composition gradient on a single 100 mm wafer. One campaign measures 342 predefined positions. Each position is tied to composition, structure, and selected property data.
Combinatorial co-sputtering
Up to 7 elements are deposited simultaneously via magnetron sputtering in a single run. DC, RF, pulsed DC, HiPIMS, and reactive sputtering (N2, O2) are all available, covering metals, alloys, nitrides, and oxides. The composition varies continuously across the wafer, producing a laterally resolved library with 342 measured positions.
Multi-element and high-entropy systems
The deposition system was built for composition spaces too large to test one sample at a time. Core operating domains include transition metal nitrides, high-entropy alloys, multi-component oxides, conductive films, and catalyst libraries. Transition metals and their combinations form the primary operational range of the system.
Initial study or multi-round campaign
Campaigns support a single exploratory study or a multi-round program. The first run maps a defined slice of the composition space. Later runs use measured property data, Bayesian optimization, and narrower element ranges to focus on the most informative regions.
From composition map to prototype
Once a campaign identifies target compositions, controlled uniform depositions on flat or structured substrates are available for downstream validation.
37 elements available in the xemX system
H
He
Li
Be
B
C
N
O
F
Ne
Na
Mg
Al
Si
P
S
Cl
Ar
K
Ca
Sc
Ti
V
Cr
Mn
Fe
Co
Ni
Cu
Zn
Ga
Ge
As
Se
Br
Kr
Rb
Sr
Y
Zr
Nb
Mo
Tc
Ru
Rh
Pd
Ag
Cd
In
Sn
Sb
Te
I
Xe
Cs
Ba
La
Hf
Ta
W
Re
Os
Ir
Pt
Au
Hg
Tl
Pb
Bi
Po
At
Rn
Available
Not in current configuration
Contact us to confirm availability for your specific element combination.
Platform Characteristics
From deposition to characterization scan.
The primary platform is a physical materials search loop: deposit related thin-film compositions, measure fixed wafer positions, map composition and properties, then choose the next experiment.
02
Physical sample library
Create a real composition-spread thin-film library with 342 registered measurement positions.03
Composition map
Map element ratios by EDX/EDS or WDX for the material system.04
Structure and properties
Measure XRD phase data and selected electrical, mechanical, optical, magnetic, or electrochemical response.05
Scoped follow-up
Scanning droplet cell (SDC), SECCM, XPS, microscopy, or interface analysis can be added when surface change or a localized measurement decides the next step.06
Next experiment
Measured maps, Bayesian optimization, or Gaussian-process selection support repeat samples or narrower campaigns.Applications
Use cases for measured material libraries.
These use cases cover electrochemical, structural, mechanical, electrical, optical, magnetic, interface, and process-response questions where measured libraries narrow the next test set.
Electrocatalysts
Electrocatalyst discovery
We test mixed-metal catalyst libraries to measure local activity, stability, and surface change before the next catalyst test.
- Water electrolysis OER and HER
- CO2 electroreduction with defined product analysis
- Corrosion-relevant electrochemical surfaces
Complex alloys
Complex alloys and high-entropy materials
We test alloy and high-entropy material libraries to measure phase, structure, and target properties before bulk or part-level tests.
- High-entropy alloys
- Complex solid solutions
- Shape-memory alloy directions
Oxides and nitrides
Oxide and nitride libraries
We test oxide and nitride libraries to measure stoichiometry, phase, hardness, conductivity, optical response, or catalytic response before selected-film tests.
- Cr-Al-N and related hard nitrides
- Functional oxides
- Perovskite oxide libraries
Semiconductor films
Semiconductor-relevant thin films
We test semiconductor-relevant thin films to measure resistivity, phase, texture, and process response before tests in a device layer stack.
- Diffusion barriers
- Contacts and low-resistance films
- Liners and caps
RF acoustic films
RF acoustic and piezoelectric films
We test RF acoustic film libraries to measure phase, texture, stress indicators, leakage, and fit with the layer stack before resonator-level tests.
- AlN and doped AlN films
- AlScN or ScAlN composition ranges
- Texture and phase screens
Magnetic films
Magnetic thin films
We test magnetic thin-film libraries to measure coercivity or related response with composition, phase, texture, and annealing state before tests in the target layer stack.
- Magnetic multilayers
- Coercivity screens
- Reduced-rare-earth directions
Optical films
Optical and photoelectrochemical films
We test optical and photoelectrochemical film libraries to measure reflectance, absorption, transparency, conductivity, and phase before tests in the target layer stack.
- Transparent films
- Reflectance- or absorption-tuned films
- Photoelectrochemical films
Protective coatings
Protective coatings and packaging interfaces
We test coating and interface libraries to map corrosion potential, contact resistance, mechanical response, and surface change before hardware or package-level tests.
- Bipolar plate coating directions
- Conductive protective surfaces
- Adhesion and bonding layers
Research Figures
Published visuals from the materials-library base.
Library-scale characterization
Composition, structure, magnetic, electrical, optical, mechanical, and microstructure measurements feed composition-property maps. Alfred Ludwig, npj Computational Materials 2019, Fig. 2
Structure-zone diagram
Measured and predicted microstructure classes define process ranges for thin-film samples. Banko et al., Communications Materials 2020, Fig. 6
XRD latent-space analysis
Large diffraction datasets are organized by phase similarity and structure signals before material ranges are selected. Banko et al., npj Computational Materials 2021, Fig. 1Technology
Methods behind the measured maps.
The xemX workflow combines combinatorial PVD deposition with automated characterization. Every measurement position is tied to wafer coordinates, composition, structure, and the property data selected for the material question. Additional characterization is scoped when a surface, interface, depth-profile, or validation question needs a deeper read.
Library Creation
| Synthesis | Multisource magnetron co-sputtering |
| Reactive sputtering | Oxide and nitride libraries with N2 or O2 |
| Sputtering modes | DC, RF, pulsed DC, HiPIMS, reactive (N2, O2) |
| Material classes | Metals, alloys, nitrides, oxides |
| Wafer | 100 mm composition-spread library |
| Measured positions | 342 positions per campaign |
| Library geometry | Continuous lateral composition gradient |
| Elements available | 37 across the periodic table |
| Composition routes | EDX/EDS and WDX composition mapping |
| Follow-up samples | Controlled uniform depositions after composition selection |
| Data product | Composition-property maps linked to measured wafer positions |
Campaign Core
- EDX/EDS and WDX composition mappingElement ratios tied to measured wafer positions
- Automated XRD phase mappingPhase, structure, and crystallinity across the library
- Four-point probeSheet resistance and electrical resistivity
- NanoindentationHardness and elastic modulus
- UV-VIS reflectance spectroscopyReflectance, absorption, and optical response maps
- MOKEMagnetic response maps for thin-film libraries
- Scanning droplet cell (SDC)Localized electrochemical activity, stability, corrosion, and surface-change screening
- Linked analysis workflowComposition, phase, property, and sample-position data organized for selection
Project-Specific Extensions
- SECCM and long-range SECCMHigher-resolution local electrochemistry for catalyst, interface, or corrosion studies
- XPS, RBS, NRA, atom probeSurface chemistry, depth profiles, and surface-oxide analysis when chemistry at depth matters
- SEM, TEM, AFM, FIB, tomographyHigher-resolution structure, morphology, interface, and cross-section analysis
- Cleanroom, microfabrication, layer-stack, and partner methodsFollow-up test support after the screening campaign defines material regions
- Bayesian and Gaussian-process selectionMeasured-map guided follow-up campaigns and measurement selection
How to read the method list: Campaign core methods are the usual starting point. Project-specific extensions are discussed in a technical scoping meeting when the decision needs deeper characterization or a downstream validation route.
Campaign
How a campaign works.
A campaign turns a broad composition space into a measured map. The result shows which regions are worth repeating, ruling out, or moving into deeper testing.
01
Define the space
Identify elements, composition ranges, operating conditions, target properties, and the later test the campaign needs to support.
02
Deposit the library
Co-sputter up to 7 elements onto a 100 mm wafer and create a continuous thin-film composition library with 342 measured positions.
03
Measure properties
Measure the properties tied to the decision: composition, phase, mechanical, electrical, electrochemical, optical, magnetic, or surface change.
04
Map tradeoffs
Link measured properties to composition and structure so promising regions, failure regions, and tradeoffs are visible.
05
Select candidates
Choose regions for repeat depositions, narrower campaigns, or later tests based on measured evidence.
06
Validate selected compositions
Move selected compositions into controlled uniform depositions and the appropriate downstream test format.
Team
The people behind the platform.
CTO
Dr.-Ing. Lars Banko
xemX materials space exploration GmbH, Bochum
Lars built the combinatorial PVD and automated characterization platform at the core of xemX. His PhD at Ruhr-Universität Bochum focused on combinatorial methods and machine learning for microstructure optimization, with primary systems in Cr-Al-N transition-metal nitrides and high-entropy electrocatalysts. His work connects deposition hardware, automated XRD, plasma diagnostics, electrochemical library screening, data handling, and open-source analysis tools including XCA.
COO
M.Sc. Sven Maihöfer
xemX materials space exploration GmbH, Bochum
Sven leads business development, operations, and partnerships at xemX. He manages industrial relationships, coordinates participation in European funding programs and technology networks, and translates material questions into scoped studies.
Scientific Advisor
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alfred Ludwig
Chair for Materials Discovery and Interfaces, Scientific Director ZGH, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Alfred Ludwig holds the Chair for Materials Discovery and Interfaces at Ruhr-Universität Bochum and serves as Scientific Director of the Center for Interface-Dominated High Performance Materials (ZGH). His group developed the combinatorial thin-film methodology, high-throughput characterization methods, and data-linked materials-library workflows behind the xemX approach.
Scientific Advisor
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schuhmann
Senior Professor, Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Wolfgang Schuhmann is Senior Professor at Ruhr-Universität Bochum and leads the Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES). His research spans micro- and nanoelectrochemistry, including scanning droplet cell (SDC) methods for local activity, stability, corrosion, and surface-change measurements on defined library positions.
Publications
Selected publications.
Advanced Science · 2025 · Wiley-VCH
Accelerating Combinatorial Electrocatalyst Discovery with Bayesian Optimization: A Case Study in the Quaternary System Ni-Pd-Pt-Ru for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Thelen, F.; Zehl, R.; Zerdoumi, R.; Bürgel, J. L.; Banko, L.; Schuhmann, W.; Ludwig, A.
Adv. Sci. 2025, 12(35), e07302.
https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202507302Advanced Energy Materials · 2022 · Wiley-VCH
Unravelling Composition-Activity-Stability Trends in High Entropy Alloy Electrocatalysts by Using a Data-Guided Combinatorial Synthesis Strategy and Computational Modeling
Banko, L. et al.
Adv. Energy Mater. 2022, 12, 2103312.
https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202103312Advanced Materials · 2023 · Wiley-VCH
Microscale Combinatorial Libraries for the Discovery of High-Entropy Materials
Banko, L. et al.
Adv. Mater. 2023, 35, 2207635.
https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202207635Communications Materials · 2020 · Springer Nature
Predicting Structure Zone Diagrams for Thin Film Synthesis by Generative Machine Learning
Banko, L. et al.
Commun. Mater. 2020, 1, 15.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-020-0017-2npj Computational Materials · 2021 · Springer Nature
Deep Learning for Visualization and Novelty Detection in Large X-ray Diffraction Datasets
Banko, L.; Maffettone, P. M.; Naujoks, D. et al.
npj Comput. Mater. 7, 104 (2021).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-021-00575-9ACS Combinatorial Science · 2019 · American Chemical Society
Effects of the Ion to Growth Flux Ratio on the Constitution and Mechanical Properties of Cr1-x-Alx-N Thin Films
Banko, L.; Ries, S.; Grochla, D.; Arghavani, M.; Salomon, S.; Pfetzing-Micklich, J.; Kostka, A.; Rogalla, D.; Schulze, J.; Awakowicz, P.; Ludwig, A.
ACS Comb. Sci. 2019, 21(12), 782-793.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acscombsci.9b00123npj Computational Materials · 2019 · Springer Nature
Discovery of New Materials Using Combinatorial Synthesis and High-Throughput Characterization of Thin-Film Materials Libraries Combined with Computational Methods
Ludwig, A.
npj Comput. Mater. 5, 70 (2019).
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41524-019-0205-0Contact
Book a technical scoping meeting.
Use a short call to check whether a screening campaign fits the material question, measurement route, and later validation path. Detailed material information can wait until the right project scope is in place.
Website
www.xemx.space