Category Archives: LEDs

PHILADELPHIA, June 21, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) — The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/SEP) and the United States Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have agreed to establish a broad framework for cooperation to help promote research, technology transfer and commercialization of new discoveries and capabilities in nanotechnology, particularly in life sciences and biotechnology.

A measurement of infrastructure, specific to the challenges used by nanotechnology, is essential for the widespread adoption and commercialization of nanotechnology. NIST researchers are developing measurements, standards, and data crucial to U.S. industry’s competitiveness in the fast-emerging field. Within a decade, global sales of products embodying nanotechnology innovations could top $2.5 trillion.

Representatives of the Commonwealth, BFTP/SEP and NIST said they expect the new partnership to begin with a series of focus groups to explore industry needs and areas for technical collaborations.

“This collaboration strengthens our role as a leader of cutting-edge science and technology, innovation, research and commercialization,” said Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Yablonsky. “Through this partnership, the Commonwealth and its technology-based economic development partners and organizations will continue to stimulate growth and create high-wage, highly skilled jobs that strengthen Pennsylvania’s overall economy.”

“Our partnership will bring the voices and views of the region’s companies, academic and research institutions, and economic development organizations into a national dialogue to identify critical issues around bio and nano metrology that will impact downstream commercialization and production,” BFTP/SEP’s President and Chief Executive Officer RoseAnn B.Rosenthal said.

NIST’s Acting Director Dr. Hratch Semerjian agreed.

“The intersection of nanotechnology and biotechnology is clearly one of the most exciting and rapidly changing research areas today,” Dr. Semerjian said. “We look forward to working with the Ben Franklin Technology Partners and taking advantage of their insight into the directions and interests of nano- and biopharmaceutical firms in their region, particularly the emerging nano- and biotechnology enterprises.”

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development

The Department of Community and Economic Development fosters opportunities for businesses and communities to succeed and thrive in a global economy, thereby enabling Pennsylvanians to achieve a superior quality of life. Led by Secretary Dennis Yablonsky, the Department ensures growth and development in our businesses and communities across Pennsylvania.

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Part of the Commerce Department’s Technology Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is the nation’s premier measurement laboratory and a key contributor to the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), a long-term federal effort to speed the advance of the emerging fields of nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. NIST’s unique cross-disciplinary perspective and research capabilities allow it to bring tools and expertise from physics, chemistry, engineering, manufacturing science, electronics, materials science and information technology to bear on the key challenges in bioscience and nanotechnology (http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/nanotech.htm).

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania Since 1982, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/SEP) has helped grow the region through science, technology and entrepreneurship. Part of a state-wide network in Pennsylvania, BFTP/SEP provides entrepreneurs and established businesses the capital, talent, and expertise they need to compete in the global marketplace. It is a founding partner of the Nanotechnology Institute (NTI) and the Mid-Atlantic Nanotechnology Alliance (MANA) and is funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development.

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June 17, 2005 – The Washington Technology Center’s (WTC) Microfabrication Laboratory is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Like any entrepreneurial venture, we experienced successes and challenges in achieving this milestone. It’s how we faced those challenges and leveraged our successes over the last decade that has led this public laboratory to become a regional center for research and innovation.

When launching an ambitious project like a public laboratory, two elements are critical. First, have a clear vision. Second, set a path for achieving this vision.

When WTC opened its Microfabrication Laboratory in 1995, MEMS was beginning to gain attention as a viable technology with strong market potential. The 15,000 square-foot facility offered a space where academic and industry researchers could take advantage of leading-edge process equipment and small-scale prototyping.

Washington had a strong research base in MEMS and companies were beginning to see the technology’s market potential. WTC capitalized on this by focusing the lab’s MEMS research and development capabilities. It integrated MEMS into its programs, positioned MEMS as an emerging industry in the state and supported MEMS projects through research grants. Washington now has a robust MEMS industry cluster and the Microfabrication Laboratory is a fully functional, self-supporting R&D resource for researchers and engineers worldwide.

Long-term commitment is essential for operational success. It is not enough to simply ride on the coattails of an industry boom. In 2000, WTC tried to capture a share of the photonics market. It was believed that the lab could attract photonics clients by shoehorning MEMS processes towards this effort without a large investment in equipment and infrastructure. This approach had short-term success. The lab benefited from the market surge and captured overflow from the shortage of available R&D facilities. However, without the long-range planning needed to carve out a niche, business didn’t hold once the hype subsided. Researchers migrated to facilities that had invested fully in photonics and we missed an opportunity to distinguish ourselves as an industry leader.

WTC is taking this to heart as the next generation of technologies emerges. Nanotechnology is the perfect example. The Washington Nanotechnology Initiative is underway, creating a framework for investing in facilities, education, job skills training and industry growth. WTC is committed to making the Microfabrication Laboratory the center for nanotechnology research in Washington.

The Microfabrication Laboratory opened its doors with an ambitious goal. Located on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, the lab set out to be a resource for academic research teams and industry clientele. This hybrid model didn’t fit a public facility’s typical mold. Most engineers draw a distinction between academic research labs and commercial foundries. Academics tend to view the lab from the perspective of a facility. Their priority is access to equipment; they don’t always understand the financial commitment required to run a lab. Industries see the lab as a resource. They are willing to pay user fees to have access to reliable turnkey processes, thus avoiding hiring research staff or building facilities during early-stage development. We had to show our customers that a public laboratory could be both a center for cutting-edge scientific research and a resource for commercial product development.

Managing a shared user space didn’t come easily. WTC had to overcome stereotypes to determine how the lab would operate. Clearing these hurdles involved:

1. A Shift in Mindset. Requiring academic researchers to embrace a user-fee model meant asking them to adopt a standard of practice foreign to academic research facilities. This change in perception took time. For industry clients, it meant getting them to see value in a collaborative environment beyond mere production and development.

2. Management. It was important to hire engineers, technicians and managers who understood what it takes to operate in the style of a commercial enterprise.

3. Model of Operation. You can’t be everything to everybody, but you can serve multiple customers successfully if your business plan is solid and your clients understand the benefits to them. In our case, the rewards were clear: academic researchers and startup companies working side-by-side creates an exciting R&D environment.

WTC has seen many entrepreneurial companies achieve market leadership and university research projects evolve into commercial-ready technologies. These achievements are proof that with strong leadership, a clear mission and ongoing commitment, a public laboratory can be a center of excellence for research and development.

June 10, 2005 — Clear Shape Technologies Inc., a maker of semiconductor design software and technologies, announced it has raised more than $5 million in its second round of venture financing, bringing total funding to more than $10 million.

The funding will be used to help accelerate development and deployment of the company’s software and other technologies, according to a company release. Clear Shape aims to help semiconductor designers increase yield and streamline processes in sub-90 nanometer design.

The round was led by Intel Capital, Intel Corp.’s strategic investment program. KT Venture Group, the investment partner of KLA-Tencor, also participated. Clear Shape raised its first round in 2004 from US Venture Partners, Telos Ventures and AsiaTech Management.

June 10, 2005 — Nanosolar Inc., a Palo Alto, Calif., developer of nanostructured solar cells, is expected to announce on Monday that it closed on $20 million in Series B funding last month.

Mohr Davidow Ventures led the round. New investors Mitsui & Co. of Japan and Onpoint Technologies also participated, along with existing investors Benchmark Capital and others. Onpoint Technologies is a strategic private equity arm funded by the U.S. Army.

Nanosolar previously announced raising $5 million in first round funding in June, 2003, in which U.S Venture Partners, Benchmark Capital and Stanford University participated along with unnamed individuals.

The company’s Web site also lists as individual investors CEO Martin Roscheisen, Sunil Paul and Carl Page as well as Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page. Roscheisen and Carl Page (Larry’s brother) previously co-founded eGroups, a company that was acquired by Yahoo! in 2000.

Along with the funding, Nanosolar is also expected to announce that Erik Straser has joined its board of directors. Straser is a general partner at Mohr Davidow.

– David Forman

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June 6, 2005 – The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne may be located on the idyllic banks of Lake Leman, but the institute has its feet solidly on the ground. Its programs combine technical training with something rarely emphasized in science and engineering: linguistic dexterity.

Its leaders believe that mix will make the institute more attractive to students and to the businesses that eventually hire them.

“We think that in the long term, quite a few business sectors, such as micro and nanoelectronics and MEMS, will require people who have multidisciplinary training,” said Adrian Ionescu, director of EPFL’s Institute of Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM). “Companies are interested in people who are ‘polytech-nicians’ — generalists who can specialize later on, once they have joined a specific industry.”

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IMM research covers different fields, including integrated circuits, materials for microelectronics, sensors and biomedical and space applications. About 120 people work at the institute, in 12 separate laboratories. There are about 50 doctoral students and 13 professors in addition to scientific staff and post-doctoral students.

Philippe Renaud, a professor at IMM who specializes in bioMEMS and microstructures, said faculty look for ways to involve students in real-world projects. “For example, there was recently a master’s student in microelectronics at the school. For his master’s thesis, we asked him to design a device that would make an artificial retina we are developing functional.” The student has since graduated and gone to Japan on a paid internship closely associated to the engineering and design work he was doing at IMM.

Lausanne is in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, but the EPFL is a bit of an international island. Faculty teach first-year classes in French and German, the second and third years in French. Starting at the master’s level, they switch to English. Books and materials used are all in English, though French still crops up in classes. But students have the right to request that classes be held exclusively in English.

The English-only policy is expected to further internationalize the student body. Already, 40 percent of all students are non-Swiss. That number jumps to 66 percent at the doctoral level, making EPFL one of the most cosmopolitan graduate schools in Europe. The team in Renaud’s lab, for instance, includes people of seven different nationalities.

“Up to now, our institution hasn’t been very attractive for potential students from English-speaking countries,” Renaud said. “We are hoping that our switch to 100 percent English teaching this year, starting at the master’s level, will change that.”

The Swiss state finances 40 percent of the IMM. The remaining funds come from contract work, either partnership projects with the European Union, the Swiss National Fund for Scientific Research or industry. The cost for students remains modest; annual school fees are $1,100 for international students, though Swiss living expenses must be factored in on top of that.

IMM is relatively selective. According to Ionescu, only about half of the applicants get chosen. “We have a lot of applications, but we sometimes lack financing,” he said, adding that most doctoral students are financed by professors’ contract work.

Some of the research performed at the school has led to the creation of spinoffs, but the school also likes to sell patented discoveries to companies interested in developing a product based on the patent. EPFL’s Industrial Relations Service handles technology transfer for the school and helps university startups get off the ground with coaching services and access to cleanrooms.

“If we find we can’t interest an existing company to take up a licensing agreement with us, we encourage the creation of an in-house startup,” Renaud said. “Our main objective is that the school’s inventions and innovations create some value.”

NEW PRODUCTS


June 1, 2005

Adjustable armrests

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Adjustable armrests and additional controls for seat and/or backrest adjustment are now available as options on BioFit Class 10 (ISO Class 4) cleanroom chairs. The selection increases opportunities for customizing basic Class 10 (ISO Class 4) models to meet the exact requirements of individual users and specific high-tech applications. The armrests are both height and width adjustable and have either upholstered or self-skinned urethane pads. Adjustability increases the armrests’ capability to provide proper arm support that can greatly reduce shoulder, back and neck strain from prolonged seated work. The adjustability also adds to a chair’s flexibility in providing comfort and support for multiple users. Depending on the chair model and control selected, a seated individual can adjust seat and backrest height and tilt as needed to support posture changes and work comfortably at desk, bench or high-bench work levels. Seat and backrest can be locked into place as required for the stability needed for close work.

BioFit Engineered Products
Bowling Green, Ohio
www.biofit.com

Hose identification

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These seven solutions for hose identification nearly double the number previously available. Imprinted, laser-etched, electronically tagged and color-coded products create traceability, allow for instant recognition, identify capabilities or limitations, improve safety and help achieve regulatory compliance. The hose identification methods are designed for tubing and hose manufactured of silicone and for rubber-covered or overbraided hoses of various materials. The solutions may be used separately or in combination with each other when complex applications call for multilevel identification. The selection of hose identification solutions already available includes AdvantaLabel, Color-Striped Silicone Tubing, Laser-Etched Hose Collars and Hose Track. The expanded options consist of Color Tracer Braid, Color Silicone Tubing and Laser-Etched Tags.

AdvantaPure
Southampton, Pa.
www.advantapure.com

Purification kit

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The Vivapure 8- to 96-well cobalt-chelate kit, a complete system for simultaneous purification of multiple His-tagged proteins, includes ready-to-use, membrane-based hardware for all steps of the purification process: lysate filtration, protein purification, eluate collection and storage. All kit components are compatible with multichannel devices and automated workstations, making the system suitable for high-throughput applications. The kit offers a unique modular format. Depending on the sample number, up to twelve individual 8-strips are inserted into frames with the footprint of standard 96-well plates. This feature results in proportionate savings when less than 96 samples are simultaneously processed.

Vivascience AG
Hannover, Germany
www.vivascience.com

Run-to-run application

The Run-to-Run (R2R) plug-in application for the Brooks Software’s Advanced Process Control (APC) platform provides a development environment that lowers the cost of ownership by reducing model management activities through a unified modeling structure and advanced technology particularly suited for high mix product environments. The R2R module includes a graphical development environment, enabling process engineers to quickly develop their own process controls without complex software code. Furthermore, users can deploy preconfigured controllers for common process areas such as lithography, etch, CMP and diffusion. The module provides a high level of interoperability to ensure that manufacturers can deploy the company’s best-of-breed application modules, as well as third-party control applications, or customer-developed proprietary applications. The platform provides a user interface and execution engine that allows users to configure APC strategies graphically without relying on costly software code or scripts.

Brooks Software
Chelmsford, Mass.
www.brooks.com

Thermal flow sensor

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The SS 20.60 FB enhanced air and gas flow sensors with integrated field bus interface deliver ready-prepared measuring values like Kg/hr or m3/min. The user has access to the sensor’s status information and is informed by the PLC of any defects. This compact sensor has several applications including combustion air control in gas, coal or oil burners as well as in fuel cells, volume flow measurements in nitrogen or other passivation gases, compressed-air consumption measurements and volume flow measurements in biological wastewater treatment.

SCHMIDT Technology GmbH
St. Georgen, Germany
www.schmidttechnology.de

POC analyzer

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This analyzer effectively and continuously monitors photochemical organic contamination (POC), such as nonmethane hydrocarbons and siloxanes, and provides real-time contamination results. POCs have the potential of absorbing laser throughput, forming contamination layers on optical surfaces or permanently degrading the optical system. With detection limits in the low ppb range and providing high accuracy, the POC analyzer can detect contamination before it causes irreversible damage. The POC analyzer can be combined with molecular contamination analyzers to monitor other compounds such as ammonia, total amines, total acids, or sulfur dioxide. Because of the monitor’s high stability, maintenance is infrequent and inexpensive.

Particle Measuring Systems
Boulder, Colo.
www.pmeasuring.com

Spill sensor

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The new OS 250 detects spills and leaks before they cause a problem. As little as three drops of liquid will cause the OS 250 to react. The system consists of a moisture-sensing mat made of a material specially developed for detecting liquid spills. A simple connection between the mat and the OS 250 controller will sound an audible alarm, flash an LED and will turn off the power of any device plugged into the single-outlet, solid-state power controller. The switched power outlet can control up to 8 amps. The spill sensor is supplied with the controller and four reusable 30 cm x 30 cm mats that can be cut to any size with a knife or sharp scissors. It also includes the connector cable between the mat and the controller. The overall dimensions of the controller are 4.6 cm x 8.2 cm x 18 cm. Applications for the OS 250 include pharmaceutical, chemical, petrochemical, biotechnology, semiconductor, plastics, industrial, government and scientific research and development markets.

KD Scientific Inc.
Holliston, Mass.
www.kdscientific.com

Handheld airborne particle counters

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The APC and APC Plus stainless-steel handheld airborne particle counters are easier to decontaminate for entry into your critical environments and can simultaneously measure up to four particle size ranges. Additional features include a user-friendly control panel, programmable count and hold times and two concentration modes. The particle counters are a part of the company’s HYCON system, which is a complete line of products used for environmental monitoring. This system includes the RCS microbial air samplers and contact slides for surface sampling. All HYCON products are designed to be used in a wide range of contamination-control applications.

Biotest Diagnostics Corporation, USA
Denville, N.J.
www.BiotestUSA.com

Dust collector cartridge filters

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A new HemiPleat filter offers greatly extended service life and lower pressure drop compared to standard dust collector cartridge filters. The HemiPleat line includes filter elements to fit virtually all types of new and existing cartridge dust collectors, providing high-efficiency capture of dry dusts in a full range of applications. The key to the filter’s performance is a patent-pending pleating technology that has never before been used in the manufacture of a cylindrical dust collection filter. A media pack design holds the pleats of the cartridge open, making virtually all the media surface available for filtration. The wide, uniform spacing results in lower pressure drop for more efficient performance. This design also causes dust to release more readily from the cartridge during pulse cleaning and uses less compressed air for many applications. Extensive testing shows that the HemiPleat cartridge also holds more dust than conventional filters, allowing a longer time period between cleaning cycles.

Farr Air Pollution Control
Jonesboro, Ark.
www.farrapc.com

Microbial identification system

The MicroSeq microbial identification system supports customers in meeting U.S. FDA requirements for aseptic processing for the manufacture of sterile drug and biological products under current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations (21 CFR Parts 210 and 211). The MicroSeq system is the first DNA sequence-based system to provide advanced identification of sterility isolates to the species level. The MicroSeq system can help manufacturers positively identify and classify even new and previously uncharacterized bacteria and fungi because the system uses PCR-based sequencing methods to amplify and rapidly identify organisms. The sequences are compared to a validated library for positive identification and taxonomic classifications. The MicroSeq system provides microbial identification capacities for quality control to some of the world’s largest clinical laboratories, environmental monitoring agencies and pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturers. The system allows users to develop properly documented manufacturing quality controls that can help them rapidly identify and solve sterility failures.

Applied Biosystems
Foster City, Calif.
www.microseq.com

Reverse osmosis

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The Osmotron Inject is a plant for the production of highly purified water (HPW) by means of two reverse osmosis stages and electrodeionization. The compact unit is entirely hot water-sanitizable and constitutes a safe, closed system. In the first process step, after having passed the security filter, softened water reaches the reverse osmosis at a high pressure. The water passes through the membrane with a residual salt content of approximately two percent, leaving most of the dissolved and any suspended matter behind. In the next step, the permeate passes to the patented, temperature-stable electrodeionization module Septrosan, where it is fully demineralized. This treatment also reduces pyrogens and microbial contamination to a great extent due to the very high pH gradients (pH 2 to pH 12). The last process step is reverse osmosis or, when an integrity test is required, ultrafiltration (UF). The hollow-fiber UF module is also sanitizable and can be completely drained. The Osmotron Inject produces a water quality considerably better than the limit values of USP 27 and EP 5, with conductivity reaching a value of approximately 0.1 μS/cm and the TOC value is typically less than 20 ppb. The relevant microbial values are typically less than 5 CFU/100 ml and endotoxin levels are less than 0.06 EU/ml. The standard product range provides 500 to 10,000 liters per hour and customized configurations are available for higher flow rates. The Osmotron Inject is manufactured using 316 L, orbitally welded sanitary pipework with a surface roughness Ra of less than 0.8 μm.

Christ Water Technology Group
Aesch, Switzerland
www.christwater.com

Stainless-steel cable containment system

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HYCON is a modular, hygienic stainless-steel cable containment system. It is fully sealed and waterproof to European standard IP66 (power hose-proof). HYCON, constructed of 316 grade steel, uses new and patented technology. It is suitable for full-wash, is neutral to contamination, and has hygienic installation qualities. It is useful in pharmaceutical plants, cleanroom environments, chemical plants and food-processing plants. The company also offers a semisealed variant, HYCON-S.

Dunreidy Engineering Ltd.
Kilkenny, Ireland
www.hycon-irl.com

Leak detection instrument

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Sensistor Technologies has introduced the H2000TM, which uses a safe, nonhazardous mixture of 5 percent hydrogen in 95 percent nitrogen to detect leaks. This method allows for nondestructive testing with short cycle times and reliable results, regardless of temperature variations or the test object’s shape. This leak-detection solution is suitable for a variety of medical applications including medical implants, medical consumables, medical instrumentation and medical packaging-including the ability to locate leaks in collection bags, blood bags, IV bags, and nourishment bags. It is a compact and robust system that is extremely sensitive to hydrogen gas and can be used to detect leaks that are smaller than a bacterium. This product is easily transportable, making it easy to move around when searching for leaks on a large objects. It is entirely electronic, requiring no pumps, valves, or vacuums and, thus, needs minimal maintenance. The instrument features a standard probe with no sample suction, so dust contamination is prevented. The probe can also be equipped with a protective cover that allows leak detection on wet objects, and is easy to replace if damaged. The H2000’s user-friendly display makes changing menu settings fast and easy.

Sensistor Technologies, Inc.
Boston, Mass.
www.sensistor.com

Clean bench

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The Series 204 horizontal laminar flow clean benches include an internal motorized filter unit for full filter coverage and three-side access for easy cleaning. They come in several sizes ranging from 2 x 2 feet to 2 x 6 feet. They are designed for installation on top of an existing tabletop, with the filter in the rear of the unit and the hood on the front of the unit. The prefilter may be serviced from behind the unit. This product also features a decorative, white-painted steel housing. Options include a stainless-steel housing, stainless-steel hood and integrated light.

Clean Air Products
Minneapolis, Minn.
www.cleanairproducts.com

Aerosol monitor

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The AES-1000 aerosol monitor has an easy-to-read LED display that indicates the current air cleanliness level (equivalent to Class 100-Class 100,000/ISO Class 5-Class 8) by using a scale of one to ten. The monitor is extremely portable and can be set up almost anywhere particulate levels (0.3 μm and larger) must be monitored. The AES-1000 can be linked to an Ethernet system or connected to an existing LAN cable.

Shinyei Corporation of America
San Diego, Calif.
www.shinyei.com

Dispensing system

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The Acerta DS1 dispensing system is a single-head liquid-filling unit that uses a pre-assembled, sterile, disposable filling module. The system is designed for final sterile injectables and diagnostics in biotechnology and classical pharmaceutical manufacturing across a range of fill weights and applications. This includes process development, new drug development testing, clinical trial filling and small scale production. To provide complete product containment for enhanced sterility assurance and operator safety, all contact parts in the filling assembly are pre-assembled and disposable. This makes the Acerta DS1 system useful for cytotoxic and gene therapy products. In addition, the single-use module eliminates autoclaving, steam-in-place and clean-in-place procedures, and reduces validation efforts. The equipment can easily be configured for manual filling, as well as integrated into existing or new filling lines. The system can perform up to 40 fills per minute, and dispenses from 0.2 to 10 mL consistently within +/- 0.5 percent, even at small volumes. Easy to set up and use, the system improves flexibility and productivity for filling operations.

Millipore Corporation
Billerica, Mass.
www.millipore.com

Oxygen analyzers

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The Rapidox 2100 and 3100 oxygen analyzers allow for fast and accurate analysis of oxygen gas from under 1 ppm all the way up to 100 percent volume. These units were designed for a variety of applications from gas purity to vacuum leak detection. Each unit comes complete with software for data logging and offers comprehensive facilities normally found on much more expensive models. The units are easy to use and simple to calibrate using any two oxygen concentrations in the range of the analyzer. The display and outputs are all user programmable. The Rapidox 2100 is a transportable version with remote sensor head. The sensor head is a zirconia ceramic tube heated to 650°C. The analyzer supplies this through the provided two-meter cable. An optional air pump can be used to provide a smooth flow of gas drawn from flexible tubing. The Rapidox 3100 is a fixed version with built-in air pump and internal sensor. This unit is available bench-mounted or panel-mounted.

CEA Instruments, Inc.
Emerson, N.J.
www.ceainstr.com

Mass spectrometers

These two new mass spectrometers, the 3200 Q TRAP and the API 3200 LC/MS/MS systems with Turbo V source for added sensitivity, throughput, and cost-effectiveness in mass spectrometry-based workflows, are designed for food and beverage, environmental, forensic, clinical research and pharmaceutical analysis markets. By incorporating the Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX proven Turbo V source and API 4000 LC/MS/MS system series interface and ionization sources into a smaller platform, these new systems provide increased sensitivity, greater flexibility, and improved ease-of-use when compared to similarly priced instruments. The ceramic interface of these two systems reduces chemical background and improves sensitivity under LC conditions, yielding better efficiency relative to older source technologies, especially at higher flow rates. The API 3200 LC/MS/MS system with Turbo V source provides improved performance, especially at high flow rates, allowing for easy method transfer from LC/UV to LC/MS/MS workflows, which offers the advantages of improved sensitivity, speed and simplified sample preparation in the pharmaceutical analysis, environmental and forensic markets. Additionally, because the Turbo V source family is now compatible with five Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX LC/MS/MS systems, method development can be carried out on these new instruments with simple transfer to the higher sensitivity systems.

Applied Biosystems Group
Foster City, Calif.
www.appliedbiosystems.com

Absolute humidity transmitter

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A new transmitter design, Model AHT-200, uses thermal conductivity sensors to measure moisture content at elevated temperatures up to +200°C. The unit outperforms conventional capacitive/resistance humidity sensors in harsh environments and it recovers from deposits and condensation. Washable and easy to clean, it is useable with most gases. The range is 0 to 130 grams/m3; accuracy is ±3 grams/m3 (±2.3 percent RH at 35 grams/m3) at 60°C; output is 0-5V, 0-10V, or 4-20mA.

OHMIC Instruments
Easton, Md.
www.ohmicinstruments.com

Validation report

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The Steam-Thru Connection (STC) validation report includes independent testing from NAMSA, Northview Laboratories and the University of Minnesota’s Biotechnology Resource Center. The STC can be used in a range of applications, including media manufacturing, cell harvesting, bioreactor feedings and pharmaceutical production. By creating a one-step, steam-in-place process, the STC speeds the connection process and reduces the contamination risks associated with reusable steam-in-place components. The disposable STC also reduces the need for time-consuming cleaning and cleaning validation steps. The Bacterial challenge verified that a 30-minute steam-in-place process killed bacterial contaminants introduced into the STC. The Microbial Ingress test verified the seal integrity of the STC in steam and flow positions after gamma irradiation at doses to 50 kilograys. The seal integrity of the STC in steam and flow positions was also tested by Northview Laboratories after two cycles of autoclave sterilization at 128°C (265°F). In Class VI tests, conducted by NAMSA, polysulfone and silicone materials found in the STC were tested to meet the requirements of USP Class VI, MEM elusion, hemolysis in vitro, and physicochemical tests. The STC works with existing systems without retrofit, enabling a seamless transition to this steam-in-place process. The device features industry-standard terminations of 3/4” Mini and 1.5” Tri-clamp, and its 3/8” and 1/2” hose barbs connect to popular tubing sizes. The report is available for download on the company’s Web site.

Colder Products Company
St. Paul, Minn.
www.colder.com

Flange-mounted impellers

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New ECOFIT®-brand flange-mounted backward curved impellers provide optimal airflow and substantially lower installed cost for OEM customers. These new impellers are ideal for cleanrooms (fan filter units), fume hoods for factories, ventilation hoods for commercial kitchens and in HVAC systems. The impellers are attached to a unique flange with a built-in air inlet. The flange allows the fan to be installed quickly and securely with just four screws, cutting installation time from minutes to seconds and eliminating unnecessary parts and materials. The built-in inlet is perfectly sized to the impeller and factory-installed to prevent airflow loss, ensuring the best possible airflow in any application. At 60 Hz, airflows range from 255 up to 942 CFM and the maximum static pressures from 1.20” up to 3.2” of water, in temperatures ranging from -4 to +158 °F. Available in nine UL-listed models, standard features include IP44 protection, UL94 V-O polyamide or galvanized steel impellers, G2.5 balancing, Class F winding and thermal protection. Finger-guards are built in as an option.

Rosenberg
Charlotte, N.C.
www.rosenbergusa.com

Particle size analyzer

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Malvern Instruments has introduced the Insitec Voyager, a mobile, on-line particle size analyzer that can be attached to fixed sampling ports at a variety of points in a production line. It can also be used to sample from different production lines within the same manufacturing plant. Insitec Voyager for the pharmaceutical industry is based on the standard Insitec Voyager platform, but will offer a fully validatable, pharmaceutical industry compliant package. Mobile, modular and cleanable, the Insitec Pharma Voyager features a touchscreen monitor for clean and easy operation. It meets current GAMP requirements, with a simple-to-clean cell and flowpath, and the system features triclamping and 316 stainless-steel parts for easy cleaning. Its software enables full compliance with the FDA’s 21 CFR Part 11 requirements. The Insitec Voyager is the first standard mobile unit for real-time on-line particle sizing. It can be used on-line and at-line. The system is ideal for pharmaceutical sites where there are many manufacturing lines requiring optimization, or for first-time buyers who would like to evaluate the use of on-line particle sizing for their application. The Voyager unit houses all the instrumentation and software needed for on-line particle size analysis and can be moved easily around a plant. Voyager is suitable for use even in highly regulated environments.

Malvern Instruments
Southborough, Mass.
www.malps.com

Disposable filter assembly

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Meissner Filtration Products, Inc. announces the addition of an inline UltraCap® filter assembly to its existing line of T-style assemblies for disposable filtration in biomanufacturing. The UltraCap assembly is an integrally sealed filter and housing system. This completely disposable system saves cleaning and cleaning validation costs and provides faster, more convenient filter change-outs than traditional cartridge and filter housing systems. The UltraCap disposable filter assembly is available with absolute removal ratings from 0.04 μm 70 μm to meet a range of filtration applications, including sterile filtration of serum, tissue culture media, microbiological growth media, and other viscous biological liquids; sterile tank venting, and filling line applications with disposable plastic biocontainers. For critical applications, the UltraCap is available with membrane filters in PVDF (SteriLUX®), polyethersulfone (STyLUX®), polypropylene (Chemdyne ®), and PTFE (Ultradyne®). Meissner also offers the UltraCap with pleated microfiber filters in polypropylene (ALpHA ®) and borosilicate glass (ProtecTM), and polypropylene depth filters (DeltaMaxTM). A gamma-irradiated version is also available for aseptic applications. Product scale-up is simplified with the new UltraCap. The sanitary, T-style connections or inline versions are available in 10”, 20”, and 30” lengths.

Meissner Filtration Products, Inc.
Camarillo, Calif.
www.meissner.com

BY STEVE SMITH

ROCKVILLE, Md.-British pharmaceutical manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK; Brentford, U.K.; www.gsk.com) says it has identified and is addressing unspecified manufacturing processes at its Cidra, Puerto Rico, facility that led to a March raid by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA; www.fda.gov), during which batches of defective medications were seized.

Declining to specify which steps in the manufacturing process are involved, due to proprietary concerns, Gail Renegar of GlaxoSmithKline’s corporate communications U.S. media relations office did acknowledge that “it was not a contamination issue.” While an official company statement says GSK “believes it has identified the source of the manufacturing issues,” Renegar emphasized that GSK has “a high degree of confidence” that it has specifically targeted the problem areas.

The Agency found that certain lots of the Paxil CR tablets could split apart, resulting in patients receiving a portion of a tablet that either lacks an active ingredient or has the active ingredient but not the intended controlled-release effect. FDA inspectors also found that some Avandamet tablets did not have an accurate dose of the active ingredient rosiglitazone.

“We believe we’ve identified the problem and are addressing it,” Renegar says of the Paxil malfunction. As for the Avandamet situation, Renegar says GSK has “reassessed that manufacturing process and is implementing remedial measures.”

In late April, GlaxoSmithKline, through its U.S. subsidiaries SB Pharmco Puerto Rico Inc., GlaxoSmithKline Puerto Rico Inc., and SmithKline Beecham Corp., signed a consent decree with the FDA to correct the manufacturing deficiencies, whereby the pharmaceutical manufacturer agreed to post a bond of $650,000,000 contingent upon it either successfully reconditioning drugs seized in March or destroying them and paying costs to the government.

No financial penalties were issued, although the decree calls for potential penalties of up to $10 million a year if GlaxoSmithKline fails to meet the terms of the agreement.

The company can resume manufacture of Paxil CR and Avandamet under the condition that it takes measures to ensure that the Cidra facility and its manufacturing processes comply with cGMP requirements. The decree also requires that all corrections and cGMP compliance be certified by a third-party expert. In addition, the FDA will continue to monitor these activities through future inspections.

“We are moving forward with third-party validation of these new processes, and expect to resume manufacturing mid-year,” says Renegar. III

May 31, 2005 – AIXTRON AG today announced the delivery of an additional Thomas Swan MOCVD system for the mass production of gallium nitride (GaN)-based ultra high brightness LED wafers and chips to Genesis Photonics Inc., Taiwan.

The Thomas Swan large-scale GaN reactor is equipped with the patented close-coupled showerhead technology, has a capacity of 19×2″ wafers.

Genesis Photonics Inc. (GPI), established in January 2002 and headquartered in the Southern Taiwan Science-Base Industrial Park, focuses on providing GaN-based LED epi-wafers and chips for lighting, displays, backlights, and automotive applications, as well as for scientific, industrial, and research applications.

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May 31, 2005 — He doesn’t walk like a duck. Instead his scurrying across the screen suggests a fiddler crab, or a lobster, or a cockroach maybe.

Nor does he quack like a duck, not one peep. Not when he paddles down a stream in his “Stuck with the Duck” scene, or when he bangs into furniture in the Funhouse, or when he does a 360 in a boat or bumper car.

But he can bellow, as the “Aaaaargh” he lets out as he falls through a trap door in the Murky Mansion proves. And scientists young and old, being what they are, probably feel inclined to verify that a few dozen times before they allow him to reach the exit.

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Duckboy in Nanoland, a video game at the Science Museum in London with an online counterpart at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk, has made a splash among physicists and philistines alike. The online game recorded 1,500 players within its first three weeks, and the video game in the museum’s gallery chalked up even more, according to Natasha Waterson, a content developer at the museum.

“How different the world feels, looks and behaves at the nanoscale is a difficult concept that we thought would be best conveyed in an interactive,” Waterson explained in an e-mail message. “Of course, Duckboy in Nanoland is essentially a story about how quantum and classical physics affect the nanoscale world. But to say that could put people off instantly!”

Instead Waterson’s team and contractor Spiral Partners took an appealing Austin Powers-meets-Candy Land approach. The game places a boy wearing a duck float in kaleidoscopic graphics of bubblegum pinks and lemon yellows. Players choose which ride Duckboy will take.

Duckboy’s first experience occurs in the “normal” world. Second time around he shrinks to the nanoscale, where he faces a new set of challenges. “Duckboy in Nanoland conveys the essentials of physics at the nanoscale in a visually attractive, engaging and fun way,” Waterson explained. “It’s physics by stealth, if you like.”

In the Strange Attractions ride, for instance, players steer Duckboy in a dory down a stream amid several loveboats. In the world of classical physics, he bumps into the romancing couples but can maneuver onward. At the nanoscale, though, his boat latches onto theirs in a van der Waals’ grip. A message flashes up that says Duckboy’s boat will be given a charge that is the same as the charge of the loveboats. Since like charges repel, Duckboy is set free to zigzag his way to the exit.

The game’s creators turned to Richard Jones, a physicist at the University of Sheffield and author of the nanotechnology book “Soft Machines,” to ensure the game had educational merit. Jones, as he states on his blog, may have saved Duckboy from some roasting.

“In the early version of the game, which I road-tested on my postdocs, you were asked to ‘steer duckboy through a sticky patch in the tunnel of love.’ For some reason they all thought this was terribly funny. If only for suggesting this change, I think I deserve my name on the acknowledgements list.”

Feather in Feynman’s cap

Physicist Richard Feynman will be appearing in post offices and mailboxes soon. The U.S. Postal Service will issue a 37-cent stamp this spring that features the Nobel laureate, whose 1959 speech “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” inspired scientists and engineers to imagine what is now known as nanotechnology. Feynman devised formulations for quantum theory and made that complex concept accessible through diagrams. Stuffed shirt he was not. He liked to doodle formulas while patronizing strip bars, and was an enthusiastic bongo player and artist.

Flocking to California

An excerpt from a briefing for the Joint Committee on Preparing California for the 21st Century:

R. Sean Randolph of the Bay Area Economic Forum: (W)e’re already starting to see some very significant startups in the nanotech field establishing early leadership roles for California. Companies like Nanosys, Nanomix, Quantum Dot and Nanogram are already establishing a real presence in the field.

Then-Sen. John Vasconcellos: Quantum Duck? Quantum what?

Randolph: Dot. Yes, Quantum Dot.

Vasconcellos: Dot?

Randolph: D-O-T. Quantum Dot. And there are probably others out there we don’t know about. But hopefully we will know about them soon.

May 27, 2005 – A research team from Kyoto University and the Japan Science and Technology Agency has developed a way to significantly boost the efficiency of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), according to Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

Reporting in the May 27th edition of the journal Science, the team describes how the light-emitting properties of a thin substrate made of indium gallium arsenide phosphorus (InGaAsP) is enhanced by 300-400% by introducing a network of tiny holes in the crystal structure.

In a typical LED, only around 20% of the light manages to escape from the material and the rest remains trapped within and dissipates. Creating holes with a periodic spacing of 390-480nm in the crystal structure opens up escape routes so more of the injected energy gets emitted as light, increasing the brightness of the LED and reducing its power consumption.

According to the research team, the process could theoretically boost LED efficiency to 100%.