Tag Archives: Small Times Magazine

(November 3, 2010) — Asylum Research, scanning probe and atomic force microscopy (SPM/AFM) provider, debuted the NanoRack Sample Stretching Stage Accessory for its MFP-3D AFM systems. The stages offer stress control, force measurements, and strain data recording.

This high-strain, high-travel manual stretching stage provides two axis stress control of tensile-loaded samples under different loads. Automatic load cell calibration provides integrated force measurements with MFP-3D images or other measurements, and returns both stress and strain data. Maximum sample load is 80N. Applications for the NanoRack stage include direct measurements to determine interfacial adhesive strength of nano- and micro-scale domains within polymer blends, especially blends generated in-situ in polymerization reactors. Additional applications include measurements of forces required to induce cracking in a variety of biological and inorganic materials.

The stage is compatible with a wide variety of AFM imaging techniques including Phase and Dual AC for enhanced contrast of material properties, as well as the MFP-3D’s Ztherm option for localized thermal analysis.

Dr. Jason Cleveland, Asylum Research CEO, commented, "Currently there are no direct measurement methods for observing nanoscale features and effects under stress control. Our new NanoRack Sample Stretching Stage has already proven extremely useful in industry and academia for measurements of adhesive strength in polymers and stress-induced deformations and cracking in a variety of materials."

Asylum Research provides atomic force and scanning probe microscopy (AFM/SPM) for both materials and bioscience applications. For additional information, visit www.AsylumResearch.com.

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(November 2, 2010 – BUSINESS WIRE) — Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) opened its new life sciences instruments manufacturing facility in Singapore. The facility will produce Agilent’s liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) instruments for the global market.

"The opening of the LC/MS manufacturing facility marks a milestone in Agilent’s continued investment in Singapore, which began in 1970," said Bill Sullivan, Agilent president and CEO. "Singapore is the ideal location for this facility as it will provide us with greater access to the life sciences instrument market in Asia. The new facility also will bring us closer to our customers, as the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries have become an important part of Singapore’s overall economy and investment strategy." Singapore will be an integral part of Agilent’s global manufacturing network, said S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry and Education.

Agilent’s LC/MS instruments are widely used by pharmaceutical companies, from basic research through manufacturing and quality control (QC). The instruments also serve customers in biotechnology, bioagriculture, food safety, chemical, petrochemical, forensics, homeland security, environmental, academic and government markets.

In June 2009, the company announced the Agilent Automation Solutions facility, also in Singapore. The facility manufactures high-precision laboratory automation instruments.

"The new Agilent LC/MS manufacturing facility will attract top talent and enable the development of skilled engineers and chemists in Singapore as these are sophisticated high-end scientific instruments," said Soon-Chai Gooi, president of Agilent Technologies, Singapore and Malaysia.

The Agilent LC/MS facility is located within the Agilent Life Sciences Group Order Fulfillment Center, located at its Yishun, Singapore, site. The center will be responsible for efficient management of the supply-chain network — including planning, procurement, value-added engineering and logistics. The center ensures that the LC/MS facility is able to efficiently and effectively deliver configurable solutions to customers worldwide while maintaining Agilent’s hallmark of quality.

Agilent will produce the Agilent 6100 series Single-Quadrupole LC/MS, 6200 series Accurate-Mass Time-of-Flight LC/MS, 6400 series Triple Quadrupole LC/MS, and the 6500 series Accurate-Mass Quadrupole Time-of-Flight LC/MS at the new facility. These instruments are in addition to the liquid-handling and laboratory robotic instruments produced by the Agilent Automation Solutions facility established in 2009.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) provides measurement technology in chemical analysis, life sciences, electronics and communications. More information about Agilent’s life science products and services is available at www.chem.agilent.com.

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(November 2, 2010) — A team of researchers at the University of Warwick has found molecular hooks on the surface of graphene’s close chemical cousin, graphene oxide, that will potentially provide massive benefits to researchers using transmission electron microscopes (TEM). They could even be used in building molecular-scale mechanisms.

The research team, which includes Drs. Jeremy Sloan and Neil Wilson and PhD student Priyanka Pandey from the Department of Physics and Dr. Jon Rourke from the Department of Chemistry together with the groups of Drs. Kazu Suenaga and Zheng Liu from AIST in Japan and Drs. Ian Shannon and Laura Perkins in Birmingham were looking at the possibility of using graphene as a base to mount single molecules for imaging by transmission electron microscopy. As graphene forms a sheet just one atom thick that is transparent to electrons, it would enable high precision, high contrast imaging of the molecules being studied as well as the study of any interactions they have with the supporting graphene.

Graphene is actually very difficult to create and manipulate in practice. The researchers therefore turned to Graphene’s easier to handle cousin, Graphene Oxide. This choice turned out to be a spectacularly better material as they found extremely useful properties, in the form of ready-made molecular hooks that could make Graphene Oxide the support material of choice for future transmission electron microscopy of any molecule with oxygen on its surface.

Graphene Oxide’s name obscures the fact that it is actually a combination of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. For the most part it still resembles the one atom thin sheet of pure Graphene, but it also has “functional groups” consisting of hydrogen paired with oxygen. These functional groups can bind strongly to molecules with external oxygens making them ideal tethers for researchers wishing to study them by transmission electron microscopy.

This feature alone will probably be enough to persuade many researchers to turn to Graphene Oxide as a support for the analysis of a range of molecules by transmission electron microscopy, but the researchers found yet another intriguing property of these handy hooks — the molecules attached to them move and pivot around them.

Dr Jeremy Sloan says that, under the right conditions, the functional groups provide molecular tethers that hold molecules in an exact spot and allow the molecule to be spun in that position. This opens up a range of new opportunities for the analysis of such molecules but could also be a useful mechanism for anyone seeking to create molecular sized "machinery."

The research paper, "Imaging the Structure, Symmetry, and Surface-Inhibited Rotation of Polyoxometalate Ions on Graphene Oxide" is published in Nano Letters and is by Dr Jeremy Sloan, Jonathan P. Rourke, Neil R. Wilson and Priyanka A. Pandey from the University of Warwick; Zheng Liu and Kazu Suenaga from National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Research Centre for Advanced Carbon Materials, Tsukuba, Ibaraki Japan; and Laura M. Perkins and Ian J. Shannon from the University of Birmingham.

The research was funded or supported by the University of Warwick’s Warwick Centre for Analytical Science funded by the EPSRC, the Royal Society, the Science City initiative funded by Advantage West Midlands, AIST and had access to equipment from the Department of Materials at the University of Oxford.

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(November 2, 2010) — The Microelectronics Research Center (MRC), of the University of Texas at Austin (UT at Austin) has recently increased its facility capabilities by installing a Plasma-Therm VERSALINE DSE system. The addition of leading deep silicon etch technology enables process advances in MRC’s micro, nano and opto-electronics research. 

Precise silicon etching and process latitude are key elements to operate successfully in a research center environment. The deep silicon etch technology that the VERSALINE DSE provides, achieves these objectives through a combination of fast process control features and multi-step process flexibility.

Fast process control features such as patented pressure control algorithms, close mounted rapid gas switching, solid state matching networks and sensitive endpoint detection software, are joined with unmatched silicon-on-insulator (SOI) performance to deliver required high quality etch features. 

“We were extremely pleased with Plasma-Therm in terms of their installation of the DSE system and the training they provided. The tool is working as advertised,” stated Dr. Sanjay Banerjee, Director of the MRC at the University of Texas at Austin.

“Understanding our customer’s priorities and what makes them successful is a primary focus at Plasma-Therm. We realize that capital equipment is a significant portion of R&D programs and in turn we work to bring maximum value through high flexibility with all Plasma-Therm systems. Because of this, research and development in material science, optics, MEMS and microelectronics have relied on our equipment for generations,” stated Ed Ostan, executive vice president of sales & marketing at Plasma-Therm.

The University of Texas at Austin Microelectronics Research Center (MRC), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN), is a state-of-the-art, shared-equipment, open-use facility. The laboratory serves academic, industrial and governmental researchers across the country and around the world. MRC’s lab-members come from a wide variety of disciplines, with research in areas of electronics, optics, MEMS, biology and chemistry, as well as process characterization and fabrication of more traditional electronic devices.

Plasma-Therm supplies advanced plasma process equipment that caters to various specialty markets including MEMS, solid state lighting, thin film head, photomask and compound semiconductor fab. Learn more at www.plasmatherm.com

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(November 1, 2010) — Scientists involved in the European Union’s "Smart inspection systems for high-speed and multifunctional testing of MEMS and MOEMS" (SMARTHIEHS) project are developing a new test concept based on parallel inspection of devices at wafer level using micro-optical systems. The intent is to make the testing of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and micro-optoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS) structures one hundred times as fast as it is now. Testing one hundred structures simultaneously will reduce the time involved from 20 minutes to less than half a minute.

Sintef is coordinating the project, in which eight European centers of expertise in micro-optics are participating. The project is already halfway to completion.

"It is the industry itself that has been asking for better and cheaper methods," says project manager Kay Gastinger of Sintef.

Interferometric detection
The scientists use a number of interferometers in the testing process. The interferometers themselves are produced using standard microtechnology processes, which makes them cost-effective.

The aim of the project is to create glass wafers that incorporate up to 100 of these interferometers and then use them to test 100 circuits on a MEMS wafer at a stroke. The scientists will be able to measure the shape, any deformations, and resonance frequencies of the MEMS structures and thus identify manufacturing faults.

"We have already produced a prototype measuring station that is capable of measuring five structures at a time," says Gastinger. "The prototype consists of lens, mirror, and beamsplitter wafers. The top wafer contains 25 microlenses, which act as tiny imaging microscopes. Small micromirrors centered on the lenses produce the interference effect."

The project is due to end in 2011, by which time the demonstrator model will have been developed into a 50-channel version in a design that can be further expanded to 100 channels.

(November 1, 2010 – BUSINESS WIRE) — GigOptix Inc. (OTCBB:GGOX), electronic and electro-optic components supplier, named Innovative Micro Technology, Inc. (IMT) as its optical chip fabrication partner. GGOX is now in the process of transferring production of its Thin Film Polymer on Silicon  (TFPS) optical modulator chips to IMT in expectation of volume production ramping in 2011.

The TFPS modulator chips are designed internally, will be manufactured at IMT using GigOptix’s proprietary electro-optical polymer material, and packaged externally by the high-volume contract manufacturer in Shenzhen, China.

GigOpitix’ proprietary TFPS technology is used in the manufacture of 40G and 100G Mach-Zehnder (MZ) optical modulator chips for telecom applications. The modulator chip fabrication process uses a production flow that is compatible with industry-standard semiconductor manufacturing techniques. GigOptix’s TFPS technology lowers power consumption by more than 20% compared with competing modulator technologies, such as Lithium Niobate, and also enables significantly smaller modulators that easily fit into industry-standard 3.5 × 4.5" form factor 300-pin transponders, according to the company.

“We are very pleased to have reached the process maturity level with our TFPS technology to partner with IMT to transfer production of our modulator chips from our internal pilot fab to the high-volume production site at IMT,” said Raluca Dinu, VP & GM of GigOptix Bothell, adding that IMT offers established, high-quality, high-volume and cost-efficient manufacturing with optical device experience. "Furthermore, we plan to bring our full family of modulator chips to production at IMT to address various modulation formats, such as 40G DPSK, 40G RZ-DQPSK and 100G DP-QPSK being demanded by the telecom communication market. These steps are in line with our stated strategy of being a fabless solutions provider."

GigOptix’ 40G DPSK LX8410 TFPS modulator is available for immediate sampling. 
 
GigOptix is a supplier of high performance electronic and electro-optic components that enable next generation 40G and 100G fiber-optic telecommunications and data-communications networks.

IMT develops and produces MEMS devices and is the largest pure-play MEMS foundry in the US. Visit the company website at http://www.imtmems.com.

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(October 29, 2010 – BUSINESS WIRE) — VTI Technologies, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) supplier, is now taking a new direction and expanding into the consumer electronics segment. VTI is already the market leader in low-g sensors for the automotive industry, as well as in ultra-low power sensors for the medical implantable market.

The consumer MEMS market is booming as motion control becomes more and more standard in user-interface applications, such as mobile phones, gaming devices and TV remote controllers. Especially interesting is the gyroscope market. In 2008, iSuppli predicted VTI’s move to consumer apps.

In 2009, VTI was the first MEMS company to adopt Wafer Level Packaging (WLP) in a small and low power consuming three-axis acceleration sensor, the CMA3000. Now, the same technology is being applied to gyros. The new VTI consumer gyro, which will be introduced at the Electronica 2010 fair in Munich, is superior in terms of size, power consumption and performance compared to products on the market today. "We are now leveraging our expertise in high performance MEMS and intend to bring out products targeting the consumer segment that will challenge the current market offering," said Markku Hirvonen, president and CEO of VTI.

According to Hirvonen, another very interesting focus area is Silicon MEMS timing devices. “There is an enormous opportunity for MEMS-based timing and frequency control devices. The challenge has been to overcome issues related to accuracy and stability. We believe we have made a major technological breakthrough in this field,” Hirvonen continues.

The new direction also affects the company’s manufacturing strategy, as the new markets will require even greater flexibility and cost efficiency. “Our manufacturing strategy can be described as a hybrid model. We are utilizing our own fabrication for Automotive and Medical products, as well as for R&D purposes, and mass producing our high volume consumer products utilizing an outsourced supply chain. In this way we are getting the best of both worlds,” Hirvonen says.

VTI Technologies is a supplier of acceleration, inclination and angular motion sensor solutions for transportation, medical, instrument and consumer electronics applications. VTI develops and produces silicon-based capacitive sensors using its proprietary 3D MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical System) technology. For more information, please visit www.vtitechnologies.com.

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(October 29, 2010) — At the MEMS Technology Summit (10/19-10/20/10, Stanford University), Peter Hartwell, Distinguished Technologist at HP Labs, discussed the company’s sensor strategy — called CeNSE (central nervous system for the earth) — with Debra Vogler, senior technical editor. In this podcast interview, Hartwell describes how HP has been leveraging its inkjet cartridge technology and high-volume manufacturing to tackle the need for distributed wireless sensing networks, in particular, sensing in harsh environments. By harnessing the compute power in “the cloud,” the large amounts of data generated from wireless sensors provides the information required to monitor infrastructure.

Podcast: Download or Play Now

In his presentation at the conference, Hartwell also did an interesting back-of-the-envelope calculation that illustrated just how challenging it is for MEMS component manufacturers to make a profit, given that the technology has become commoditized. Essentially, the revenues generated at the system integrator stage and up to the service provider are orders of magnitude larger than those seen by a MEMS device manufacturer. In his example, a MEMS device manufacturer might realize $30 million in revenues, while the systems integrator would see $2.2 billion in revenue; but the service provider might see $25 billion in revenue. Going forward, funding models will have to take this commoditization factor into account.

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MEMS-traps-to-avoid-ST-Micro


October 29, 2010

(October 29, 2010) — Reporting from the MEMS Technology Summit (10/19-10/20/10, Stanford University), Debra Vogler, senior technical editor, spoke with Benedetto Vigna, Group VP, GM, MEMS, Sensors and High Performance Analog Division at STMicroelectronics.

Podcast: Download or Play Now

In his podcast interview, Vigna described what he calls MEMS "traps" — ways of thinking about MEMS that hold back the industry and slow its growth. He advises against "falling in love with the chip" or the technology; instead, the industry should fall in love with applications.

Looking ahead, Vigna sees the industry metamorphosing from its current era of consumerization to what he calls "personalization," i.e., sensors in/on/around the body.

More interviews from the MEMS Technology Summit 2010:

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(October 29, 2010) — The Chemical Heritage Foundation’s Studies in Sustainability series offers two white papers focused on nanotechnology.

"Emerging Nanotechnologies and Life-Cycle Regulation: An Investigation of Federal Regulatory Oversight from Nanomaterial Production to End of Life," investigates nanotechnologies’ potential risks to health and environment. Nanotechnologies promise many benefits for society, from modest improvements in consumer products to revolutionary changes in drug delivery and medical treatments. Over 1,000 nano-enabled products are currently on the market in the United States, and billions have been invested in future nanotechnologies. While nanotechnologies offer tremendous benefits for society, they may also pose significant risks. The same properties that enable novel applications may also lead to negative health and environmental consequences. These novel properties, coupled with a relative scarcity of information on nanomaterial hazards, make risk assessment and regulation a difficult task. This paper investigates the U.S. federal regulations that apply to a nanomaterial along its life cycle, from initial creation to end of life (EOL). Drawing upon the growing literature that explores the regulatory challenges posed by nanomaterials, this analysis investigates which regulations are expected to apply at each life-cycle stage, and the ways that nanomaterials challenge the applicability or enforcement of these regulations.

"Nanotechnology Regulation: Policies Proposed by Three Organizations for the Reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act" discusses the current primary law governing nanotechnology in the United States and addresses its limitations as identified by three interest organizations. Also discussed are different policy recommendations that these organizations have suggested in regard to nanotechnology regulation. Nanotechnology involves the act of manipulating matter at the molecular level. Having the capacity to work at this scale has generated a lot of excitement: researchers have imagined using nanotechnology for a wide range of applications in disparate fields, from medicine and cosmetics to food packaging and environmental filters. This surge of interest has attracted enormous investments toward development while simultaneously producing significant anxieties over the potential harmful effects of nanomaterials. In particular, critics are concerned that the properties exhibited by nanomaterials are not fully known and advocate for a framework that regulates production.

Download the white papers at http://www.chemheritage.org/research/policy-center/publications/studies-in-sustainability.aspx.

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