Tag Archives: Small Times Magazine


The new integrated AFM-optical microscope can assist a wide array of bioscience applications. (Image: Veeco)

Apr. 17, 2007 — Nanoscience instrumentation supplier Veeco Instruments Inc. has finalized a product-collaboration agreement with Leica Microsystems GmbH, manufacturer of optical microscopy systems, to drive biological and nano-medicine research. The initial phase of the collaboration focuses on the integration of Veeco’s BioScope II atomic force microscope (AFM) with Leica’s DMI series of inverted microscopes for new high-resolution imagery.

BioScope II was designed specifically to facilitate advanced bioscience. It enables novel in-situ techniques for measuring biological samples in three dimensions, and, when integrated with Leica’s DMI series of inverted optical (or, at a later step, confocal) microscopes, gives the live cell researcher an intelligent and coded instrument, says Veeco.

The new integrated AFM optical microscope is appropriate for a wide array of cutting-edge bioscience applications, such as spatial identification of protein molecules and cellular structures, investigations of cell response to mechanical stimulation and nano-manipulation, and in-situ pharmacological studies of live cells. By being able to mechanically probe and manipulate cellular samples without complicated preparation, biologists can have a unique view into cell functionality and are able to conduct experiments which were impossible with traditional microscopy techniques.

Apr. 17, 2007 — BASF Future Business GmbH is collaborating with Polyera Corporation to develop and commercialize new organic semiconductors and dielectrics for use in CMOS-analog printed circuits. The partners intend to develop these materials as well as a printed prototype CMOS circuit within the next three years.

Organic material sets make it possible to print CMOS circuits on flexible substrates. This will make organic CMOS circuits cheaper and easier to produce than standard CMOS circuits and enables printed electronics to open up new markets. The market volume for printed electronics is expected to rise to over €30 billion by 2015 from currently €3 billion, according to independent consultants IDTechEx, Cambridge, U.K.

“Polyera has in-depth know-how in the design and synthesis of semiconductors and dielectrics, as well as in transistor physics. This perfectly complements the expertise that BASF has built up in this area by itself as well as through a network of cooperations,” said Dr. Peter Eckerle, project manager at BASF Future Business. “We are now well positioned to develop superior new material systems and satisfy the growing market demand.”

Polyera Corporation was founded in 2005 as a start-up from Northwestern University. BASF Future Business GmbH, a 100 percent subsidiary of BASF Aktiengesellschaft, aims to open up business areas with above-average growth rates that lie outside BASF’s current activities.

Apr. 17, 2007 — Nanotechnology research has helped the University of Missouri-Columbia secure its second U.S. defense-related contract in less than a year.

During the next five years, MU’s College of Engineering will partner with the Picatinny Arsenal, a military installation in New Jersey, to produce numerous devices that could help improve military capabilities. Under the supervision of Shubhra Gangopadhyay, an electrical and computer engineering professor, MU will receive up to $10 million for its research and development efforts in the emerging field that works with microscopic particles the size of atoms.

In July, MU received a $3.5 million, two-year contract to build miniature devices to enhance the performance of U.S. Army weapons systems.

Apr. 16, 2007 — The inaugural symposium for the National Nanotechnology Manufacturing Center (NNMC) in Swainsboro, Georgia, held Apr. 2 – 3, attracted more than 100 attendees.

NNMC is a non-profit entity that will serve as a clearing-house for projects involving manufacturing in the nano and micro scales for both military and commercial use. The result of a partnership between the Joint Development Authority, The U. S. Army’s Picatinny Arsenal (Picatinny, NJ), and Georgia nanoFAB (Cartersville, GA), the center is reportedly the first of its kind.

“This is not a research facility, but it is a means to attract and generate high-tech companies and jobs for our area,” said Andy Riley, President of the Swainsboro-Emanuel County Joint Development Authority (JDA). “It will provide universities the ability to turn some of their research projects into useful products.”

A new building at Pathway Technology Park in Swainsboro will be the center’s permanent home; until construction is complete the center will be housed at Swainsboro Technical College along with Georgia nanoFAB, a company dedicated to using contract manufacturing as a tool to accelerate commercialization of university research.

Takatori’s ATM-1100EF wafer protective tape-laminating machine is designed for MEMS applications. (Image: GTI)

Apr. 16, 2007 — Capital equipment distributor GTI Technologies has announced the North American availability of what it calls “a new generation of wafer-taping machinery.” The ATM-1100EF, manufactured by Takatori Corporation of Japan, expands upon Takatori’s ATM-1100 wafer protective tape-laminating machine by adding the capability to handle MEMS applications. Direct benefits include the increased control of film thickness and temperature throughout the laminating process — controls GTI says are critical to cost-effective wafer production.

The machine can accommodate any film, regardless of its consistency or thickness (from 15-200 microns). And, it has temperature-control features built into the lamination roller, knife blades and table itself, which can be uniformly heated, even in ambient conditions of as much as of 200˚C (392˚F) allowing for temperature sensitive process.

Unlike resist spin-coating and other similar processes, the ATM-1100EF generates no chemical waste, so it promises to not only reduce hazardous waste disposal but also to lower overall fabrication costs. Available options include a no-tension lamination system for specific applications; an ESD-handling system that substitutes for a vacuum for a wafer with holes; a knife-cleaning system to remove any residue, insuring optimal performance; and a touch-panel screen with a 50-segment pressure control.

Apr. 13, 2007 — A group of environmental and labor organizations is challenging the Nano Risk Framework being put together by DuPont and Environmental Defense, calling it a public relations campaign.

In an “open letter to the international nanotechnology community”, the coalition, which includes Greenpeace and the United Steelworkers of America, says, “We strongly object to any process in which broad public participation in government oversight of nanotech policy is usurped by industry and its allies.”

Apr. 13, 2007 — Nanophase Technologies has “pre-announced” record revenue for the first quarter of 2007, even though its intake of $2.9 million was below consensus of $3.1 million.

The WR Hambrecht + Co financial services firm is increasing its 2007 revenue growth estimate for Nanophase to 45% (up from 40%) to match the actual revenue growth experienced in the first quarter. “Nanophase is making progress but we do not see profits in 2007 or 2008,” says Hambrecht. “We believe the business model works, but only at a higher revenue level.”

IntelliSuite 8.2 enables nanoscale and nanotube simulation. (Image: IntelliSense)

Apr. 13, 2007 — IntelliSense has announced a major new version of its software for small-tech designers. With IntelliSuite v8.2, says company CEO, Sandeep Akkaraju, “we have now entered the nano domain.”

Akkaraju explains that researchers have been needing software to enable the development of next generation micro/nano devices. IntelliSuite v8.2 promises to facilitate the design of nanostructures as well as combined MEMS-nanostructure products.

The new version also expands upon the software’s multiphysics capability. “Next generation device design will depend upon seamless integration of fully coupled thermal, mechanical, piezo, electrostatic, magnetostatic, fluidic and high frequency electromagnetic simulation. Our focus in 2007 will be to enable interaction between these varied simulation domains in a single package,” the company says.

New IntelliSuite features include:
– Nanoscale and Carbon Nanotube simulation capabilities
– Thermo-Electro-Magneto-Mechanical (TEMM) module that allows for the design and simulation of electrostatic and magnetostatic and Lorentz force based sensors and actuators
– New 3D Boundary Element Formulation based Full Wave analysis solver designed for Fast Impedance extraction and signal integrity analysis
– Full 3D Coupled Electrostatic-Mechanical-Fluidic and High Frequency (RF FullWave) simulator optimized for the design of RF-MEMS
– Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) based digital microfluidics module
– VisualEase, advanced data visualization and data exploration module

Apr. 13, 2007–FormFactor, Inc. has released its PH150XP wafer probe card, a new product in the company’s line of DRAM wafer testing products. The PH150XP probe card promises several yield and throughput enhancements to enable DRAM manufacturers to achieve additional reductions in their overall cost of test.

MEMS microsprings technology is at the core of FormFactor’s IP associated with our advanced wafer probe cards, says David Viera of FormFactor. “The contact technology comprised of MEMS microsprings can include more than 20 thousand MEMS springs on each card.”

The PH150XP complements FormFactor’s new Harmony XP wafer probe product, introduced in January 2007. While the Harmony XP probe card is designed for full-area 300-mm wafer testing for 1GB and higher-density DRAM devices, the PH150XP is a more cost-effective solution for testing smaller-sized, smaller density DRAM devices (512MB and below) where tester resources mandate four or more touchdowns per wafer.

“With demand for cellular phones, MP3 players and other mobile handset products continuing to drive the need for consumer DRAM devices, our customers are looking to us to provide wafer probe solutions that help enable them to meet their time-to-market requirements at the lowest cost of test,” states company CEO Igor Khandros.

Apr. 12, 2007 — LITMUS Defense, LLC has entered into a formal agreement with the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division (NAWCWD), for the research and development of carbon nanostructures in advanced rocket motors and warheads.

The NAWCWD is the premier R&D center within the Naval Air Systems Command, conducting basic and applied research of advanced technologies related to tactical naval air weapons systems. NAWCWD has extensive expertise, multi-billion dollar research and test facilities, and information in energetic systems.

The use of high quality carbon nanotubes and nanofibers into various rocket motor and warhead components and propellants promises multiple enhanced properties. These include increasing thermal conductivity and performance, increasing the strength of materials and alloys, and reducing the weight and size of structural components, thereby dramatically affecting the structure and propellants of rockets to provide greater thrust per second into a system.

LITMUS Defense says its experience with integration of carbon nanostructures will enable it not only to conduct the required research, but also to commercialize the resulting technologies.