ISI

Update 10/26/2014: in process of scanning a massive number of documents. Most of them have been scanned but need to be sorted.

International Scientific Instruments (ISI)

Master schematic list

DS130

Some sort of site dedicated to ISI microscopes but has no real info, seems to be advertising only

Advert

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History

Private communication with a past ISI employee: "ISI became Topcon and got out of the SEM business and moved into surveying products"

Incorporation documents indicate it was founded (in the US) around 1972. This is reasonably consistent with schematic dates.

Its demise is unclear. The ISI trademark expired in 2004 and was renewed at least until 1983. It takes 6 years for a trademark to expire indicating they were at least somewhat active until 1998.

This document is more specific saying that it was specifically dissolved 1 July 1993. This document also explains some of the Georgia-Pleasonton connection. However, it also claims incorporation was not until 1976. It could simply be that they did bussiness in the US as early as 1972 but didn't incorporate until 1976.

The latest schematic I have is dated 1984.

This document indicates they became inactive in 1995.

Most of the schematics are marked Akashi. Its unclear to me the exact history behind these companies. I've also seen Akashi Beam Technology (ABT) Corporation. Maybe ABT and ISI merged? Akashi might have been the foreign (korean?) arm of ISI.

Address

I noticed that ISI seems to have moved around a lot. For my own amusement, this is a list of addresses I've seen

1400 Sterlin Road

Mountain View, CA 94043

Headquarters: 3255-6C Scott Boulevard · Santa Clara, CA 95050

1457 McCarthy Boulevard

Milpitas, CA 95035

ISI International Scientific Instruments, Inc. 6940 Koll Center Parkway Pleasanton, CA 94566 USA Tel: 415 462 2212 Scanning electron microscopes (WET-SEM series) and transmission electron microscopes.

I've also seen Palo Alto listed