| Berlin,
Germany - May 2004 - With nanotechnology promising to
be more disruptive in both nature and potential than
microtechnology, enablingMNT has undertaken an investigation
into the status of the market of equipment suppliers
servicing the nanotechnology industry in terms of production
and fabrication. Promises of this technology even surpass
that of more conventional MEMS applications. In essence,
nanotechnology already extends its influence into a
large number of industrial segments, including that
of semiconductors and consumer products, and also soon
for data storage and sensor applications. In
general, the group of production equipment used for
nanotechnology can be classified into four subgroups:
top down, bottom up, nanoparticle processing and nanotube
production. The top down and bottom up approaches
are mainly equipment oriented, whilst, Molecular Self
Assembly, nanoparticle and nanotube production are
process oriented. In this context, the top-down and
bottom-up nanotechnology equipment was found to have
benefited from the available equipment infrastructure
which is extensively used for semiconductor lithography
and deposition as well as the ample availability of
Scanning Probe Microscopes. The development of processes
for the production of nanoparticles is, to date, mainly
carried-out in-house as there is limited equipment
availability on the market, although this field benefits
from the experience derived from the chemical/physical
process equipment market.
The
investigation has also found that with six main contenders
offering capabilities in nanoimprinting, this section
of the market is well covered. Additionally, it is
concluded in the enablingMNT review that the most
promising application for dip-pen technology will
be for the deposition of bioactive materials, which
cannot be deposited or structured using the harsh
techniques of thin film processing. In contrast, bottom
up nanotechnology is the least developed area of nanotechnology.
To benefit commercially from the ability to manipulate
atoms and molecules at the atomic scale, a basic understanding
of the processes at such a scale is needed. Bottom
up technology is also struggling with the needed combination
of nanoscale precision and volume demand. This difficulty
is clearly seen with Scanning Probe Microscopy, when
used as nano-manipulation tools.
Regarding
nano-particles or fullerenes, the current core enabler
was found by the reviewers to be the process. Thus,
process knowledge and not equipment is, currently,
the most important differentiator among suppliers.
In this context, the major differentiator between
the suppliers will be the ownership of equipment and
processes, which are used to produce large quantities
of nanotubes at low cost and with high purity.
The
enablingMNT Industry Review series were received with
interest when they were first released in 2003. Those
reviews addressing the supply chain for Micro and
Nanotechnology were immediately considered by industry
participants as the new standard in high-quality value-for-money
reports for the MNT supplier and user community. The
reviews assess the state-of-the art processes and
equipment offered by over 400 industrial players in
this field and include discussions on main trends,
opportunities and threats affecting both suppliers
and users of the technology.
The
reviews available, to date, are (priced at Euros 280
each):
• Design and Engineering Companies for MST/MEMS
• Foundries for MST/MEMS
• Packaging and Assembly Suppliers for MST/MEMS
• Front-End Manufacturing Equipment Suppliers for
MST/MEMS
• Back-End Manufacturing Equipment Suppliers for MST/MEMS
• Equipment Suppliers for Nanofabrication
About
enablingMNT
enablingMNT is the brand adopted by an international
team of experts with many years of experience in the
business of micro nano technologies (MNT), namely;
Henne van Heeren, Patric Salomon, Dr. Lia Paschalidou,
and Dr. Ayman El-Fatatry. With their track record
in technology development, engineering, systems integration,
manufacturing, project management, business development,
market analysis, and strategy consulting, the enablingMNT
team is well versed in all commercialization issues
relating to the supply chain of MNT: from concept
through to product. With this expertise, the team
addresses specific customer requirements, particularly,
in relation to market intelligence, technical insight,
strategic development plans and investment decisions.
Based in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands with
excellent contacts in the Far East and the USA, the
team is able to analyse the worldwide activities in
the MNT industry. This collaborative research of the
enablingMNT team has, to date, culminated in a series
of in-depth intelligence reviews on the supply chain
of micro and nano technologies (MNT): enablingMNT
Industry Reviews.
About
enablingMNT Industry Reviews
Driven by user/supplier demands for technology-pull,
the reviews in this enablingMNT series are focused
on all aspects of the micro and nano technology (MNT)
product lifecycle; from concept through to production.
They describe how a selected topic is linked into
the supply chain from product idea, technology development,
engineering, prototyping, manufacturing, packaging
and test, into volume production. The enablingMNT
reviews analyse the critical issues encountered during
the creation process of MNT-based products and provide
guidance with regards to the approaches taken to overcome
barriers and challenges. All reviews include a comprehensive
listing of services offered in the field (including
current contact information). The emphasis is on the
provision and availability of fully commercial services,
infrastructure, and suppliers considered to be essential
for the commercial realisation of MNT-based products.
It is expected that enablingMNT industry reviews will
motivate new applications for MNT, enhance confidence
in the technology as well as help identify funding
sources for research and development. They highlight
trends from the facts and the prospects. Supported
by significant players in the field, the reviews are
produced and edited by the enablingMNT team. enablingMNT
industry reviews are offered at a competitive price
of Euros 280 per specialist report.
To
order a copy and/or for more information,
please contact the publisher
Patric Salomon at:
4M2C PATRIC SALOMON GmbH, Cranachstrasse 1, 12157
Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 30 2435 7870,
E-mail: info@enablingMNT.com,
Web: www.enablingMNT.com
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