March 4, 2009: The Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN), based in the UK, has announced a strategic partnership with the Joint Equipment Materials Initiative (JEMI) to look at atomic layer deposition. A March 31 focus-group event will include presentations from key players in the industry, including Metryx, Beneq, Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Presentations at the meeting, to be held at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Didcot, will give delegates an insight into the technique of ALD and how to control and monitor the processes and scale up to large areas and there will be a focus on applications in lighting displays and high performance CMOS semiconductors.

A panel session — to be hosted by Rob Stevens from RAL, Professor PK Nathan from Brunel University and Ric Allott from UK Displays and Lighting KTN — will focus on the current standing of the UK both academically and industrially, and will look at where market opportunities exist and are created through commercialization of IP as well as strategic partnerships.

The NanoKTN and JEMI said in a news release that they are hopeful that the focus group will meet the objective of stimulating formation of a complete supply chain, for successful implementation of nanotechnology in this industry sector.

Key areas to be explored are the fundamentals of ALD processing, the challenges of precursor materials for ALD, overviews of ALD in the UK and the opportunities and threats in the UK supply chain and applications in displays and lighting.