Tag Archives: Small Times Magazine

SmallCo is a hypothetical start-up. It’s been in business for about six months but does not yet have a product to sell. It doesn’t even have a working prototype, but SmallCo has a great idea – it’s going to use nanoparticles to make the best widget possible.

SmallCo doesn’t work with any overseas companies on R&D, nor does it buy anything from foreign suppliers. It doesn’t give plant tours or use any outside contractors, not even a cleaning crew. It’s pretty safe to say that SmallCo doesn’t have any export control issues.

Yet. But even a minor change to SmallCo’s situation can have a substantial impact. Say SmallCo hires an H-1B visa holder to work in its R&D group or an S-1 visa holder on its engineering team. According to U.S. export controls, allowing a foreign national employee access to any of SmallCo’s product development or manufacturing technology, even when that person is authorized to work in the United States, is considered an export to the employee’s country of citizenship. SmallCo must now figure out what it must do to comply.

Hiring a foreign national is not the only way to trigger the applicability of export controls to your business, but for nano- and other high-tech start-ups, it is a key trigger.

An overview of U.S. export controls

American export controls regulate the worldwide transfer of U.S.-origin goods, services and technology. These controls also apply to technical assistance, technology transfers, services and other activities involving non-U.S. persons, including when technology is transferred to non-U.S. persons authorized to work in the United States.

Exports of commercial and “dual-use” items – commercial items that also have military applications – are generally subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), administered by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). Exports of defense articles, including technology, are subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), administered by the Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC). The EAR and ITAR treat the release within the United States of technology to a foreign national who is not a permanent resident as an export.

Minimizing risk

What should SmallCo do to minimize the risk of export control violations? The first step is to review the U.S. Munitions List (USML) and the Commerce Control List (CCL) to determine whether any of its technology is controlled under the ITAR or the EAR.

Think broadly – the technology that should be classified includes technology specific to the manufacture of SmallCo’s product, and it also includes technology for the use of its equipment, technology for the use of certain materials and technology for the disposal of certain materials. In some cases technology may be controlled because it is “capable of” doing “X,” even though SmallCo is using it for “Y.” Be sure to review all categories under both the USML and the CCL carefully in order to determine what licenses are needed.

Once SmallCo has done this, it should:

  • Determine which new hires are foreign nationals so licenses can be obtained as needed, based on the technology to which the individuals will need access.
  • Obtain any licenses necessary. While a license request is pending, ensure that the foreign national does not have access to any technical data requiring a license.
  • Ensure that all IT systems administrators are U.S. citizens or authorized to access all types of controlled technology that are maintained on the IT system. Restrict access to electronic files to only those who are authorized.
  • Develop procedures to store technical and hard copy data securely and out of sight of anyone “just passing through the facility.”
  • Provide periodic training to employees about export controls and how they apply to the business.

Hiring a foreign national may not be the only way nanotech startups will face export controls – but it is the most likely one. The measures identified in this article are important to ensure compliance with U.S. export controls no matter what triggered your need for compliance.

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SUSAN KOVAROVICS and WILLIAM CLEMENTS are partners in Foley & Lardner’s Washington, D. C., office and members of the White Collar Defense & Corporate Compliance practice. Ms. Kovarovics designs compliance programs and provides training on export and defense trade controls, trade sanctions, and anti-boycott matters. Mr. Clements counsels foreign and domestic parties regarding international business regulatory matters, particularly export controls, economic sanctions and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

By John Carroll

Eric Henderson worked for years with atomic force microscopes while he was doing research work at Iowa State. The AFM technology gave him a chance to scan an incredibly small area with great precision.

But Henderson wanted to go to such scales with minute quantities of biologic material. And his newly public company, BioForce Nanosciences, got him there.

For more than a year now, the Ames, Iowa-based company has been selling its NanoArrayer System, which uses microfluidic surface patterning tools to deliver biomaterials on a chip that are one to 20 microns in size, or 20 billion times smaller than a drop of blood. Working on the attoliter to femtoliter scale, it’s been used to test biomolecular interactions, which is particularly important in studying protein samples. And at that size, adds Henderson, researchers are able to use the NanoArrayer to create ultra-miniaturized chips, biosensors and other biomedical devices.

For example, said Henderson, by working at such scales it’s possible to develop a process to identify a cancer biomarker by conducting a test with only four human cells. And that can have all sorts of implications for, say, a brain tumor patient whose surgeon would want to run tests on tumor materials before deciding on a treatment method.

“It offers much less invasive access,” said Henderson, with materials that could be gathered from a tiny swab.

“If you want to print a silicon chip with antibodies and build a diagnostic test, this is the way to do it,” said Henderson. With biosensors, he adds, it’s possible to use the NanoArrayer to afford the detection of minute quantities of materials.

“It’s really the world’s smallest pipettor,” said Jan Hoh, associate professor of physiology at Johns Hopkins University, referring to a standard piece of lab equipment used in molecular research. The pipettor carefully dispenses molecules for use in DNA research, proteomics or other applications.

What’s really exciting about the NanoArrayer, said Hoh, is that the technology platform it offers is so new and operates at such a tiny scale that it is still largely in virgin territory when it comes to outlining its potential. As more researchers pick them up and start using them in the lab, new applications will evolve that haven’t even been thought of yet.


BioForce Nanosciences’ NanoArrayer System uses microfluidic surface patterning tools to deliver biomaterials. Photo courtesy of BioForce Nanosciences
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“You’re going to have a lot of clever people out there figuring out what they can do,” said Hoh. “My guess is that one doesn’t yet know the best places for it.”

Hoh was one of the first researchers to get his hands on one of the devices. And he still hasn’t seen anything else on the commercial side of lab equipment that can do what the NanoArrayer does.

For the past several years, he’s been using it to pattern proteins to study cell biology.

“We’re trying to build little micro environments using the NanoArrayer to prove cell structure and function, specific and general. That thing can make spots [that are] microns in dimension.”

It also gives researchers the versatility to keep changing those environments, using microfluidics to write new patterns for fresh study every day.

“In research, you want one pattern today and another for the next,” said Hoh. “Your questions evolve. You don’t make the same pattern a million times.” That’s a major advance over the older lithography technology that had been limited to printing patterns over and over again.

For now, Hoh is one of just a handful of scientists using the NanoArrayer. Researchers at Harvard Medical School received funding from the National Human Genome Research Institute to buy one for their work on tiny biosensors. And scientists at Paris’ Universite Pierre & Marie Curie are now using the NanoArrayer to study cell morphology establishment and migration.

Henderson, meanwhile, is beavering away at new improvements that will help make it more marketable. The NanoArrayer occupies about a square foot of bench space, and Henderson would like to shrink that footprint even more. “The device can be made smaller,” said Henderson. “That’s on the drawing board.”

The company, meanwhile, is growing. Henderson has been hiring sales and development people to help ramp up sales, growing the staff to 22. And with just a few NanoArrayers in use at a cost of about $125,000 each, he’s clearly looking forward to getting more pushed out into the scientific community.

BioForce Nanosciences
www.bioforcenano.com

NanoCon Newswire

Aug. 30, 2006 (Laguna Beach, Calif.) — EventMingle today announced it has been selected as the official online social networking application for the Small Times NanoCon International 2006 conference which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, September 20-22, 2006. EventMingle is an online collaboration Web application developed to allow attendees, exhibitors and speakers of this event to meet online prior to arriving at the event in order to improve face-to-face interactions once they arrive.

EventMingle has created a custom site for participants online.

EventMingle will give participants the following features:

Internal E-mail System – Attendees and exhibitors will use EventMingle’s built-in e-mail system to communicate without giving either party access to their personal contact info until they’re ready.

Detailed Online Exhibitor Directory – Exhibitors can publish extended information, including a searchable product directory, current press releases, and scheduled booth events. Exhibitors can also give attendees the ability to schedule appointments with booth personnel.

Press Center – Attendees can use the EventMingle portal to view all of the recent press releases from the Exhibiting companies.

Advanced Search Features – Participants can search for people based on their location, title and interests. Attendees can also meet other people who plan to attend a specific conference session.

Message Forums – The message forums allow people to discuss exhibitors, press releases, products, special events, exhibitor giveaway items and job postings.

The Daily Planner � Participants will create a detailed to-do list they can take with them to the event. EventMingle becomes attendees’ personal assistant in helping them get organized for the event prior to leaving for the airport.

“We’re very pleased to be working with Small Times to enable their NanoCon attendees, speakers and exhibitors to meet and collaborate online prior to arriving at their annual conference in September. We believe these nanotechnology business and research executives are going to arrive better prepared because they have had a chance to network and exchange ideas with their colleagues on EventMingle”, states Jim Harrer, CEO of Specialty Match Network, Inc., the parent company of EventMingle.

“I am pleased to announce the addition of the EventMingle networking program to Small Times NanoCon International 2006. In our continuing commitment to providing a premier networking and business strategy event to the nanotechnology sector, this matchmaking program enables attendees and exhibitors to connect and facilitate one-on-one meetings prior to the show, truly maximizing onsite results and new business opportunities,” said Patti Glaza, Group Publisher of Small Times magazine.

The EventMingle networking site will be available to registered Small Times NanoCon International participants on Friday, September 1.

About Small Times

Small Times, a division of PennWell Corp., is the leading source business and technical information and analysis on micro and nanotechnology commercialization. Small Times offers full news coverage through its business trade magazine, daily news Web site and weekly e-mail newsletter

About PennWell

PennWell Corporation is a diversified business-to-business media and information company that provides quality content and integrated marketing solutions for the following industries: Oil and gas, electric power, water, electronics, semiconductor, contamination control, optoelectronics, fiberoptics, enterprise storage, fire, emergency services and dental. Founded in 1910, PennWell publishes 75 print and online magazines and newsletters, conducts 60 conferences and exhibitions on six continents, and has an extensive offering of books, maps, web sites, research and database services. In addition to PennWell’s headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma the company has major offices in Nashua, New Hampshire; Houston, Texas; London, England; Campbell, California; Fairlawn, New Jersey; Moscow, Russia; and Hong Kong, China.

About EventMingle

EventMingle is the first Web-based, online social networking technology designed to cater to the tradeshow industry. EventMingle enables attendees, exhibitors and speakers to collaborate online prior to the event.

EventMingle is a wholly owned subsidiary of Specialty Match Network, a privately owned company based in Laguna Beach, Calif. See http://www.SpecialtyMatch.com for more info.

For more info about EventMingle, contact Jim Harrer, 949-607-0980

For more info about Small Times, visit http://www.smalltimes.com, or contact Patti Glaza, Vice President, Group Publisher at 734.528.6266.

Aug. 31, 2006 – U.S. scientists using an off-the-shelf inkjet printer have developed a technique for printing patterns of carbon nanotubes on paper and plastic surfaces.

The research team says the method could lead to a new process for manufacturing a wide range of nanotube-based devices, from flexible electronics and conducting fabrics to sensors for detecting chemical agents.

Carbon nanotubes offer the combination of high strength, low weight and excellent conductivity. But most current techniques to make nanotube-based devices require complex and expensive equipment.

“Our results suggest new alternatives for fabricating nanotube patterns by simply printing the dissolved particles on paper or plastic surfaces,” said Robert Vajtai, a researcher with the Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and corresponding author of the paper.

Vajtai and colleagues at Rensselaer — along with a group of researchers led by Krisztian Kordas and Geza Toth at the University of Oulu in Finland — explain the discovery in the August issue of the journal Small.

© 2006, YellowBrix, Inc.

Aug. 30, 2006 — Structured Materials Industries Inc. (SMI) reported that it has received funding to enhance high intensity lamp performance by developing a metal organic chemical vapor deposition process.

The process is intended to be a high volume production-worthy process. SMI said it is working closely with a well-established lamp manufacturer on the project. The intent is to improve performance through the use of optical coatings that allow the lamps to conserve energy while maximizing desired light output and minimizing non-useful light output. The company will use MOCVD processes to produce a series of functionally designed nanolayers to optimize internal reflection of non-useful light while allowing the desired wavelengths to pass freely through the applied coating.

The end result is slated to be a superior lighting technology for military and civilian applications. The funding came in the form of a DARPA Phase I SBIR.

Ambios releases Isochamber


August 30, 2006

Aug. 30, 2006 — Ambios Technology, a Santa Cruz, Calif.-based maker of high performance, low cost bench top metrology and measurement equipment, announced its Isochamber, an environmental isolation system designed to optimize the performance of AFMs and other surface imaging tools.

The device is intended to offer a superior environmental chamber for isolating high resolution metrology instrumentation from building vibrations, interior acoustic noise, and thermally induced drift in order to get top performance.

The Isochamber provides 30dB of acoustic isolation, and features an integral 0.5Hz vibration isolation platform from Minus K Technology. Ambios says the result is better than 99 percent isolation efficiency acoustically and mechanically in key frequency regimes.

Aug. 30, 2006 — U.S. scientists say the behavior of tiny structures called nanocantilevers can be crucial in designing sensors for detecting viruses and bacteria.

Purdue University researchers say the nanocantilevers — resembling tiny diving boards made of silicon — could be used in future detectors because they vibrate at different frequencies when contaminants stick to them, thereby revealing the presence of dangerous substances.

The researchers said they were surprised to learn cantilevers coated with antibodies to detect certain viruses attract different densities — or quantity of antibodies per area — depending on the size of the cantilever. The devices are immersed in a liquid containing the antibodies to allow the proteins to stick to the cantilever surface.

But instead of simply attracting more antibodies because they are longer, the longer cantilevers also contained a greater density of antibodies, which was very unexpected, said Rashid Bashir, a researcher at the Birck Nanotechnology Center and a Purdue professor of electrical, computer and biomedical engineering.

The findings are detailed in a research paper in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

© 2006, YellowBrix, Inc.

Aug. 29, 2006 — CVD Equipment Corp. of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., announced it has been selected by CNT Technologies to supply an EasyTube 3000 Carbon Nanotube System for use by Los Alamos National Laboratory to further develop the commercialization of carbon nanotube fibers.

CVD started shipping the EasyTube & EasyWire 2000 and 3000 series early this year to research scientists at numerous universities, government and industrial research laboratories throughout the world. The EasyTube system is used for the growth of single and multiwall aligned carbon nanotubes while the EasyWire system is used for the growth of nanowires used in electronic applications.

“The systems are being used to develop and strengthen the processes needed for future production applications,” said Len Rosenbaum, CVD’s president and chief executive, in a prepared statement. “These process developments should enable introduction in the first half of 2007 our EasyTube 12000 production Carbon Nanotube platform.”

Small Times

Aug. 29, 2006 – ASML Holding NV announced that it shipped two extreme ultraviolet (EUV) alpha demo tools to customers.

Both the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the State University of New York at Albany, N.Y., and the nanoelectronics research institute IMEC in Leuven, Belgium, have received full field EUV systems.

Both institutions will use these R&D tools after installation to conduct ongoing research into next generation lithography technology. ASML says the shipments were made possible after it achieved key lithography performance targets including full field scanning imaging and overlay.

ASML considers EUV as the most attractive technology for 32 nm and beyond, according to a company statement, because of its potential to be the most cost effective technology and its extendibility to multiple nodes. Earlier this year at the SPIE Microlithography conference the company presented proof-of-concept 35-nm resist images obtained over a full slit of 26 mm, made on one of these systems. ASML expects that these alpha demo tools to be essential in developing the infrastructure for EUV lithography.

“ASML’s investment in EUV demonstrates our commitment to developing long term solutions for our customers and maintaining our technology leadership,” said Martin van den Brink, executive vice president of marketing and technology at ASML, in a prepared statement. “Many industry partners will now get a chance to work with EUV technology which should help EUV enter into the next important phase of development. While these tools are research systems, pre-production EUV lithography tools could be shipped as early as 2009 depending on customer commitment.”

Aug. 28, 2006 – Tegal Corp., a designer and manufacturer of plasma etch and deposition systems used in the production of integrated circuits and nanotechnology devices, announced that two leading Japanese companies had placed repeat orders for Tegal 900 series plasma etch systems. Tegal says it has shipped more 1500 systems of this type to global semiconductor fabs since its introduction.

The Tegal 900 series etch tool features an RF diode plasma source optimized for the etching of a wide variety of films. The flexible, automated wafer handling system, a compact footprint and a broad portfolio of processes enable the 900 series etchers to be widely used in multiple sectors, including silicon CMOS, integrated passives, MEMS devices and thin film head manufacturing.