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JULY 18th, 2005
UCLA Researchers Usher in Molecular Electronics Age - Demonstrate
Molecular Nano Valve – Molecular Filter Based on Bistable Molecular Switch
Under funding from the National Science Foundation, researchers at the University of California
at Los Angeles have developed a nano valve that is capable of controlling the passage of molecules. A discussion of
the work is to be published in the July 19th issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. . According to
Jeffrey I. Zink, one of the researchers at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA, "This paper demonstrates unequivocally
that the machine works. With the nano valve, we can trap and release molecules on demand. We are able to control molecules
at the nano scale." Professor Zink also indicated that the new device has the potential be used as a drug delivery system.
The device can be used to both trap and release molecules.
The lead author on the paper, Thoi Nguyen, described the nano valve’s
operation, "The valve is like a mechanical system that we can control like a water faucet. Trapping the molecule inside and
shutting the valve tightly was a challenge. The first valves we produced leaked slightly."
The nano valve uses switchable rotaxane molecules (redox-activated
bistable), which are described as moving parts that are similar in appearance to linear motors. The nano valve demonstrated
was attached to glass or porous silica, which measured 500 nanometers, and is punctuated with pores that are only a few nanometers.
Commenting on the pores, Zink said, "It's big enough to let molecules in and out, but small enough so that the switchable
rotaxane molecules can block the hole."
The nano valve is opened and shut with a power supply that is molecular
in nature itself. A single electron serves as the basis chemical energy that opens and closes the valve. A luminescent molecule
is used to indicate if a molecule has been captured.
California NanoSystems Institute director Fraser Stoddart characterized
the behavior of the nano valve in relation to silicon, "The fact that we can take a bistable molecule that behaves as a switch
in a silicon-based electronic device at the nanoscale level and fabricate it differently to work as part of a nano valve on
porous silica is something I find really satisfying about this piece of research. It shows that these little pieces of molecular
machinery are highly adaptable and resourceful, and means that we can move around in the nanoworld with the same molecular
tool kit and adapt it to different needs on demand."
Switchable rotaxanes, according to UCLA, have already been used
in molecular electronics, which the UCLA team under the direction of Stoddart, are being adapted for artificial molecular
machinery applications.
The integrated circuit age was also ushered in with a switch device,
the diode and transistor, which has formed the basis for the integrated circuit, a device which now days can easily contain
over a billion transistors connected together to form an advanced system. The same basic hierarchical technology used to design
integrated circuits, known as Electronic Design Automation (EDA), may also be fundamental to the design of molecular systems
that may one day also contain billions if not trillions of nano valves.
JULY 18th, 2005
3M Electronics is scheduled to present its development efforts in
the area of microfluidics and microinterconnect technology at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry's (AACC's) 2005
Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Exposition in Orlando, Florida. The meeting, scheduled for July 24 to July 28 2005 will take
place at the Orange County Convention Center. There, Nate P. Kreutter, advanced product development specialist at 3M Electronics
will present on the 26th, "Polymer microfluidic devices with integrated electrodes" at 8 a.m. One of the topics of the lecture
will be on the use of polymer patterning to create electrodes that can be integrated into microfluidic channels. Other related
subjects include electrochemical analysis, electrokinetic transport and capillary electrophoresis as related to microinterconnect
technology used in microfluidic systems.
JULY 15th, 2005
As part of a share exchange agreement, iCurie Lab Holdings Limited,
based in the United Kingdom, has become a wholly owned subsidiary of iCurie, Inc. (OTCBB: CMTD). It was also reported that
iCurie Inc., referred to as iCurie US closed a $17 million private placement just recently on July 11th, 2005.
Chief Technology Officer, Jeong Hyun Lee, Ph.D. on the announcement commented on the new business structure and the
company’s technology, "I'm pleased to have passed another important milestone with iCurie. From our research and development
center in South Korea, we have created an excellent portfolio of cooling devices based on nano thermofluid technology. This
restructuring and financing gives us the strength and stability to commercialize our great technology."
ICurie develops solutions that lower the temperature of devices used in the electronic industry. ICurie has patents
that are based on thermofluidic nanotechnology concepts.
JULY 12th, 2005
TeraVicta Announces Availability of 7 GHz SPDT RF MEMS
Switch and Developers Kit
TeraVicta Technologies, as part of its appearance at the Semicon West Exhibit in San
Francisco this week, has announced that its single-pole double-throw (SPDT) reflective RF MEMS switch is now available. The
switch, called, the TT712-68CSP, comes complete with a developer’s kit, which includes an evaluation board and application
notes.
The company also released detailed electrical specifications of
the 3 Volt RF switch. These include a frequency range of DC to 7 GHz, isolation of 35 dB at 1 GHz, an insertion loss of 0.1
dB at 1 GHz, a power consumption of less than 10 microwatts at 68 Volts, a Peak RF power of 30 watts, and a switching speed
of less than 100 milliseconds. The MEMS device comes packaged in a very tiny 3.25mm x 4.5mm x 1.25mm (CSP-12) package. Reliability
is rated at 100 million cycles.
The device is intended for a broad range of RF switching applications
where high isolation, high linearity and low insertion loss are critical. Some typical applications include automated test
equipment, instrumentation, multi-band and multi-mode devices.
JULY 12th, 2005
Honeywell (NYSE:HON) has reported that it will invest over the next
five years at least $5 million in Albany NanoTech, a nanoelectronic research facility affiliated with the University at Albany
(SUNY).. The investment is intended to enhance Honeywell’s existing nanomaterials development work.
As part of the investment, Honeywell plans to add laboratory equipment
and its own researchers at Albany NanoTech’s research center. There it will work on nanomaterials for the further development
of semiconductor manufacturing processes. According to Dr. Saket Chadda, Chief Technology Officer at Honeywell Electronic
Materials, "Honeywell Electronic Materials has long been a leader in innovative materials which are the critical building
blocks for integrated circuit chip production. This investment will allow us to continue to develop new materials critical
to continuing the relentless pace of circuit miniaturization."
The facility at Albany NanoTech is 450,000 square feet and contains
a 200 mm / 300 mm wafer facility for the development of advanced integrated circuits, which include System-on-Chip, biochips,
photonic devices, sensors and high-speed communications devices. The fab is housed in a 65,000 square foot Class 1 clean room.
The Albany NanoTech facility is part of a $1.4 billion project by
the State of New York and a number of industrial partners to establish five Centers of Excellence for the further development
of nanoelectronics and other advanced technologies.
JULY 11th, 2005
The announcement out of UC Berkeley of the construction of a nanofluidic
transistor offers further evidence that the analysis of cells and their associated DNA will become more systematic in the
future. As well it also portends the coming of bioelectronic systems, which could integrate living cells, DNA and silicon
electronic technology to work together to form hybrid thinking machines, also referred to as molecular processors.
The nanofluidic transistor constructed, also referred to as unipolar
ionic field-effect transistor, similar in name to a semiconductor MOSFET(metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor),
shut off potassium ion flow through water - analogous to a MOSFET shutting off electron flow. The tiny device structure consisted
of a 35 nanometer high channel between two silicon dioxide plates. However, unlike present day MOSFETs, which can shut off
current flow with a 1 volt potential, it took a voltage of 75 volts to close the channel to the passage of the potassium ions
– a voltage that would make it difficult to integrate a dense system-on-a-chip of integrated nanotubes to enable the
mass-scale separation of negative and positive ions.
The system eventually has the potential to act as a virtual
valve, fundamental to a larger integrated system, which would screen for specific diseases. The Berkeley team visualizes
a disease screening device that is based on a nanotube coated with antigens. When antibodies that are specific to a
specific disease flow through the antigen lined nanotube, the antigen and antibody would attract, resulting in the blocking
the flow of liquid through the tube and changing the electrical current – indicating the presence of a specific disease.
The work at Berkeley has been supported by the National Cancer Institute
as a way to devise a test that can detect the presence of prostrate cancer. However it is also seen as the first step towards
integration of silicon with floating molecules, enabling a decisively different way to perform mathematically intensive computations.
JULY 11th, 2005
QinetiQ has reported that new European Union legislation related
to vibration in vehicles called the “'Control of vibration at work regulations 2005 is scheduled to become law. The
law seeks to minimize the effect of vehicle vibration on back injuries. Specifically pointed out by QinetiQ was that military
off-road vehicles would be effected as well as construction, mining and agricultural vehicles. According to QinetiQ's Centre
for Human Sciences MD, Neville Salkeld, "Up until now, UK daily exposure to WBV levels in vehicles has been subject to guidelines
only, but from 6 July new legislation will introduce daily 'action' and 'limit' values to vibration exposure. The Health &
Safety Executive will police the new law and ensure that employers undertake risk assessments and take measures to eliminate
or minimise employees' daily exposure."
QinetiQ also points out that the new regulations will also apply
to workers who use vibration intensive tools. These include the obvious, such as chainsaws and power hammers. According to
QinetiQ, the overuse of these tools can lend themselves to a number of painful and unusual medical conditions, not to mention
the possibility of increased insurance costs and disability payments.
JULY 8th, 2005
As the lead partner of a regional consortium, the University of
Washington was awarded a $15.4 million grant to develop an advanced, portable medical diagnostic system that can be used to
quickly diagnose diseases anywhere a health worker can walk to. From the list of companies involved in the project, which
includes Nanogen, the silicon microarray company, Micronics, the lab-on-a-card company, and PATH, a non-profit health strategy
company, the road points to a device that combines the latest miniaturized microfluidic analysis and sampling technology with
the latest genetic clinical analysis technology.
Commenting on the group was Paul Yager, lead investigator on
the project and Vice Chair and Professor at the University of Washington’s Department of Bioengineering, "This is a
formidable group. Each partner brings vital skills and experience to the mix. I believe this combination is what led to our
being selected from such a wide range of applicants and it's what will make our efforts successful.”
The award is one of 43 research projects that have been funded through
the $436 million Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative. The initiative is specifically focused to improve health care
and provide treatment for the diseases of the poor, the majority of diseases. That market is considered under served because
of market dynamics and differences in cost of living in different geographic areas.
The target size for the final working system is expected to fit
in a pocket, or about the size of a handheld computer.
JUNE 30th, 2005
Rensselaer Polytechnic Develops Nanobrushes for Wide Range of Applications
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has reported on the development of nanobrushes. The new nanobrushes, according to
the institute have applications in electronic, biomedical and environmental areas. Primarily, the main application, as to
date, would be to replace and significantly enhance existing cleaning technologies, such as large brushes used to clean away
foreign materials that result in short circuits on circuit boards.
The brushes, based on carbon nanotubes, have already been tested
for such applications as cleaning microscopic surfaces, as very tiny electrical contacts, for the removal of nanoparticles
in microscopic grooves, the internal coating of a 300 micrometer capillary tube, and as electromechanical switches in micromotors.
The carbon nanotube bristles, which conduct electricity, were grown onto brush handles made from silicon carbide fibers. The
technique used permitted the researchers to control the location where bristles were desired.
Pulickel Ajayan, the Henry Burlage Professor of Materials Science
and Engineering at Rensselaer also discussed medical and environmental applications. Such applications include the cleaning
of deposits in arteries, and the cleaning of metallic contaminated water. He indicated that toxic silver ions in a water based
solution were absorbed by the nanobrush. Also noted was the nanobrushes pliability, light weight and heat resistance, which
would enable them to replace a number of other current large scale brush applications.
Rensselaer's National Science
Foundation - Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center for Directed Assembly of Nanostructures, and the Interconnect Focus
Center (IFC) funded the research.
JUNE 27th, 2005
Through Canada’s Economic Development agency and the National
Research Council of Canada (NRC) has come news that the Government of Canada has invested $4.55 million in the Canadian Business
Alliance. The alliance with the NRC plans to use the funds to establish a nanoimprint lithography prototyping facility. The
nanofabrication centre has been planned for NRC's industrial materials research complex in Boucherville, Quebec Canada. The
facility is already home to an existing NanoImprint Lithography facility.
Dr. Pierre Coulombe, President of the National Research Council
of Canada, noted that nanotechnology was important to clean energy development in addition to electronic and biotechnology,
"The field of nanotechnology is having an enormous impact on the development of technologies as diverse as electronic and
photonic devices to biotechnology and clean energy production. This new complex will build upon NRC's expertise in this vital
field, and will support and accelerate the commercialization of leading-edge, Canadian nanotechnology research."
JUNE 22nd, 2005
Molecular Imprints, Inc., a provider of nanoimprint systems with
feature capabilities in the order of 20 nanometers, has sold its
Imprio systems to three nanotechnology research organizations.
These include Lawrence Berkeley National Lab's Molecular Foundry, the Microelectronics Research Center at the University of
Texas at Austin, and the Pennsylvania State Nanofabrication Facility.
The tools are expected to be used to conduct material research relevant
to the development of biosensors, nanophotonics, and optoelectronics.
JUNE 22nd, 2005
The Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania (LSGPA) has
made an investment of $250,000 for the development of biological and chemical sensors. Hanson Technologies Inc. received the
funding, which is expected to be matched by other investors. Ben Franklin Technology Partners recently approved over $129,00
in funding for Hanson to develop its sensor technology.
Hanson is involved in the development of tests for Mad Cow disease.
According to Chairman and CEO, William Hanson, "There is a growing sentiment among consumers and health officials that the
United States should test as many cattle as possible to allow unfettered access to export markets and that transition can
only occur when the next generation of BSE diagnostic equipment, like what we are developing, is introduced. We are very excited
about the investment by the Life Sciences Greenhouse and believe it will be critical to the refinement of our patented and
licensed technology." According to Hanson in 2004 alone there were over 11 million Mad Cow tests performed.
Hanson, which has developed a definitive test for the determination
of mad cow disease (BSE Prion Detection), also indicates that other applications for its sensor technology include milk antibiotics
testing and infectious disease testing.
JUNE 21st, 2005
Psivida has announced the issuance of another patent. This patent,
a Korean patent, refers to the electronic based properties of BioSilicon, the company's silicon based tissue repair scaffolds.
BioSilicon scaffolds give a directed path for tissue to attach itself to and grow.
One of the applications Psivida refers to the use of Micro-electro-mechanical
devices to assist in the implant process and for hip and knee prostheses applications. One use of MEMS devices is to measure
bone strength and strain. Hip replacement operations require significant post-operative monitoring to ensure that the replacement
procedure doesn't result in complications.
pSivida Managing Director, Gavin Rezos summarized the market
briefly, "The global market for products enhancing bone growth and fusion is growing rapidly and this trend is likely to continue
as the requirement for specialist management of a variety of orthopedic conditions increases."
The patent was assigned Korean Patent Number 488643.
JUNE 21st, 2005
Nanowires Overcome Yield Problems in IC Design
In the search for the perfect wire, Hewlett-Packard indicates that nanowires could replace
current day aluminum and copper traces used to connect chip transistors. Traces, or interconnects, can contribute to
over 50 percent of the silicon area in today's chip design, and result in significantly slower operating speeds and lower
system clock frequencies.
One method Hewlett-Packard plans to use to overcome low yield problems
is to create redundant nanotube interconnects. Nanotubes are apparently small enough and contribute so little in terms of
propagation delay, and power consumption, a generous number of spare nanotube wires could be added to an integrated circuit
design. They could then be configured, on fault detect, to bypass broken open-circuited nano-tubes interconnects.
According to Stan Williams, HP Senior Fellow and Director, "By using
a crossbar architecture and adding 50 percent more wires as an 'insurance policy,' we believe it will be possible to fabricate
nano-electronic circuits with nearly perfect yields even though the probability of broken components will be high."
JUNE 21st, 2005
Sending 10 Ghz signals down integrated circuit wires is difficult
for today's CMOS integrated circuits. One reason is the delay induced by the interconnects. In order to solve that problem,
scientists at the University of California, Henry Samueli School of Engineering, have used nanotubes to determine the delay
properties of nanotube wires.
Peter Burke, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer
Science, "Our prior research showed that nanotube transistors can operate at extremely high frequencies, but the connections
between the transistors were made out of somewhat slower copper, thus forming a bottleneck for the electrical signals," "In
this technology we show that nanotubes can also quickly route electronic signals from one transistor to another, thus removing
the bottleneck."
The next step Burke and his collaborators at the university’s
Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility are working on is the construction of a complete nanotube circuit. For that project
the researchers will put together both nanotube interconnect and nanotube transistors to form an electrical circuit
function.
The university also reports that the technology was presented in
the June 2005 issue of Nano Letters.
JUNE 21st, 2005
Microbridge Technologies Corp., known for its micro-electro-mechanical
Rejustor, an electronically adjustable resistor, has selected Intellisense Software Corporation's Intellisuite for the development
of the Rejustor.
According to Mike Foster, CEO of Microbridge, the tool will be a
versatile platform for many of the company's design needs, "IntelliSuite is an effective platform for communicating process
design, device and package design, physical layout, and analysis information. It allows our device, process, package and system
engineers to speak a common language and communicate effectively."
David Harris, VP of Strategic Sales at Intellisense, commented on
the tool's materials capability and how it has been designed to work with not only specific processes, but also with specific
fabrication machines, "Besides acting as a comprehensive simulation, modeling, analysis and synthesis tool for MEMS, IntelliSuite
is a very efficient communication platform, allowing different design and fabrication organizations world wide to communicate
design and process information within a common design and material property platform. IntelliSuite is designed around collaboration,
allowing the design team and the process team to work together to create MEMS Rejustor devices that can be prototyped and
manufactured with lower cost and faster time to market. IntelliSuite starts the design process not from device geometry but
from fabrication machine settings."
JUNE 21st, 2005
Siemens through a signed agreement with Sensant Corporation
to acquire the company, will have available Sensant’s micromaching technology to develop Capacitive Microfabricated
Ultrasonic Transducers (CMUT) for use in medical imaging applications. These types of transducers are expected to enable what
Siemens calls 3D / 4D volumetric imaging systems.
Klaus Hambuechen, President and CEO of Siemens Medical Solutions
Ultrasound Division, mentioned that, "Not only should this technology enable higher frequency imaging, which will allow clinicians
to view the smallest details within the body, but the integrated circuit technology should also deliver superior quality control
and manufacturing processes. Additionally, it will be easier to tightly integrate the electronics of the transducer and the
ultrasound system. This improved integration is where the greatest possibilities for ultrasound imaging and manufacturing
advancements can be realized, especially in the area of volumetric (4D) imaging."
To discuss the capability of silicon ultrasound technology
to enable a better understanding of disease and lower medical care costs was Igal Ladabaum, CEO of Sensant Corporation, "We
believe the combination of technologies from Sensant Corp. and Siemens Ultrasound will position the company to streamline
advanced transducer development through the power of silicon ultrasound technology and allow the realization of cost-effective
two dimensional (2D) matrix array transducers capable of volumetric 4D imaging. As a result, complete detailed volume images
will enable a better understanding of disease in 3D and will simplify image acquisition and interpretation. By enabling clinicians
to reach a confident diagnosis faster and more easily, volumetric 4D imaging will improve patient care and reduce overall
costs to patients and the healthcare system."
The CMUT ultrasonic transducers look and operate like miniature
drums. Seven of the tiny drums, fit into the width of a hair will transmit and receive sounds. In order to develop complete
ultrasound subsystems, hundreds or even thousands of the drums are integrated into a chip or tiny ultrasound catheters –
to take precise ultrasonic pictures of very small internal forms.
Hambuechen emphasized the critical size, "The size of catheter transducers
is critical in diagnostic imaging and the CMUT technology should further enable the development of miniaturized catheter transducers,
enabling clinicians to better visualize functionality within the heart, for example, where plaque or obstructions could be
more easily detected."
Hambuechen also commented on the breaking of a new medical imaging
cost-performance barrier, "As a result, we anticipate quality to be increased and costs to be reduced, which would improve
access for clinicians and patients to advanced diagnostic technologies like the AcuNav catheter."
The technology however is not expected to be available for two to
three years. Plans are to integrate the technology into a complete line of ultrasound imaging systems.
JUNE 20th, 2005
Like out of the age-old fairly tale of Rumplestilsken, where the woman
spins golden yarn, scientists have now been able to spin multifunctional yarns from carbon nanofibers. Scientists at The University
of Texas at Dallas [UTD] NanoTech Institute and an Australian textile spinner expert were awarded the New Materials Innovation
Prize of the Avantex International Forum for Innovative Textiles. The scientists were awarded the prize for a process they
have developed that enables trillions of nanosize fibers to be spun into super-strength electronic conducting yarn. The yarn
has numerous applications in medicine, energy and electronics. In the medical area, artificial muscles was one application
noted.
The three that were awarded the prize were Dr. Mei Zhang and Dr. Ray
H. Baughman of the UTD NanoTech Institute and Dr. Ken Atkinson of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
[CSIRO]. Dr. Atkinson is known as an expert in wool spinning technology at the Australian national laboratory.
The patent pending technology, which is co-owned by UTD and CSIRO,
indicate that the nanotube yarn spinning process can be applied to the production of a number of specific products. These
include building materials, conductive and protective textiles, displays, fuel cells, sensors, supercapacitors, and thermal
heat pipes.
The licenses for these patents are expected to be made available in
November.
JUNE 17th, 2005
Crossbow Arranges $12 Million in New Round of Financing
from Intel and Cisco
Crossbow Technology, known for its Smart Dust wireless sensors, has rounded up $12 million
in its latest round of financing. Besides investments from well known Intel Capital and Cisco Systems, the company also received
an investment from Paladin Capital Group.
Commenting on the investment and Crossbow's profitability was Crossbow's
President and CEO, Mike Horton, "Crossbow has been profitable since 2002, and this additional working capital will help us
expand both our international operations and the company's research and development programs. This is Paladin Capital Group
and Cisco Systems' first investment in Crossbow, and a follow-on investment for Intel Capital. "To have both the worldwide
leader in networking for the Internet and the world's largest chip maker invest in Crossbow puts us in a unique position.
In addition to the investments, Crossbow will have technology collaboration projects underway with Cisco and Intel."
The news of the funding follows closely with the news of the release
of Crossbow's new sensor device targeted at the industrial automation market. That device will enable a number of new and
interesting applications related to robotic miniature airplanes that could possible serve as point-to-point or as-the-crow
fly package delivery systems for large corporate campuses and industrial complexes.
Founded in 1995, Crossbow has shipped more than 500,000 of its advanced
sensors to over 1,000 customers. Its sensor technology is based on micromachine, otherwise known as micro-electro-mechanical
system (MEMS) technology.
JUNE 17th, 2005
LTX Corp Develops Pin Controller for Micromachine Relay
LTX Corp. has been awarded a patent for a pin controller invention to interface to a micromachine
relay for automated test equipment applications. The patent number assigned by the United States Patent Office was 6,903,562.
The patent is entitled, “Integrated micromachine relay for automated test equipment applications.”
JUNE 14th, 2005
Self-Assembling Polymer Nanocomposites Reported as Promising
Solar Cell and Display Technology
The U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory reports that polymer nanocomposites
may have broad implications for the development of solar cells with higher efficiency ratings, displays that are thinner,
and biosensors.
Polymer nanocomposites, the laboratory notes, have the natural ability
to self-organize or self-assemble into building blocks that have dimensions in the order of a nanometer. According to Tom
Vogt, a physicist at Brookhaven, "Polymer nanocomposites have been attracting a lot of attention because of their potential
to improve many technologies. The polymer imparts unique mechanical properties, such as the ability to bend and stretch, and
both components are good electrical conductors." The polymer component referred to here is polyaniline. Specifically for the
case cited, the polymer component was combined with the metal vanadium to form vanadium oxide.
Stratcor, Inc. based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a supplier of high
purity vanadium oxide. That company indicates that vanadium can be used to double the strength of steel.
JUNE 13th, 2005
Based on an array of vertically aligned collector nanostructures
that include nanotubes, nanowires, nanofibers or nanoparticle chains, NanoHorizons has now made available a new photovoltaic
cell design through a license program. The company indicates that the technology permits the production of solar cells on
common materials that can be inexpensively produced with low cost roll or spray based manufacturing processes. The company
also noted that because the design lengthens the light absorption path, the efficiency of solar cells has been "dramatically"
increased. According to one of the co-inventors, Dr. Ali Kaan Kalkan, the design overcomes the inefficiencies of the traditional
layered design approach, "Layered designs face an inherent paradox. Thicker light-absorbing layers are needed to capture sufficient
light energy, but their thickness makes it difficult for electrons to reach collection layers. Thinner layers reduce loss,
but thin layers absorb too little light. What's been needed is a new approach that allows the light absorption path to be
optimally long, while simultaneously moving efficient collection much closer to the source of energized electrons."
Stephen Fonash, PhD., founder of NanoHorizons and another co-inventor
elaborated further, "Solar energy development has been held up by barriers inherent in cell design. These barriers have now
been broken. Our nanoscale approach can enable collection lengths as small as a few tens of nanometers, opening the door to
the use of inexpensive materials and fabrication processes, while simultaneously enabling a truly optimized absorption length.
This technology is poised to greatly stimulate growth in the solar energy and Organic LED sectors."
NanoHorizons also indicates that the integration of its vertical
nano-spike collectors into the absorption material permits energy collection at 90 degrees to the absorption process, which
permits according to the company, "an optimally thick absorption layer while dramatically shortening collection distance by
as much as 1000-fold (tens of nanometers vs. tens of microns in today's best two-layer cells)."
NanoHorizons also reported that it has received notice of allowance
from the United States Patent Office for the technology.
JUNE 10th, 2005
MEMS Development Company, SwRI, Develops Low-Cost, Easy Maintenance,
Portable Gas Turbine
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), a diversified research organization with significant operations
in energy generation and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), has developed a radial flow gas turbine. The turbine was
developed as an alternative to the over 50,000 technically complex industrial complex turbines that are in use today. The
traditional turbines to be replaced, the organization notes, in general, have over 1,000 moving parts.
Dr. Klaus Brun, who was instrumental in the development of the design
at SwRI's Mechanical and Materials Engineering Division, highlighted the fundamental differences in the design and primary
commercialization features, "The fundamental difference between the SwRI centrifugal gas turbine and conventional gas turbines
is that the compressor and turbine section are installed on the same side of the rotating wheel, while the combustor and nozzle
are mounted on the stationary shroud. This is the most basic arrangement possible and allows the design to be extremely rugged,
simple and inexpensive to manufacture. The entire gas turbine assembly consists of only two relatively easy-to-manufacture
components. Because there is only one rotating part, costs of manufacture, maintenance, repair and replacement are low."
JUNE 10th, 2005
Two companies that have been the target of venture capital funding,
Konarka Technologies, Inc. and Solaris Nanosciences, have joined forces through a joint development agreement. As part of
that agreement, the two companies will evaluate solar cell technology that comes as a result of the combination of Konarka's
light activated power plastic and Solaris's nanoscale metallic light oriented structures.
Executives at both companies talked with interest about the combination
of the two company's technologies. Russell Gaudiana, Ph.D., Vice President of R&D at Konarka spoke about the company's
goal to bring solar technology to its zenith, "One of Konarka's goals is to push photovoltaic science as far and as fast as
possible, and exploring how well our materials work with Solaris' in a shared program is one way to make that happen. Konarka's
solutions are chemistry-agnostic. We believe in finding the best possible combination of materials to create power plastic
that meets the performance needed for a specific application, and this project with Solaris holds promise."
Robert Afzal, the Vice President of R&D at Solaris Nanosciences
talked about the concept of the solar antenna, "Through our proprietary nanotechnology, we uniquely design the optical properties
of our NanoAntenna materials. Our nano-antennas enhance the absorption of the solar spectrum much like a conventional antenna
enhances the reception of a radio receiver. This leads to high absorption in thinner structures with highly favorable electrical
properties possibly resulting in higher efficiencies."
The companies indicated that Solaris' nanoscale metallic structures
are to be used as an additive to Konarka's light sensitizing materials. The metallic structures are said to attract light
sensitive molecules - acting as nanoantennas. One inference is that the metallic nanostructures offer lower resistance to
light.
JUNE 9th, 2005
Optosecurity Lands $2.4 Million in First Round
Optosecurity, Inc., a company with luggage and cargo screening technology, has closed a $2.4
million (Canadian) investment round. This first round was led by Business Development Bank of Canada Seed Investment Group
and included funding from Innovatech Quebec.
Eric Bergeron, President and CEO of Optosecurity, noted the initial
market response to its technology "Government regulators and screening equipment vendors from around the world immediately
recognized how unique and valuable Optosecurity products and technology can be -- we are actively in discussions with several
partners who appreciate the full impact of our technology and how it will revolutionize security screening."
Elaborating slightly on the nature of the technology was Jean-Guy
Paquet, President and CEO of INO, "We are delighted that Optosecurity has obtained financing which will allow this promising
company to break new grounds with the use of the Optical Computing technology. We are very happy to once again offer the private
sector INO's vast expertise developed over the years through our team of qualified researchers."
Optosecurity's product, which is used in the design of systems for
the detection of weapons or explosives is based on the Optical Correlator. The company obtained exclusive rights for the Optical
Correlator from the National Optics Institute (INO), which spun-off Optosecurity. INO is considered Canada's largest R&D
center in applied photonics. INO research operations are focused on microoptic technology based on micro-electro-mechanical
system (MEMS) optics. The organization uses software from ANSYS to simulate its microoptic based MEMS designs.
JUNE 8th, 2005
ANSYS Latest Revision Reduces RF IC and RF - MEMS Simulation
Time 50 Percent
ANSYS, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANSS), announced the latest revision of its ANSYS multi-physics software
package. Version 10 now includes a new size optimized modal port definition for high frequency electromagnetic simulation
of transmission lines. The modal is used for applications such as Radio Frequency Identification, integrated circuit, Micro-Electro-Mechanical
Systems (MEMS) and general purpose Radio Frequency device simulation. The company reported that the smaller size of the modal
resulted in a reduction in solution time (simulation time) and memory requirements in the range of 30 to 50 percent. Also
thermoelastic damping was added to the software's structural thermal electric coupling capabilities for the simulation of
resonator beams found in MEMS devices.
On release of Version 10.0, Jim Cashman, ANSYS's CEO, indicated
that the company's development strategy was modified to meet convergence trends in the technology markets, "ANSYS 10.0 represents
the latest in integrated CAE capability, building upon the significant advances we delivered in ANSYS 9.0. We have continued
to increase the breadth and depth of the ANSYS simulation technology, while at the same time establishing an unprecedented
level of interoperability between all forms of simulation and analysis. Taking full advantage of the ANSYS Workbench infrastructure
for integrated CAE, we have created a more seamless approach for meshing and modeling, simulation and analysis, and post-processing.
Our world-class capabilities in each of the forms of analysis such as structural, thermal and fluids are all together as part
of ANSYS 10.0."
Future generations of MEMs designs as well as system level designs
are expected to further the need to combine the capability to co-simulate electronic circuits and micromechanical, microelectrical,
microoptical, and microfluidic devices. As well, new design demands will require engineers to determine the effects of different
nanomaterials, temperature variations and electromagnetic fields on microstructural performance.
JUNE 8th, 2005
Twenty molecules attached to a silicon wafer have gained the title
of the world’s smallest transistor. Reports indicate that the transistor is over one-thousand times smaller than today's
modern transistors, which are in the order of 1 square micron. Besides a great reduction in area, the new molecular transistor
requires only one-millionth of the power of today’s transistors. The transistor was developed at the National Institute
for Nanotechnology in Edmonton.
Unfortunately, the world’s smallest transistor comes with
a large price tag. The development stage transistor requires a million dollar microscope to position a metal probe over the
molecule to turn it on and off.
JUNE 6th, 2005
EnOcean Brings Out Solar Powered Wireless Sensor - Transmits
300 Meters
Designed for a number of wireless sensor applications, which range from industrial to household
applications, EnOcean has introduced its STM100 solar powered wireless sensor module. Based on a custom two-stage solar cell,
the (2 x 4 x 1 cm) device includes a solar cell energy source, an energy reservoir, sensor interface, analog and digital sensor,
a microprocessor and a radio transmitter.
Armin Anders, EnOcean's VP of Product Marketing gave further details
about EnOcean's technology, "EnOcean's patented technology lets STM100 generate a surprisingly long-range radio signal with
extremely minute amounts of harvested energy. With just 50 microwatts, a standard EnOcean transmitter will comfortably send
a signal 300 meters outdoors, 30 meters indoors through walls. The secret is in the signal duration; the entire process is
initiated, undertaken and completed in approximately 1/1000 of a second."
Christian Genter, CEO of Omnio AG, a manufacturer of building automation
systems, noted the battery free and other benefits of EnOcean's product, "EnOcean-based systems allow us to deliver unmatched
sensor networking flexibility via battery-free, maintenance-free wireless switches, temperature sensors and window contacts.
The system provides unmatched simplicity through an ingenious 'learn-in' programming feature that doesn't require time-consuming
PC programming or personnel training."
JUNE 3rd, 2005
Raymor Industries Inc. (TSX VENTURE:RAR) reported a contract for
Titanium powder production with The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA). Raymor reported that with other negotiations underway, it anticipates
the installation of a second reactor for the production of the powder. Estimated revenue per reactor, per year, was given
at $3.5 million. Boeing plans to use the powder for aerospace applications.
Raymor's nanopowder products are based on the plasma atomization
process developed in the early 1990s at Hydro-Quebec's Shawinigan laboratory.
JUNE 2, 2005
Paratek Microwave, Inc., a company that has several patents and
RF wireless products based on nano-cyrstalline thin films, has raised $14 million in a Series C financing round. Investors
included Polaris Venture Partners, Morgenthaler Ventures, Novak Biddle Venture Partners, Investor Growth, and ABS Ventures
The company, which earlier this year won a $1.125 million contract
from the University of California at Riverside, for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, foresees its next generation technology
resulting in products with real-time adaptive impedance matching, which will in turn result in lower power consumption. That
technology combines the company's tunable RF and microwave dielectric materials with its miniaturized 3D circuit and module
designs, Indications are that the company's technology can be applied to a broad range of RF circuits and frequency bands.
James DiLorenzo, Paratek's CEO commented on the acceptance of the
company's products, "Our electronically tunable products have been well received in the marketplace and, working in partnership
with several major industry players, we will release a new generation of even more capable products later this year."
JUNE 1st, 2005
mPhase and Bell Labs Increase Metal Detector Capability a Thousand
Fold - Seeks Silicon Partners
mPhase Technologies, Inc. (OTC:XDSL) in cooperation with the research division of Lucent
Technologies (NYSE:LU), Bell Labs, have reported the production of an ultra sensitive magnetometer, used for metal detection
applications. The sensor was produced at a wafer production line at the New Jersey Nanotechnology Consortium. The metal detector
sensor is said to be up to 1,000 times more sensitive than current non-cooled sensors used in today's metal detectors. The prototype was based on a Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device.
David Bishop, NJNC President and Bell Labs Vice President of Nanotechnology,
noted the efficiency in the conversion from concept to prototype, "The velocity of transition from lab to prototype speaks
highly of the NJNC business model, which enables mPhase to leverage Bell Labs' expertise in accelerating the product realization
process." Ronald A. Durando, mPhase CEO, helped substantiate Bishop's comments , "Considering that our magnetometer agreement
with Bell Labs is less than three months old, we're absolutely delighted about the rapid pace of the development. With this
step behind us, the team is now ready to engage in discussions with potential partners and users to establish technical specifications
for these devices." Mr. Durando also added that the company is looking for partners and customers, "With this step behind
us, the team is now ready to engage in discussions with potential partners and users to establish technical specifications
for these devices."
The New Jersey Nanotechnology Consortium (NJNC) is a facility supported
by the State of New Jersey, with a goal to bring nanotechnology concepts to commercialization. Among those that have access
to the facility include Rutgers University, New Jersey Institute of Technology and The University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey. NJNC is a subsidiary of Lucent, which is operated by Bell Labs.
JUNE 1st, 2005
Zyvex and SPACEHUB Partnership to Improve Space Flight Air Quality
- Cost-Effectively
SPACEHAB, Incorporated (NASDAQ/NMS:SPAB), has entered into an agreement , referred to as the Space
Act Agreement, with NASA to develop a micro-miniature mass spectrometer for use on low earth orbit missions. As a result of
the agreement, SPACEHAB has indicted that it plans to be a supplier of miniaturized technology to the aerospace markets.
Central to the agreement is a partnership SPACEHAB has with Zyvex Corporation.
Zyvex's mini-mass spectrometer once completed is expected to be only 10 percent of the total weight of current spectrometers
and to cost only a small portion of the costs that is now paid for such equipment. The present day on-orbit systems weigh
about 100 pounds and are the size of an automobile. This compares to the planned new spectrometer, which, once completed,
will be only the size of a deck of cards.
Michael E. Bain, SPACEHAB Chief Operating Officer, explained the problems
that it planned to solve with the new equipment, "For human space flight missions, NASA must continually monitor air quality
and toxicity levels to ensure the health and safety of the crew. NASA desires improved capabilities in this area, but developing,
transporting, and installing large, complex detection and classification equipment on-orbit is extremely problematic. We are
excited about this opportunity to provide a solution that is small, light-weight, and portable enough to be easily delivered
to, and operated on, the space station and anywhere else humans live and work in space."
MAY 31st, 2005
InPhase Closes $32.1 Million For 300 Gbyte Disk Drive
Technology
InPhase Technologies, a company that has developed a holographic data storage drive and
associated disk drive media, has closed a $32.1 million Series C round. Investors included Bayer MaterialScience AG, a company
that has a vested interest in the development of polymers for optical data storage, Nanotech Partners Ltd., which is focused
on nanotechnology investments, as well as ALPS Information Technology Fund LP, Hitachi Maxell Ltd., Japan Asia Investment
Co., New Venture Partners LLC and Yasuda Enterprise Development Co.
The funds will be used for the final commercialization stage of
InPhase's holographic data storage drive and media. The company's first product has a capacity of 300 gigabytes and data transfer
rate of 20 megabytes per second.
Nelson Diaz, CEO of InPhase commented about the recent demonstration
of their product and the market interest, ."The recent public demonstration by InPhase of the world's first commercial holographic
drive prototype validated our technical leadership in the holographic data storage market. Now, with the commitment and support
of our investors, we have funds to move from technology leadership to commercial leadership. The tremendous interest in the
InPhase Tapestry product from the professional video community at the recent National Association of Broadcasters convention
was extremely positive and confirmed the insatiable demand for a secure archive solution for digital media assets."
Bayer MaterialScience AG and InPhase as part of a joint development
agreement will further develop the critical storage media. The storage media was developed at Bell Labs, of which InPhase
is a spin off , over a period of seven years. The data, unlike conventional disk drive storage, is stored throughout the volume
of the disk drive media, as opposed to just the surface - giving it the disk drive its ultra high storage capacity. The disk
drive also obtains its high data capacity through the use of advanced lens technology and a spatial light modulator, which
converts digital data streams of ones and zeros to a pattern of light and dark pixels.
The Tapestry disk drive is expected to arrive in the market in 2006.
MAY 31st, 2005
WiSpry, Incorporated, a RF MEMS company focused on the high volume cellular
handset market, has obtained a patent on a MEMS based variable capacitor. The patent entitled, Micro-electro-mechanical system
(MEMS) variable capacitor apparatuses and related methods, was assigned U.S. Patent No. 6,897,537 on May 24, 2005.
MAY 26th, 2005
Toshiba Reveals Photon-Based Encrypted Communication Technology
Toshiba Research Europe Ltd (TREL), a corporate research arm of Toshiba Corp. based in Cambridge,
announced at the Quantum Electronics and Laser Science (QELS) Conference in Baltimore the development of a light source that
sends photons one at a time through optical fibre cable. The technology is based on a quantum dot that has a radius of 45
nanometers.
Dr Andrew Shields, who heads the Quantum Information Group at TREL,
noted the new scientific frontier that the long distance photon development opens up, "Exploiting the quantum properties of
light allows us to communicate and process information in ways that have not been possible previously. A good example is in
quantum cryptography, which allows us to verify the secrecy of information sent on single photons."
MAY 26th, 2005
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the United
States government’s main energy research organization, has released new information related to the use of nanotechnology
for the improvement of solar cell efficiency. The organization reported that nanocrystals, also know as quantum dots, are
capable of increasing the number of electrons emitted per absorbed photon. Currently, with present day materials, only one
electron, at most, is emitted per photon absorbed from sunlight. With the nanocrystals, the number of electrons emitted increases
to three per photons.
Arthur Nozik, a lead researcher with the project gave efficiency
numbers that solar technology could reach with nanocrystal technology, "We have shown that solar cells based on quantum dots
theoretically could convert more than 65 percent of the sun's energy into electricity, approximately doubling the efficiency
of solar cells." Lead selenide is given as one of the materials used to develop the solar quantum dots.
MAY 24th, 2005
Dimatix has announced that it has opened its Silicon Valley headquarters,
complete with a Silicon MEMS fabrication facility and R&D center. The facility, which measures 33,000 square feet, will
be used for the production of MEMS devices designed for precision nanofluid applications. These applications include the printing
of nano-particles on not just only paper surfaces, as done with ink-jet printers, but on a number of different types of surfaces
such as flexible substrate surfaces. As well, the MEMS devices produced at the factory will be capable of more than spraying
out ink. From the nanonozzles of this new generation of MEMS devices will come nanometalic based fluids.
John Batterton, Dimatix CEO and President listed the broad base
of new applications for the new MEMS devices, "We are entering a new era in which the ability to jet functional fluid materials
will enable improvements to manufacturing a broad range of electronic, bioscience and other products. We are pleased that
Dimatix is leading the way with our materials deposition technology."
Andreas Bibl, President of the Materials Deposition Division and
CTO of Dimatix, elaborated on the capabilities of the new MEMS technology, "Because materials are deposited only where needed,
additive digital material deposition will change the way products are built, enabling micro-production processes that are
extremely cost-effective, much less wasteful and more economical in small production volumes. Low-cost, high volume, precise
printing of nano-particle fluids have many applications, and will help strengthen manufacturing of electronic circuits and
other products in the United States."
Dimatix, formerly Spectra Inc., has been focused on the production
of printheads for ink jet printing applications. The Dimatix Materials Deposition Division has dedicated its efforts to expand
the technology to applications such as low-cost, low-impact environmentally-oriented manufacturing - like the production of
electronic circuits, RFID tags, flat panel displays, circuit boards and bioscience products.
MAY 23rd, 2005
Production Costs for Dendrimer Nanostructures May Drop Soon
Dendritic NanoTechnologies Inc. (DNT), a nanomaterials company reports that it has developed a new
process that may reduce the production costs of dendrimer nanostructures, critical for a number of pharmaceuticals, medical
imaging, electronics, and materials applications.
DNT's new dendrimer technology, it labels the Priostar family,
are derived from kinetically driven chemistry, which is based on polyfunctional branch cell reagents. DNT states that this
approach could result in substantial cost reductions, "Preliminary studies show a cost reduction of between two to three orders
of magnitude." Other technology benefits alluded to include the ability to scale the process and the capability to mass produce
precision nanostructures with consistently repeatable specifications.
Robert Berry, DNT's CEO, indicated that the company's technology may have
the potential to change the dynamics of the entire nanotechnology market all together, "Our new Priostar dendrimers, as nanoscale
building blocks, radically change the current economics of nanotechnology. They place DNT in the enviable position of controlling
a dominant nanoscale platform with many applications in multiple billion-dollar markets. This new technology is a potentially
disruptive technology since it will establish a new price point for an essential technology. Furthermore, Priostar extends
DNT's patent estate while accelerating commercialization of our dendrimer technology."
DNT also implied that the technology will put in reach the possibility
to economically meet strict Food and Drug Administration standards for biomedical applications, which require precision, scalability
and reproducibility.
Offering further explanation of the company's advancement in nanomaterials
manufacturing was Dr. Donald Tomalia, Chief Technical Officer at the company, "It takes approximately eight steps and one
month of processing time to create Generation 3 of a PAMAM generation. In contrast, Generation 3 of a Priostar dendrimer can
be created in three steps and just a few days. Our new dendrimer process also vastly reduces the amount of labor and reagents
normally required by the PAMAM process. An exciting and new feature of the Priostar family of dendrimers is the ability to
add extenders or functionality to the interior of the dendrimer to customize interior spaces and reactivity. These features
give the Priostar dendrimers customizable encapsulation properties that allow for greater flexibility to tailor a solution
for our customers."
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