Category Archives: LEDs

Forward-thinking cleanroom engineers contend that LEDs are poised to run fluorescents out of Dodge

BY STEPHAN GILGES, STEPHEN PADDON & AL VIADO

The automobile replacing the horse and buggy; the electric light bulb replacing the oil lamp; digital replacing analog. Some contamination-control industry watchdogs believe the inevitable transition from fluorescent and incandescent lamps to solid-state lighting (SSL) will be a technological milestone of similar significance for cleanroom owners.

In 2001, the Optoelectronics Industry Development Association (OIDA; Washington, D.C.) declared that rising fuel prices and the threat of blackouts were sparking “a silent revolution in SSL that holds the promise of replacing conventional light sources the way integrated circuits replaced electron tubes fifty years ago.”

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A key point of differentiation in the comparison of LED (below) to fluorescent (above) is to illustrate the greater diffusivity of fluorescent lighting in a cleanroom. Note that the “drop-off point,” or the point on the wall at which shadowing begins, occurs much lower on the wall with LED. This supports the point that LED's inherent directionality continues to be a challenge in cleanroom environments.
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The efficiency and reliability of the Light Emitting Diode (LED) is an innovation driven by materials science. Electrical current is more efficiently converted into photons within the LED, with most light generated by an LED being within the visible region—so, less energy is wasted in the infrared and UV wavelengths.

If SSL were to be actively adopted in the U.S., it would produce enough energy savings to alleviate the need for 133 new power stations of 1000 MW each by 2026, yielding a financial savings of some $115 billion.

As exciting as this prospect is, most observers also agree that the bright expectations for LED have yet to be fully realized, much less applied. This is especially evident to those who have been testing LED lighting in one of the most challenging lighting environments humanity has yet devised—the cleanroom.

The state of LED

The perceived advantages of LEDs appear to make them particularly attractive for cleanroom environments. Conventional wisdom has held that LED technology offers the inherent technology to generate light longer, with less degradation, at cooler temperatures and at lower cost per lumen than traditional fluorescent lamps.

The superior longevity of LED's reputed “100,000-hour life” means less maintenance per lamp, which means less in-situ maintenance required—with no risk of shattered glass in the clean zone.

But there are a few drawbacks. The length of useful life for LED lamps can be inconsistent; LEDs can be vulnerable to temperature issues; LEDs uniformly distribute luminous flux (expressed in lumens) along a linear component. Solutions to all of these concerns are being pursued, and many believe that LEDs will be in position to dominate cleanroom lighting within five years.

The LED's long-term advantage is that, like the semiconductor chip, it's based on solid-state technology. This has allowed improvement of LED technology to follow a progression of steadily increasing performance, mimicking the “Moore's Law” model where semiconductor performance theoretically doubles approximately every 18 months. Following suit, LED lumen output is also doubling approximately every 18 months.

LED testing in real world cleanrooms has leavened the high LED expectations with a dose of reality. LEDs are still in a developmental state that leaves them well short of perfection—at least for a while longer.

LED put to the test

Because LED technology has yet to meet its fullest light-yield potential, LED lighting is not yet competitive with small diameter linear fluorescent lamps.

One of the biggest concerns posed by the LED to date is its light output, with LED and fluorescent technologies differing in the way they deliver lumens to a given target. A typical LED lighting system tailored to a linear application consists of intense miniature downlights; each produces individual focused beams along a tightly spaced string, producing direct illumination. In contrast, linear fluorescent lamps emit a soft, uniform glow across their tubular surface, producing more diffuse illumination.

A recent cleanroom lighting project let us perform a side-by-side comparison of LED and fluorescent lighting systems that were installed in adjacent cleanrooms. Both lighting modes were housed in conventional flush grid lighting systems. Viewing windows allowed simultaneous comparison of lighting conditions in both rooms.

We discovered that perceived brightness appeared greater in the cleanroom with the fluorescent light. Yet measurement of light levels in each room revealed that there was actually 25 percent more light present in the cleanroom with the LED system.

This optical illusion was the result of the LED system creating a “cave effect,” a term known commonly in office environments where low brightness deep-cell parabolic or mini-cube louvers are employed.

While the LED system was actually producing more light at the measured task, it was doing a poor job of inter-reflecting light off the vertical surfaces throughout the space—the cavernous appearance of the room with a shady upper wall and ceiling zone.

The room with fluorescent lighting had quite the opposite effect. More light energy was diffused throughout the space, yielding lower measurable light at the horizontal task plane 30 inches above the raised floor. As any overworked iris knows, it is the reduction of contrast that creates a visually pleasing and ergonomically sound environment. Occupants typically prefer soft uniform lighting rather than high-contrast task illumination.

The challenge of advancing LED technology into the linear lighting market is delivering the high lumen potential in a more ergonomically desirable way. LEDs also require careful mixing and balancing of colors to achieve desired hues in a given cleanroom.

Much activity in microelectronics cleanrooms involves photosensitive processes, with certain light wavelengths being highly disruptive to photosensitive chemicals and processes.

For many years, the solution to cutting out ultraviolet wavelengths in microelectronics cleanrooms has been to use yellow filters over fluorescent lamps—not necessarily an efficient solution. The filters can reduce light output by up to 60 percent, requiring more filtered lamps, thus more energy consumed in the cleanroom to compensate for the shortfall.

This approach is not the most ergonomically desirable either, since it subjects cleanroom workers to long shifts under yellow light conditions. For certain photosensitive processes, LEDs can potentially deliver a uniformly “light safe” environment with white light.

The problem is that the idea of white light with LEDs can only be achieved by carefully mixing the right “recipe” of different colored LEDs within luminaires to render the desired hue of white.

This commingling of different LED colors is called “binning;” however, the trade-off of binning differently colored diodes is reduced overall brightness achieved by the luminaire.

What's in store?

Some promising new technologies on the horizon are expected to ultimately resolve LED shortcomings. A few years ago, the microelectronics industry was abuzz with talk of the inevitable arrival of the new generation of manufacturing technology using 300-mm semiconductor wafers. But it was several years before even the largest manufacturers in the industry did anything with 300 mm, other than talk about its inevitability. When 300-mm processing technology finally hit, it did so with a relative suddenness and force that truly revolutionized the industry.

On a smaller scale, LED lighting is similarly poised to prompt its own mini-revolution in the cleanrooms of the world. The technological advances to date suggest that LED is a more efficient lighting system. Longer life and reduced material composition give LEDs ecological advantages over some conventional lighting systems. Like many emerging technologies, it simply needs to have a few bugs worked out of the system.

STEPHAN GILGES is an architectural and lighting designer with IDC Architects in Portland, Ore. He has served as a design lead and manager on international and domestic projects, providing specialized lighting systems to a variety of clients in science and technology industries. STEPHEN PADDON is a technologist with IDC, with specialization in contamination control technologies. He has experience in a wide range of product yield issues in cleanrooms, including EMI, airborne particulate and molecular contamination, and acoustic and background vibration. AL VIADO is a lead technical specialist in lighting for IDC. He is lighting certified (LC) through the National Council of Qualifications for the Lighting Professions and a former president of the Oregon section of the Illumination Engineering Society of North America. He has been a recipient of four distinguished IIDA awards, with areas of experience in lead design of lighting and power systems for many of the world's most advanced cleanrooms.

Fixtures Update

  • Materials—Fixture bodies and doors are available in steel, stainless steel and aluminum. Aluminum housings provide the coolest environment for the electronic ballast.
  • Optics—Semi-specular white provides a reflectivity of over 90 percent to increase fixture efficiency. In 12- to 14-inch ceilings, a narrower distribution is required to punch the light down. Sealed louvers are available if glare or computer screen visibility is an issue.
  • Special construction—3D CAD systems can model unusual grid configurations to ensure that the fixture fits properly.
  • Sealing—Requirements depend on the application and classification of the installation. Housings may be sealed with silicone, or welded. Door frames are available hinged, inset or overlapped with 4-, 6-, or 12-point gasket compression. The lens is mechanically held and gasketed or silicone-sealed inside the doorframe. On walk-able ceilings, top access fixtures with permanently sealed bottom lenses are used.
  • Non-laminar flow—Fixtures are recessed flush to the grid or solid ceiling. The fixture body must be taller than the grid web to allow for lamp installation.
  • Laminar flow—Fixtures have a teardrop design. Those sized for the smaller T8 lamp minimize disruption to the airflow. Screw slot grid in the ceiling matched with a pre-drilled housing can minimize installation time. Integrated systems have been developed that put the lamps and ballasts inside the grid with either a flush or teardrop lens. They are most often used in rooms with high filtration and are installed by a specialized cleanroom contractor.

Step into the right light

Lamp, ballast and fixture design advances can help significantly lower a facility's initial, operational and maintenance cost

An imperative that is all too often taken for granted in cleanroom design and maintenance is facility lighting. But in these days of tight cost-cutting and smart, more efficient design, cleanroom lighting is becoming a critical specification—and will only gain more importance as the specter of LED looms in the distance.

We've surveyed the latest advances in lamps, ballast and fixture design that will significantly lower a facility's initial, operational and maintenance cost. In turn, this information will help cleanroom owners and operators minimize fixture and lamp requirements on current and future projects.

Fluorescent technology

Linear fluorescent: T8 lamps have become the standard for new construction, and even smaller T5 lamps are entering the scene in indirect fixtures. New phosphor coatings provide 17 to 28 percent higher lamp output and almost perfect natural color. Better lamp design has allowed life ratings up to 30,000 hours, and new low mercury lamps don't require special disposal.

Fluorescent electronic ballasts: Electric ballasts optimize lamp performance and minimize energy. Their high frequency (20,000 hertz) eliminates lamp flicker and extends lamp life. Newer designs are smaller, intelligent and universal. Many operate different wattage lamps and accept 120 or 277 volts. Some can operate four lamps, while “Instant Start” versions operate lamps in parallel. If one fails, the others still operate. It's key to remember that electronic ballasts are sensitive to heat—the fine print states that they need to operate at 70∞C for full life.


For new construction, the trend is toward increasingly smaller linear fluorescent lamps.
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T8 ballast factor opportunity: Ballast factor indicates the percent watts provided to the lamp versus its rated wattage. The low-cost “Normal Output” ballast has a “ballast factor” of .87. The “Low Watt” ballast factor is .75 and the “High Output” is 1.20. They drive the lamp to provide 87, 75 or 120 percent of its rated lumens. Ballasts for T5 and compact fluorescent lamps have a ballast factor of 1.

Ballast controls: Dimming systems and software have the potential to reduce energy through daylight harvesting, sensors and optimizing illumination to task requirements. An open digital addressable lighting interface (DALI) is slowly becoming the global lighting communications standard. Each ballast can be individually controlled and belong to any or all of 16 different groups. The open standard allows interchangeability from different manufacturers, and ballasts and control systems are just entering the marketplace.

Ultraviolet and special color lamps: Special spectrum systems normally use tinted lens, lamp sleeves or coated lamps. I would recommend sleeves or tinted lamps. They are readily available from many sources. Lens extruders require minimum runs of tinted plastic. Replacements may be impossible to obtain, so always stock spares from the initial run.


This metal halide HID lamp combines mercury and metal halide atoms under high pressure. In the arc stream, these atoms generate both ultraviolet radiation and visible light. A specially formulated glass bulb filters the ultraviolet radiation without affecting the visible light.
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Break-proof lamps: These are available from coating companies and some manufacturers. They generally use clear Teflon to contain glass breakage from fluorescent, incandescent or HID lamps, and are commonly used in food process areas.

Induction fluorescent lamp: This is a new system from two manufacturers that uses microwave energy to excite the lamp. Life is rated for 100,000 hours and is available in sizes up to 165 watts. This system is expensive but may be suitable for high-cost maintenance areas.

Compact fluorescent lamps: Interest in this new lamp has exploded in the last two years. They offer high lumens and 83 percent color accuracy, and most are dimmable. Unlike linear lamps, the output is almost unaffected by ambient temperature. They are the new standard in down lights and offer alternatives to metal halide, linear fluorescent and incandescent lamps.


Improved arc tube and a remote starter in pulse-start metal halide lamps offer increased lumens, better color, and longer life when compared to probe-start lamps and ballasts.
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High-intensity discharge technology

Pulse-start metal halide lamps: These are replacing probe-start lamps and ballasts. The improved arc tube and remote starter provide increased lumens, better color, longer life and reduced re-strike time (see Figures 2 and 3). Thirteen sizes are available, from 39 to 1,000 watts. The lamps have a crisp white color, are unaffected by temperature, provide high lumens in a small package and are an economical choice above 14 feet.

Metal halide ballast improvement: Thirty-percent more light from the 320-, 350- and 400-watt pulse-start lamps is now available with the new universal electronic ballast. This improvement provides dimming to 50 percent power, end-of-life lamp protection and silent operation. Lamp life is expected to increase beyond the present 20,000 hours, and fixture reduction eliminates an increase in first costs.

Advances in technology when properly applied can provide a low-cost and energy-efficient installation. Today's technology can provide 100-foot candles at less than 1.5 watts per square foot.

ROBERT CATONE is general manager of Guth Lighting (St. Louis, Mo.) and vice president of JJI Lighting Group. He is a Certified Lighting Professional by the National Council of Qualifications for the Lighting Professions (NCQLP) and a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society Progress Committee. He can be contacted at: [email protected]

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES CREATE CHALLENGES IN THE INSPECTION OF COMPONENTS AND PACKAGES

By Norbert Daneke and Bianca Schanklies

Today's trend of increased miniaturization of components and packages is continuing in the electronics and micromechanics industries. Design and manufacturing technologies such as optoelectronics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and micro-opto-electromechanical systems (MOEMS) are creating new application requirements and inspection needs. In certain cases, inspection can be achieved only by using X-ray tubes with focal spot sizes of 1 µm and below. This has led to the development of nanofocus and multifocus X-ray sources. Multifocus tubes allow an operator to switch from either high power, microfocus or nanofocus imaging, depending on the requirements of particular applications. While the selection of microfocus or nanofocus depends on the required spot size, the high-power mode in a multifocus tube is for imaging and inspecting dense parts. The tube is designed to offer a particular advantage by delivering the highest intensity possible in a 160-kV transmission tube.

How X-ray Works

X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with high energy — typical photon energies range from 100 eV to 1,000 keV. X-rays have shorter wavelengths than ultraviolet light, but longer wavelengths than gamma rays. Their wavelengths fall into the range of 10-8 to 10-12 m.

Since X-rays are electromagnetic radiation, their velocity in a vacuum is the same as visible light (186,000 miles per second). Highly penetrating, hard X-rays have a high frequency and short wavelength, while soft X-rays have a much lower frequency and less energy.

X-ray tubes, betatrons or linear accelerators are typically used to generate X-rays. Penetration strength depends on the energy of the electromagnetic wave, but is also influenced by both the density and nuclear charge of the material being penetrated. Silicon, for example, is a low-density, easily penetrable material. Lead is more opaque, and therefore not as easy to penetrate.

A visual image of a material's internal structure is produced when X-rays pass through the material and strike a photographic plate or fluorescent screen. Shadows that appear on the plate or screen depend on the relative opacity of different parts of the sample. A crack in a solder ball is easily visible, for example, because the ball itself is more opaque than the void created by the crack.

Microfocus X-ray Inspection Systems

X-ray systems basically consist of a sealed or open X-ray source, a fixture for holding and manipulating the sample to be inspected, and a radiation detector (Figure 1). X-ray tubes are available in various configurations and differing performance capabilities. Open microfocus tubes (a stainless steel tube that can be opened at any time for cleaning and maintenance, and is always evacuated prior to each use) are used in high-resolution applications of electronics assembly and packaging. Such tubes can provide a spatial resolution of less than 1 µm, with geometrical magnifications of as much as several thousand times.

High-voltage generator. A high-voltage generator provides the required power for the electronics emitting from an electron gun within the X-ray tube, controls, computers and image-processing software. The basic components are arranged in an X-ray room or installed in a radiation-shielded cabinet.

Manipulator. An X-ray system's “manipulator” is used for high-precision x-y-z positioning and rotating/tilting of samples. The manipulator should be capable of directional and rotational speeds for requirements ranging from quick overview searches at low magnification to very low speeds at high magnification. For example, x-y speeds may range from a few micrometers per second to several hundred millimeters per second.


Figure 1. Diagram of a typical X-ray system used for industrial inspection.
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Figure 2. Microfocus and directional transmission tubes.
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Detector. The function of a detector is to process data of X-ray waves in real-time into an image of light visible to the human eye or to electronic vision systems. While the most common detector is an image intensifier/video camera that converts X-rays into visible light, other recently developed detectors include high-dynamic cameras and flat-panel direct digital detectors.

High-power tubes are likely to use solid targets to emit X-rays. Microfocus tubes for electronics inspection usually have transmission targets that consist of two different layers of material (Figure 2). Most of these transmission targets are made from a thick layer of backing material, such as beryllium or aluminum, with a low density and a low atomic number and weight. The purpose of the backing material is to close the tube and maintain a vacuum. It also forms the backing, which provides mechanical strength for the target layer in which X-rays are generated. Target layers usually consist of a thin, 5-µm layer of metal such as tungsten, molybdenum or copper, with a high density and high atomic number and weight. The target layer is sputtered onto the backing layer.

With transmission tubes, as opposed to directional tubes from which the X-ray beam is issued at a 30-, 60- or 90-degree angle, the design features forward-beam geometry. Electrons enter the back of the transmission target, and X-rays radiate from the front (Figure 3).

In all tubes, the electron beam emitting from the cathode enters the target and collides with particles of the target material. When an electron beam hits the target surface, the electrons enter the target material (interaction layer) and collide with target material particles, and are slowed and deflected in various directions. They then collide again and again with target material particles until the kinetic energy drops to practically zero.

With each collision, electrons are slowed and their loss in kinetic energy translates into radiation energy. Less than 2 percent of the energy appears in the form of X-rays. The remainder is mostly heat. Tungsten is the material used in most tubes, because of the need for a material with a high melting point.

Focal spot is a key factor in determining image resolution and the quality of an X-ray image (Figure 4). As the focal spot decreases in size, resolution and the ability to detect detail are improved — enabling geometric or projection magnification without peripheral shadowing (Figure 5). Ideally, a focal spot has a diameter close to zero. In practice, depending on tube design, a focal spot can be as small as 1 µm or less in diameter.

The spatial resolution of an X-ray tube is approximately half the focal spot size. Feature recognition for the tube is half of the spatial resolution. For features in the 125-nm range, an X-ray tube must have a focal spot size of about 500 nm.

Nanofocus X-ray Inspection

The electronics industry's trend toward smaller and more densely populated components, and the emergence of MEMS and MOEMS, led to the development of nanofocus X-ray technology. Nanofocus technology is defined as having a focal spot of less than 1 µm in diameter, which enables the level of detail and resolution needed for the inspection of low-density structures and ultra-small features common in today's electronics. The technology is an integration of tube and sophisticated software for controlling performance aspects such as short- and long-term stability, image contrast, brightness and amount of radiation.

Nanofocus X-ray inspection systems are particularly suited for applications consisting of submicron components, circuitry and assemblies such as with MEMS and MOEMS, but also with wafer-level packaging. In such instances, the resolution and sharpness required to detect defects in solder bumps and interconnects can be met only with nanofocus tube design and system technology.

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Figure 3. Determination of focal spot with interaction volume dimensions.
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A notable application for nanofocus technology is inspecting packages with non-filled die attach, such as thermal adhesive to hold a microchip in place. Detecting the slight difference in contrast attributable to the adhesive mandates the resolution of a nanofocus tube. Such tubes can also be used to check the silver particle loading in electrically conductive adhesives. This capability ensures that the paste is homogeneous and loaded with sufficient particles to achieve the desired conductivity.


Figure 4. Distances from focal spot to and from object to image plane play a key role in determining geometric magnification.
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Delaminations in packages can be an “unseen” problem with microfocus X-ray systems, depending on the degree of delamination. Such a defect, if unnoticed during X-ray inspection, can result in a failure during functional testing without the cause being determined. With a focal spot under 1 µm, nanofocus systems can detect submicron cracks and flaws in silicon packaging and fine bonding wires (below 25 µm), as well as solder whiskers that might otherwise be invisible to the X-ray inspection system.


Figure 5. Relationship of focal spot dimension and geometric sharpness.
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Finally, the development of nanofocus technology has led to improvements in the design of microfocus tubes and systems. As a result, electron beam emissions are more controlled, with fewer aberrations, and imaging is “cleaner” and sharper.

Future of X-ray Inspection

A need exists for both microfocus and nanofocus tubes for real-time radiographic imaging. For contract manufacturers, where inspection requirements can vary from microfocus applications that demand high X-ray output to nanofocus applications that demand high resolution, multifocus X-ray tubes are suitable. The tubes incorporate a high-power mode for dense structures that require high intensities for inspection, such as castings, weldings and machined parts. Switching modes is a matter of a keystroke or a mouse click at any time during the inspection process.

For many applications, microfocus tubes provide sufficient resolution, contrast and magnification for the respective inspection task. For smaller components and denser circuitry where feature recognition requires a focal spot smaller than that of a microfocus tube, then nanofocus tubes are a preferred solution. The growing applications of MEMS and MOEMS indicate a continuing trend toward miniaturization, which can only mean a bright future for nanofocus radiography.

References

For a complete list of references, please contact the authors.

NORBERT DANEKE, Ph.D., X-Ray physical engineer, and BIANCA SCHANKLIES, marketing, may be contacted at feinfocus, Roentgen-Systeme GmbH, Im Bahlbrink 11-13, 30827 Garbsen, Germany; +49(0) 5131/7098-59-0; e-mail: [email protected].

Nov. 21, 2003 — Protein Forest Inc., a Watertown, Mass., developer of microchips, instruments and software for proteomics research, announced that it has closed on $19 million in Series A financing.

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SR One Ltd led the round. Boston Millennia Partners, IDG Ventures, Novo A/S and unnamed private investors also participated.

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The company will use the financing to launch its digital ProteomeChip, according to a news release. The product is intended for rapid separation, detection and analysis of proteins and biomarkers.

Nov. 20, 2003 — CardioMEMS Inc., an Atlanta developer of wireless medical devices for management of heart disease and other medical problems, announced closing on $14 million in Series B funding.

New investor Boston Millennia Partners led the round. Foundation Medical Partners, Guidant Corp., Johnson and Johnson Development Corporation, Arboretum Ventures and other investors also participated.

CardioMEMS will now focus on clinical trials and commercialization, according to a news release. The company’s president, David Stern, also said in a prepared statement that the funds will allow for accelerated research and development efforts on next-generation designs.

As part of the deal, Robert Mashal of Boston Millennia Partners and Lee Wrubel of Foundation Medical Partners will join the CardioMEMS board of directors.

Nov. 20, 2003 — Sionex Corp., a Waltham, Mass. developer of chemical sensor chips and systems using MEMS technology, announced the completion of a $12.8 million Series B round of funding.

New investor Morgenthaler Ventures led the round. Previous investors Rho Ventures and Navigator Technology Ventures also participated.

The company will use the funds to further develop and manufacture products and establish partnerships to help penetrate the security, defense, environmental and other markets, according to a news release.

Nov. 18, 2003 — Seiko Epson Corp. has developed a controller chip for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays designed for car electronics and other consumer devices, according to a news release.

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The S1D13701 is based on Epson’s existing display control chip series platform but has been modified for OLED displays. The chip, equipped with a signal output that connects directly to an OLED panel, is designed for display sizes used in car audio systems, the release said.

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The company said the chip greatly reduces the load on the system’s central processing unit, and should lower costs by reducing development time. Epson expects to begin shipping samples shortly.

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Epson also said has developed what it calls the world’s smallest Micro Flying Robot, on display this week at the 2003 International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo.

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The prototype, which is not planned for commercial launch, was developed to demonstrate its “micromechatronics technology.” The 8.9-gram, 70-millimeter-tall microrobot includes a linear microactuator that acts as a stabilization mechanism, and contrarotating propellers powered by an ultrathin, ultrasonic motor.

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LONDON, Nov. 18, 2003 — Uri Sagman has a vision in which he sees abundant fresh water — especially for those who live regions where the resource is scarce. And the Canadian scientist/entrepreneur believes the solution to this scarcity, one of the world’s leading environmental problems, can be found in nanotechnology.

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According to ITT Industries, a fluid technology company, about 2 billion people could face water scarcity by 2050. The issue is already the most pressing environmental problem in the Middle East and security analysts see it is a likely cause of future conflict in the region.

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To combat the problem, Sagman launched the Nanotechnology Clean Water Initiative at CMP Cientifica’s recent World Nano Economic Congress in London. “Almost every aspect of nanotechnology can be used to alleviate the water scarcity problem. This is potentially the biggest single application of nanoscience,” Sagman said.

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The Canadian has already established himself as one of his country’s leading lights in the business of nanotechnology as president and co-founder of C Sixty Inc., now based in Houston.

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Sagman said that the water initiative has significant backing from several governments. “Canada has a lot of experience in the water purification technology. … It has one of the world’s largest supplies of fresh water and has developed a lot of technology in this field.” Sagman has also met with the Swiss government to discuss the initiative, as well as U.S. state agencies.

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The Israeli government has already agreed to collaborate. Last year, Israel created its Israeli National Nanotechnology Initiative (INNI), which has invested about $150 million in nanotechnology with an annual operating budget of around $25 million, according to Einat Wilf, managing director of the Israeli Nanotechnology Trust, the fund-raising and distribution arm of the INNI.

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Israel is looking to focus its nanotech research on a few areas of local importance, including desalination. The region already conducts leading research into desalination techniques at the Ashkelon Desalination Plant and the Grand Water Research Institute.

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The first fruits of the initiative are expected to come from three areas: pure membrane technology, integration of energy and membrane components and development of nanosensors. Research is being carried by five research universities in Israel, including the Weizmann Institute of Science, the Technion — Israel Institute of Technology, Tel Aviv University and Bar-Ilan University.

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Shimon Peres, the former Israeli foreign minister and prime minister, has been instrumental in setting up the initiative.

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“I don’t want to get too political about this, but we are also seeking to work with other countries in the region. This is going to be a very important political issue” Sagman said.

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However, the initiative is not expected to develop any major new technologies, but rather exploit existing technologies more effectively. “We are not going to reinvent the wheel, but you will get an incremental improvement by leveraging off these technologies” Sagman said.

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He’s looking to set up a conference that will bring together scientists, researchers, utility companies, governments and nongovernmental organizations focused on water issues.

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Water purification is already a major area in nanoscience research. German chemical group BASF’s future business fund has devoted a significant proportion of its $105 million nanotech research fund to water purification techniques.

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French utility company Generale Des Eaux has also developed its own Nanofiltration technology in collaboration with Dow Chemical subsidiary Filmtec. Generale des Eaux has also been selling its technology to others. Most recently, Israel signed a turnkey contract for a nanofiltration plant adapted for seawater.

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Competitor Ondeo, the water unit of French conglomerate Suez, has meanwhile installed what it calls an ultrafiltration system, with holes of 0.1 microns in size, in one of its plants outside Paris.

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One significant application of nanotechnology in water filtration is its ability to obviate the need for large industrial size purification plants.

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Argonide Corp., a Miami-based group that produces aluminium oxide nanofibers, has developed a filtration system for NASA, which will enable large amounts of water to be filtered without the need for large high pressure pumps. The filters work using positively charged aluminium oxide fibers that attract negatively charged pathogens and other impurities. “The potential for sanitizing drinking water for pharmaceutical, medical and home use is remarkable”, said Argonide President Fred Tepper.

MIDLAND, Mich., Nov. 12, 2001 — Officials at Dow Chemical Co. say they are poised for a marketing push that will attempt to finally make a commercial success of an intriguing form of plastics known as dendrimers.

Touted for their potential for a wide variety of industrial and medical applications, dendrimers have had limited commercial success since they were discovered by Dow researcher Donald Tomalia in 1979.

The one company spun off to capitalize on their discovery, Dendritech Inc. of Midland has struggled since its founding in 1992, and last year sold the patent rights back to Dow.

“There’s 15 years of literature out there, and its always said, ‘Hey, success is just around the corner.’ Fifteen years, and there’s still no big commercial application, despite everyone and their brother, particularly in academia, doing research,” said Jeff Lackey, senior technology manager at Dow and the person in charge of reinvigorating commerce in dendrimers.

“If we can’t make this a commercial success, no one can.”

Meanwhile, Dendritech, founded by Tomalia in 1992 after Dow chose then not to pursue commercial development of dendrimers, has repositioned itself since selling its technology portfolio back to Dow for an undisclosed sum in March 2000.

Dendritech used the money to retire debt, has dropped the heavy expense of research and development and is solidly in the black as a Dow-licensed manufacturer and supplier of dendrimers to researchers worldwide, said Emery Scheibert, Dendritech’s president. Its 32 different dendrimers are marketed by Sigma-Aldrich Inc. through its Handbook of Fine Chemicals.

Dendritech has also begun seeking out federally funded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants. Its first two grants, for $65,000 each, came from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Ballistic Missile Defense Organization — one for using dendrimers to make a copper-nano composite for coating wires in microelectronics and the other to see if nanoscale voids in dendrimer coatings can improve performance in future generations of integrated circuits.

Unlike other plastics, which are made of haphazard, long strands, dendrimers are precisely constructed molecules built on the nanoscale. They have branching ends, which reminded Tomalia of a tree, hence the Greek root word “dendra,” for tree.

Dendrimers are grown in a multistep process through up to 10 generations. Each step doubles the complexity at the branching end. Since their discovery, thousands of papers have been published in scientific journals, describing a myriad of applications.

Drugs can be attached to their ends or placed inside cavities within them, and they may one day provide targeted drug delivery to fight cancer. Researchers say they can be used to bind antibodies to substrates in diagnostic devices of the future. Depending on their structure and what they are combined with, they can be insulators or conductors.

Dendrimers are very sticky. One of the few commercial applications over the years has been for commercial ink makers, who use the dendrimers to bind inks to wet surfaces.

Dendrimers are versatile. Like buckyballs, they have a symmetry that is both eye-catching and intriguing. They are also so costly that most of the 1,000 pounds or so a year produced by Dendritech goes to academic researchers in tiny quantities, and not toward commercial applications.

According to Robert Nowak, Dendritech’s chief executive officer, a 10th-generation dendrimer goes through 22 different chemical reactions, which take three months in the lab. The result is that a 10th-generation dendrimer lists for $1,500 for 100 milligrams on Dendritech’s Web site. A sixth-generation dendrimer is $660 per gram. The cheapest and simplest dendrimer is $21 a gram.

“The biggest drawback to dendrimers is cost,” said Lackey. “You’re not going to make trash liners out of them. Or car fenders, not at the current price. The cost keeps it out of a lot of mainstream applications.”

Dow bought the patents back 19 months ago, and has been active since in organizing a market push, said Lackey, whose dendrimer team includes a research and development staff, marketers, licensing experts and patent specialists.

His team has begun approaching its huge base of commercial customers and partners. “One advantage we have is close access to many companies around the world. We just go talk to them and show them what dendrimers can do. It’s a market-focused approach — see what the problems are that our customers say dendrimers will solve.”

Today, Dow officials say Dendritech is the only licensed maker and seller of dendrimers in the world. It won’t have that niche to itself for long.

Tomalia, who invented dendrimers 22 years ago, left Dendritech’s board of directors when the Dow negotiations were completed. He gave up royalty claims on the patents in exchange for a non-exclusive license to manufacture and sell dendrimers.

In August, it was announced that he had formed a new company, Dendritic Nanotechnologies Ltd., with $2.2 million (U.S.) in funding over three years from two Australian firms, Starpharma Pooled Development Ltd. and PanBio Ltd.

Dendritic Nanotechnologies will have its official headquarters in Australia, but R&D will be conducted at its U.S. offices at a new tech park being built in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., in conjunction with Central Michigan University and the state of Michigan.

Tomalia said he expects to move into his new offices by April, and that the company will focus on applications for coatings in microelectronics, medical diagnostics, drug delivery and using a form of dendrimers to kill such viruses as Ebola, hepatitis and HIV.

He made it clear he is taking dead aim at his old company.

“We intend to have the premier dendritic company in the world,” he said.

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Related Story: Dendrimer’s dad thinks he’s finally tamed the money-munching molecule

CONTACT THE AUTHOR:
Tom Henderson at [email protected] or call 734-528-6292.

November 6, 2003 – Filling out its compound-semiconductor epitaxial deposition offerings, Veeco Instruments, Woodbury, NY, has purchased Emcore Corp.’s, Somerset, NJ, TurboDisc metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) business for $60 million in cash, and an additional $20 million over the next two years if future revenue targets are met.

The deal includes R&D and production systems, and a facility in Somerset, NJ, along with 120 employees. The business has shipped 500 TurboDisc systems worldwide, and earned $51.1 million in revenue for the 12 months ended June 30, 2003, down from $135 in the previous year.

Veeco CEO Edward Braun said the acquisition, which offers inroads to the LED market, will be accretive to the company on a cash basis by 2Q04. Emcore CEO Reuben Richards added that with the sale of its capital equipment business, Emcore will “devote our full attention to the communications sector and our investment in Gelcore,” a JV with GE Lighting in the LED market.

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Nov. 5, 2003 — Nanotechnology startup Optiva Inc., is not only a cash magnet, but it’s also a member of a new breed of technology company, where the brains and innovation are in Russia, but the company is headquartered in the United States, Europe or East Asia.

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“It is world-class technology. Remember that it was the Russian Soyuz that rescued the NASA space station crew,” points out Jean Charles Herpeux, chief executive of ACOL Technology, a Swiss/Russian manufacturer of high brightness light emitting diodes (HB-LEDs).

Typical Russian research spinoff technologies are fuel cells, sensors that work in extreme conditions, nanopowders and high-power compact microscopes. Examples include NT-MDT, a manufacturer of atomic force and scanning probe microscopes, and one-year-old Independent Power Technologies, a manufacturer of advanced fuel cell systems.

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Optiva’s founder is Pavel Lazarev, a sixty-something, gregarious Russian who has raised more than $40 million for his firm’s innovative and surprisingly simple thin-film technology. He’s the former head of MDT, an atomic force microscope company in Moscow.

Despite having a large number of patents and scientific papers to his name, Lazarev is an entrepreneur. Don’t call him a researcher. He uses phrases like, “the best founders are dead founders,” showing he understands the thinking of the venture capital crowd. Currently, Optiva’s shareholders are entertaining the first bids from interested buyers.

Esther Dyson, an early investor in Russian technology firms, says that Russia doesn’t really need VC money; it needs management savvy. People like Lazarev are rare.

That means that investors who wish to be successful have to take a hands-on approach. UK-based Flintstone PLC is trying the incubator model. It seeks chemical and surface technology deals that are close to being ripe for the market. It then gives the inventors shares in a new UK-based company, which takes over all the intellectual property.

It is a model that worked well for Flintstone’s founder Ian Woodcock’s first Russian deal. He ended up selling Sterilox Technologies Inc., a maker of nontoxic sterilizations systems to investors in 2000 for an undisclosed sum. Woodcok decided to repeat the process, forming Flintstone as the incubation vehicle.

Researchers are paid a salary and key members of the team move to the United Kingdom. But not everyone agrees that moving Russian scientists to Great Britain is the best method to build value in an early stage company.

“My issue with the Flintstone model is that it removes one of the major benefits of Russian tech — the relatively low cost,” said a Moscow-based private equity investor. “Employee and infrastructure prices are lower here than in the UK.”

It also adds more risk: homesickness, culture shock and the like.

Marie Trexler, who heads Intel Capital in Eastern Europe and Russia, agrees that it is better to keep R&D teams in Russia due to the savings to be achieved.

Even Flintstone might be reconsidering its model. “Getting visas and traveling to Moscow is not as difficult as it once was,” says David Chestnutt, Flintstone’s CEO. In addition, one of its portfolio firms, a company that had found a way to make super-rechargeable batteries, lost its Russian chief scientist when he suddenly resigned and returned to Russia.

The two companies in the Flintstone portfolio closest to profitability are Hardide and Keronite. Hardide’s key researcher was the leading expert in chemical vapor deposition technologies at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, an important space research center in Russia.

Keronite is a startup developing a surface treatment to boost the hardness of aluminum and magnesium to the level of steel. Magnesium is a material cherished for its lightness and luxe look compared to plastic, but it is soft and susceptible to corrosion and wear.

Its process has actually been around for decades, but it took Russian perseverance and ingenuity, in the form of a Moscow State University researcher, Alexander Shatrov, to be able to run the process using a reasonable about of energy.