Nano Research: USA

BAY AREA TO GET UNIQUE X-RAY MICROSCOPY RESOURCE:

Nano Research: EU

Accord de coopération entre le CNRS et l'Institut national pour la science des matériaux japonais

Les nanosciences, les nanomatériaux et les nanotechnologies sont au cur de cet accord qui permettra de favoriser les échanges de chercheurs et d'informations scientifiques et techniques entre les deux pays. ...read the wave

Nano Debate:

Towards Molecular Nano Weapons in
China vs. U.S. “Unilateral Disarmament”
by Lev Navrozov

On March 5, 2004, the magazine “Howard Lovy’s NanoBot” reported that “a National Nanotechnology Initiative official tried, unsuccessfully, to uninvite Eric Drexler from a conference at the University of South Carolina on ‘imaging and imagining Nanotechnology.’”…read the wave

Nano Electronics: UK

Single-Molecule Logic Proposed

Researchers from the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and University College London in England have devised a scheme for designing logic circuits within individual molecules.

The scheme could eventually be used to produce small, fast computers and to store large amounts of data in very small spaces. The method could also be modified to make sensors for detecting individual molecules ...read the wave

NeoPhotonics, a developer of optical components using nano-materials-based processes, closed a second round of funding by raising more than $40 million from Oak Investment Partners and Institutional Venture Partners, who co-led the round, with participation from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, ATA Ventures, Rockport Capital Partners, Harris & Harris Group, Ventana Global Capital, Linkmore Limited and Alps Information Technology Fund. It brings total funding in Neophotonics to $100 million….read the wave

NanoBusiness Alliance Co-Founder Presents Bush Administration With Cutting Edge Cornell Nanotech Project
–The World’s Smallest White House

Washington DC - No, it's not a new Hollywood blockbuster: Cornell University professors have made a White House 1/100,000 the size of the original to honor President Bush's recent signing of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act.

Cornell University alumnus and NanoBusiness Alliance Co-Founder Josh Wolfe will present a lucite encased paperweight containing a chip with a lithograph of The White House as a gift to Dr. John H. Marburger, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), at a meeting of the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), which Marburger also co-chairs...read the wave

Nano Products:

Nano-Hive version 1.0.0 for win32-x86 platforms is now available for download.

There's also been some progress at the website - a new Projects & Contribution section was added where you can learn about upcoming Nano-Hive projects like the grid-computing clients, Nano-Wars, how you can be involved with them, and other ways to contribute to Nano-Hive.

Lastly, Nano-Hive Corporate Services are now available, providing
· Corporate licensing alternatives for non-GPL users and integrators of Nano-Hive
· Service contracts
· Consulting and custom development

Visit www.nano-hive.org to learn more. Nano-Hive's open source development and distributions are hosted at ...read the wave

In the home, ultrasonic humidifiers are used to raise humidity, reduce static electricity and ease discomfort from the common cold or cough. In the lab, chemists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are using the devices to make complex nanocomposite materials that could prove useful as catalysts in applications ranging from refining petroleum to making pharmaceuticals. The procedure is both simple and efficient….read the wave

Author explains how diamonds could bring end to silicon era by Scott Foster

COOL CHIPS plc ON TARGET FOR COOLING POWER

Scientists at the company’s in-house research facility report that the devices, consisting of two wafer-like surfaces separated by a nanoscale gap, demonstrate work functions of 0.9 eV (electron volt) or better. …read the wave

Nano Medicine: India

Seizing the nano edge

It’s a project to turn science fiction into futuristic reality. At Velbionanotech, a little-known Bangalore-based company, researchers are working on pathbreaking projects that — if successful — might dramatically reduce the need for heart surgery or for kidney stone operations.

What’s the frontier technology Velbionanotech is developing? It’s working on designing nanochips which will deliver a drug exactly to the affected area in the body.
So, one project aims to develop a chip which when injected into the body will head towards the kidney and remove stones. Another — even more…read the move

Nano News: Russia courtesy of Nano News Net

Career in NanoScience and NanoBusiness for Russian Youth!

Russian Youth Science Society (www.mno.ru), Institute of Nanotechnology of International Conversion Fund (www.nanotech.ru), and Nanotech Information Services Ltd (www.nanobot.ru) invite students, graduates and young scientists to take part in research activities of ICF Institute of Nanotechnology. Institute staff has a lot of unique amazing opportunities:...read the wave

Nano Products: Russia courtesy of Nano News Net

Russian company to launch native nanoproduct: «RVS» repair and restoration composition.

With use of nanotechnology methods, Russian nanotechnology concern Nanoindustry (www.nanotech.ru) launched commercial unique repair and restoration composition, called RVS (Remontno-Vosstanovitelny Sostav).

This composition provides self-assembly of special nanoparticles to modified high-carbon ferrosilicate protective layer (MHPL) 1-15 micrometers thick over intensive friction areas of metallic surfaces....read the wave

Nano News: Russia courtesy of Nano News Net

Russian Competition of youth projects on domestic MNT development.

Nano News: Iran

NanoTech news from Iran.

Nano Electronics: Japan

Toshiba, Rambus Ink Serial Link Cell Deal

Together with methods for placing wires in arrays and multilayers, the technique promises to create complesystems at the nanoscale….read the wave

Nano products:

Nanotechnology is hot: For mundane products

The technology is now used to strengthen coatings, plastics, paints. By Harold Brubaker

Type of Buckyball Shown To Cause Brain Damage In Fish

Researchers have found that a type of buckyball—a carbon nanoparticle that shows promise for electronic, commercial and pharmaceutical uses — can cause significant brain damage in fish.

The small preliminary study, the first to demonstrate that nanoparticles can cause toxic effects in an aquatic species, could point to potential risks in people exposed to the particles, they say. The study was described today at the 227th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society
….read the wave

Nano Products :

Composite Fibers With Carbon Nanotubes Offer Improved Properties

A new class of fibers Strong and versatile carbon nanotubes are finding new applications in improving conventional polymer-based fibers and films. For example, composite fibers made from single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and polyacrylonitrile – a carbon fiber precursor – are stronger, stiffer and shrink less than standard fibers….read the wave

Buckyballs, a spherical form of carbon discovered in 1985 and an important material in the new field of nanotechnology, can cause extensive brain damage in fish, according to research presented yesterday at a national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, Calif.

Eva Oberdörster, an environmental toxicologist at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said the buckyballs also altered the behavior of genes in liver cells of the juvenile largemouth bass she studied….read the wave

The first study to look at the health effects of microscopic, manufactured "nanoparticles" on aquatic animals has found troubling evidence that the molecules -- which scientists are starting to make for research and industry -- can trigger organ damage and other toxic effects.

At modest concentrations in aquarium water, the minuscule particles -- which are made of carbon atoms and are less than one-thousandth the diameter of a human hair -- triggered damaging…read the wave

Researchers from Ludwig Maximilians University in Germany have built a simple molecular machine from DNA that can bind to and release single molecules of a specific type of protein.

The DNA hand can be made to select any of many types of proteins, and could eventually be used to construct materials or machines molecule-by-molecule.
The researchers used DNA branch migration, a method that allows a DNA nanostructure to switch…read the wave

In the pilot study, 90 Coriell CEPH DNA samples were genotyped using 130 TaqMan Assay-By-Design and Assay-On-Demand SNP detection assays. The SNP assays were transferred from microplates into the Living Chip using BioTrove's proprietary reformatting technology. A flat block cycler was used to perform PCR and assay results were detected using a slide scanner
….read the wave

Why the feds fear nanobots

Nano Research: EU

Europe needs to close gap with United States in top level research

The report points out that the volume of basic research being carried out in Europe is similar to that of the United States, but that there is “probably a significant shortfall in overall quality and certainly a major shortfall in its overall impact”. This shortfall is “particularly noticeable in the standing of the highest quality research teams.”…read the wave

Nano Biz: USA

High-Tech Nanomanufacturing Facility Locates in Rural Virginia; Luna Innovations Nanomaterials Division Selects Danville

Discovered a few years ago, carbon nanofoam is the fifth known allotrope of carbon,the others being graphite, diamond, fullerene (e.g., C-60 molecules), and carbon nanotubes. The foam is, along with aerogel, one of the lightest known solid substances (with a density of ~2 mg/cm^3). But at this week's APS March Meeting in Montreal, physicists announced an even more interesting property: though made
entirely from carbon atoms that are normally considered nonmagnetic, the foam nevertheless can act like a ferromagnet....read the wave

The blades of this "nanograss" can be selectively electrified so as to move the drop from place to place or to cause it to lose its spherical shape and to wet the surface below. Lucent scientist ...read the wave

The European Commission has approved an Integrated Project (PACE) that will create the foundation for a new generation of embedded information technology using programmable, self- assembling artificial cells. The first workshop for PACE will take place in Venice, April 5-8, which is the site of the associated new European Center for Living Technology.

Life is all about real-world information processing, but the gap between computers and living systems is still formidable. The European Commission has approved an Integrated Project (PACE, total volume 8.5 M) that will create the foundation for a new generation of embedded information technology using programmable, self-assembling artificial cells. …read the wave

Software Tools: USA

Silicon Valley 101: Website provides tools to teach high-technology entrepreneurship

Called the STVP Educators Corner, the website is a creation of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), an entrepreneurship education and research center within the School of Engineering. It includes videotaped interviews with Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, Stanford course materials, case studies, and links to organizations, events and journals.

``Our goal is to teach students the skills they need to be entrepreneurial leaders both in new ventures and existing organizations,`` says STVP Executive Director Tina Seelig. ``It is not enough for…read the wave

The rotors are made in tiny molds and then loosed onto a liquid-air interface, where they are guided into place and set spinning by electromagnets positioned beneath the interface. By changing the magnet activity, the overlying rotors can be put into new arrangements for carrying out new a new job.The rotors are at the millimeter scale but can be made much smaller.
(see figure at http://www.aip.org/mgr/png/2004/212.htm )

Unlike conventional machines the rotor arrays have no fixed axles and are virtually friction free. (Grzybowski et al., Applied Physics Letters, 8 March 2004,

Contact Bartosz Grzybowski, grzybor@northwestern.edu
or George Whitesides gwhitesides@gmwgroup.harvard.edu

No team competing in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's high-tech robot race last weekend in Southern California was able to claim the $1 million prize. A washingtonpost.com video crew tracked a team from Northern Virginia as it built, tested and -- finally -- launched a robotic vehicle in the DARPA race.
...read the wave

L'axe principal de recherche de SPINTEC concerne les mémoires magnétiques à accès aléatoire (Magnetic Random Access Memory - MRAM). Ces mémoires du futur sont dotées de propriétés exceptionnelles : non volatiles, elles permettent la sauvegarde des données en absence d'alimentation. Plus rapides, plus denses et insensibles aux rayonnements ionisants, elles trouvent leurs premières applications dans le domaine des appareils nomades (assistants personnels, appareils photos, etc.). A moyen terme, elles pourraient remplacer les mémoires vives des ordinateurs et devenir une mémoire « universelle …read the wave

A rare opportunity to learn from world-class scientists about using nature as model for, and provider of, nano scale-up technology.

Biomimetics and molecular self-assembly are rightly attracting interest from many industries, with applications in electronics, energy, material sciences and medicine to name but a few. Learning from nature we can improve biocompatability, produce more complex electronic circuits, engineer material surfaces to have many different properties, efficiently harvest energy from natural light and provide locomotion and motility to nanoscale objects and mechanisms….read the wave

They are the most complex molecular machines built yet, consisting of a platform flanked by three rings that thread through three vertical rods.

The force of an acid-base reaction is used to power the "elevator". Experts say the force produced by the movement of the platform itself is larger than forces produced by previous 'nanoshuttles' - single rings that moved up and down a rod. The elevators could be used to tightly control chemical reactions, or as drug-delivery systems....read the wave

BERKELEY – A team of scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered deep in an abandoned iron mine a microbe that produces willowy crystalline structures only nanometers across and longer than most man-made nanostructures.

The discovery of these microscopic crystals may open a broad new window to human understanding of biomineralization, the same process that produces bone, teeth and shell, some of nature's toughest and most intriguing biological materials….read the wave

De TU Delft gaat in het kader van een nieuwe onderzoekstrategie haar speerpunten ‘Nanotechnology’, ‘ICT’ en ‘Mechatronics and Microsystems’ versterken.

ULTRA-LOW FRICTION, WITHOUT LUBRICANTS

The dragging of a force microscope tip across the surface atoms of a sample (size regime of one-billionth meter) is not unlike the motion of underground tectonic blocks (size scale of tens of thousands of meters): in both cases the sideways motion…read the wave

What’s new in Cosmetic R&D

Nanoparticles, microcapsules and nanoemulsion technologies are the desired delivery systems for cosmeceuticals, color cosmetics and personal care products.

Europe is lacking in good nanotechnology infrastructure, thinks Ottilia Saxl

mPhase and Lucent Technologies' Bell Labs To Develop Next-Generation Nanotech Power Cell Batteries.

First-of-its kind "Smart Battery" technology will address power needs in defense, industrial and consumer electronics

EV Group Experiences Surge of Asia-based Orders For Nanotechnology Development

EV Group Selected for Its Technology Leadership of MEMS-based and Nanoimprint Lithography Equipment Applications

ITRI Selects SUSS MicroTec Bonder Package To Expand Its MEMS and Nanotechnology Program

Commercial Manufacturing Agreement AEA Technology QSA’s Auriga Medical™ to manufacture BrachySil™

Auriga Medical™ is the new brand name for products and services in nuclear medicine and radiation therapy within AEA Technology QSA, a subsidiary of AEA Technology plc (LSE:AAT.L).QSA is a world leader specializing in the supply of high quality and high performance radiation source products

Under the terms of the agreement...read the wave

The shortest time yet measured, and the most sensitive set of scales

Ultra-fast shocks scramble cells.
Powerful electrical pulses might zap tumours. By HELEN PEARSON

U.S. Semiconductor Industry Expands Multi-Million Dollar University Research Program for Future Technologies; UCLA to Lead Newest Research Focus Center on Nanoscale Materials

"SIA has been a strong advocate for increased funding for research in physical sciences and engineering, particularly as technological advances become more difficult as we approach the physical limits of our current chip making processes," said George Scalise, Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) President. "If our society is to continue to enjoy the productivity enhancements and consumer benefits from information technology, Congress needs to add $20 million in funding for fiscal year 2005 to match the industry's $20 million contribution for this university research program."...read the wave

Plastic Logic takes leadership role in €24Mn EU project on plastic electronics for RFID

Nano News: In German

Synchrotronstrahlung enthüllt "Strickmuster" ultradünner Schichten

Texas ranks fifth for nanotech, microsystems

Harris & Harris Group is a publicly traded venture capital company that makes initial investments exclusively in tiny technology, including nanotechnology, microsystems and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The Company's last 13 initial private equity investments have been in tiny-technology enabled companies. The Company has 13,798,845 common shares outstanding.

More Biz:

HARRIS & HARRIS GROUP SELLS INTEREST IN NANOGRAM DEVICES CORPORATION

Harris & Harris Group, Inc. announced today that, along with the rest of the shareholders in privately owned Nanogram Devices Corporation, it has sold its interest in that company to Wilson GreatBatch Technologies, Inc. Harris & Harris Group owned approximately a five percent fully diluted interest in Nanogram
Devices Corporation, which it purchased in early 2003, for a total of $813,210, and which it valued at cost in the most recent valuation of its portfolio, as of December 31, 2003. Harris & Harris Group will receive gross proceeds of approximately $2,750,000 in the sale.

Harris & Harris Group is a publicly traded venture capital company that makes initial investments exclusively in tiny technology, including nanotechnology, microsystems and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The Company's last 13 initial private equity investments have been in tiny-technology enabled companies. The Company has 13,798,845 common shares outstanding.
..read the wave

Antenna Group Signs Nanosys, Expands Nanotech Practice

"We chose Antenna Group to represent Nanosys because they have a solid grasp of the nanotechnology industry and are experienced advocates for entrepreneurial companies like ours," said Stephen Empedocles, Ph D, Nanosys co-founder and director of business development.

"Nanosys is a powerhouse of respected scientific and business talent...read the wave

NanoBio® Corporation Announces FDA Approval for
Phase II Clinical Trials for Herpes Labialis Treatment

The Phase II trials are scheduled to begin in March and will confirm the safety, efficacy and dose ranging of the product. The six-month trial will enroll two hundred and eighty-six patients at twenty clinical study sites in the United States. Mary Flack MD, NanoBio's VP for Regulatory & Clinical Affairs states, “This is an important step in the development of NanoBio's product. It demonstrates that the formulation, manufacturing and animal testing of our product to date are acceptable and we are free to proceed with clinical testing.” ...read the wave

Special issue of the Bulletin of Science, Technology
and Society on Nanotechnology

and Zaheer Baber who holds the Canadian Research Chair in Science, Technology, and Social change in the Department of Sociology, at the University of Saskatchewan.

This issue is just coming off the presses. Contact Sage Publishing for more details. For a quick overview of all the items covered … read the wave

Nanotechnology industry grows, but will profits follow?
Area businesses, universities hop on board fledgling industry.

BY EMILY KUMLER

More than 15 companies within a 250-mile radius of Chicago are developing nanotech products, and research is moving ahead at universities around the Midwest, including Purdue University and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

The applications of nanotechnology, the science of tiny bits, seem limitless
…read the wave

Researchers Try to Reverse Molecular Transistor Failures
By Steve Bush

DETECTION AT A DISTANCE FOR MORE SENSITIVE MRI

Pines, a pioneering NMR researcher, is Faculty Senior Scientist in the Materials Sciences Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Glenn T. Seaborg Professor of Chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley. The latest details of the new technique, known as remote detection, are reported by Pines, postdoctoral fellow Song-I Han, and doctoral candidate Juliette A. Seeley in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance.

Remote detection depends on physically separating the two basic steps of NMR, signal encoding and detection -- normally carried out in the same instrument -- in order to customize each step for the best results.

Using laser-polarized xenon gas as the medium for "remembering" the encoded information and carrying it to the remote detection site, Pines and his group have achieved orders-of-magnitude improvement in MRI image resolution, plus manifold increases in NMR sensitivity....read the wave

1st Israeli National Nanotechnology Conference

The first Israeli National Nanotechnology Conference, sponsored by the Ha'Aretz Focus group, will be held in Tel Aviv on 22 March 2004.

The inaugural conference will focus on technology transfer and commercialization of efforts being made now in Israel.

Program and registration details can be found at these links:...read the wave

Extrem fein, dabei unglaublich stark: Garn aus Nanoröhrchen

Forscher überwinden Hürden auf dem Weg zu neuem Nanowerkstoff

Extrem haltbare Kevlar-Fasern bekommen Konkurrenz. Nanoröhrchen aus Kohlenstoff können theoretisch ein Vielfaches an Belastung aushalten und bisher unerreicht weit gespannte Brücken oder bessere, schusssichere Westen ermöglichen. Britischen Forschern von der Cambridge University gelang nun ein weiterer Schritt auf dem langen Weg, auch in der Praxis die nur wenige Millionstel Millimeter dicken Röhrchen zu nutzbaren Fasern zu winden. Über ihr Verfahren berichten sie in einer Online-Veröffentlichung der Fachzeitschrift Science
....read the wave

Biotech Israel 2004 - More Int'l Then Ever; Biotechnology Companies from 12 Countries and More Than 90 Israeli Companies Confirm Participation in ''Biotech 2004''

Nanobiodefense: Entrepreneurial Opportunities and Challenges Wednesday, March 24th

Dr. Calvin Shipbaugh
Physical Scientist
RAND Corporation

Todd Krueger
General Partner

RTK Group Where: The offices of Pillsbury Winthrop 2475 Hanover Street,
Palo Alto, CA (just off Page Mill Road)

When: 6:00PM - 9:00pm Light dinner, networking: 6PM Program begins: 7PM

...read the wave

Nano What? Survey Shows Most People in the Dark

Bell Labs Scientists Discover Technique to Control Fluids Using Specially Fabricated Silicon 'Nanograss'

Important New European Patent “Derivatized BioSilicon™”

European Patent 1 175 233 B1 encompasses the use of certain forms of derivatized porous silicon as a biomaterial. These modified forms of BioSilicon™ significantly broaden its utility by enabling a variety of chemical ligands or protein entities to be attached to the surface. In particular, larger protein molecules such as monoclonal antibodies can be tightly adhered to the BioSilicon™ surface.

Such antibody molecules can then be used in a diagnostic capacity enabling the BioSilicon™ to selectively measure particular hormones or mediators that are prognostic or diagnostic for disease....read the wave

Clean and green

S.J. FIRM GETS DOWN TO EARTH WITH NANOTECHNOLOGY: DEVISING AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DISINFECTANT
By Dean Takahashi

But a small San Jose company has something more down to earth in mind. EnviroSystems uses nanotechnology -- designing objects molecule by molecule on the scale of nanometers, or a billionth of a meter -- to make super-strong but environmentally benign chemicals. The company says it has designed a disinfectant that eliminates the toughest germs and viruses without harming people or the environment….read the wave

Arrowhead Research Corporation to Form New Nanotech Subsidiary

PASADENA, Calif., -- Arrowhead Research
Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: ARWR) announced today that it has entered
into an agreement to form a new majority-owned subsidiary to commercialize an
ultrathin crystal film (nanofilm) technology that has been developed by Dr.
Harry A. Atwater and his research group at the California Institute of
Technology. The agreement between Arrowhead Research Corporation, Dr. Atwater, and Caltech provides for the grant of a fully-paid exclusive license to the
new company to utilize the technology for commercial application.

The technology is expected to provide advancements in semiconductor
technology, in which device active region optical and electrical properties
can be optimally engineered independently of the underlying substrate's
thermal, dielectric and mechanical properties. The technology enables
fabrication of high-quality single crystal semiconductor (e.g., InP, Ge, GaAs)
and oxide (e.g., BaTiO(3), LiNbO(3), PMNPT) nanometer thickness films as
surface layers transferred onto low-cost substrates (Si, Sapphire, glass) and
would enable superior device/system performance at lower cost in applications
such as photonics/ULSI electronics integration, light-emitting diode and laser
arrays, HBTs for wireless communications and high efficiency solar cells.

Arrowhead has also agreed to sponsor research at Caltech under the
direction of Dr. Atwater to exploit a new ferroelectric film synthesis
technique recently developed by the Atwater group to make nanoscale
piezoelectric devices suitable for integration into microelectromechanical
systems (MEMS) on silicon substrates. . ...read the wave

Making big money from small technology

JAMES C. HSIAO AND KENNETH FONG

James C. Hsiao is co-founder and chairman of Inframat, 74 Batterson Park Road, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, USA.
Kenneth Fong is chairman of Kenson Ventures, 695 Oak Grove Avenue, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA.

100-metre nanotube thread pulled from furnace
A thread of carbon nanotubes more than 100 metres long has been pulled from a fiery furnace. The previous record holder was a mere 30 centimetres long.

Holograms to sort, steer nanotubes, cells
By Charles Choi

Method produces uniform, self-assembled nanocells

Current bulk methods for producing nanocells called liposomes---a type of artificial cell---produce particles in a wide range of sizes. The sizes must be sorted and filtered before being used for drug delivery, since dosage depends critically on size.

The new NIST method uses micrometer-size channels etched into a device to produce self-assembled liposomes of specific sizes from as large as about 240 nanometers (nm) to as small as about 100 nm. A stream of natural fats (lipids) dissolved in alcohol is directed at an intersection of two channels that looks like a micro version of a four-way stop. A water-based liquid containing medicines or other substances is sent toward the lipid stream from two opposing directions. Rather than mixing with the water, the lipids surround it, forming self-assembled nanocells.

Controlling flow rates in the microchannels produces nanocells of specific sizes. Faster flows produce smaller cells. Medicine-filled liposomes made in nanosizes should allow for more accurate drug delivery. In particular, liposomes have been studied for years as a way to concentrate the effectiveness of cancer chemotherapy while minimizing harmful.

Nanotube Ropes Spun in One Step

USA forcieren Nanotechnologie Insgesamt 4,7 Mrd. Dollar für Forschung in den nächsten fünf Jahren

DARPA's Wild Kingdom

Weaponized bees, robotic rats, sleepless soldiers; does Mother Nature stand a chance in the face of the Pentagon's new science? By Nick Turse

Researchers Create Terahertz Magnetism from Non-magnetic Materials

THE MAGIC OF FLOW - Université Laval engineer captures prestigious Canadian research prize

Today the Université Laval polymer engineering professor is still mixing materials, devoted to understanding their basic properties and their potential- and still creating gasps of surprise. The latest high-tech trick he's working on? Turning a lump of clay into a transparent, ultra-light, bullet-proof
material.

Dr. Bousmina is a specialist in discovering the way in which ….read the wave

Oregon prof: Wires beat tubes in nano world
By R. Colin Johnson

Samsung joins chip technology alliance at Fishkill
By David Lammers

100-metre nanotube thread pulled from furnace
A thread of carbon nanotubes more than 100 metres long has been pulled from a fiery furnace. The previous record holder was a mere 30 centimetres long.

Holograms to sort, steer nanotubes, cells
By Charles Choi

Method produces uniform, self-assembled nanocells

Current bulk methods for producing nanocells called liposomes---a type of artificial cell---produce particles in a wide range of sizes. The sizes must be sorted and filtered before being used for drug delivery, since dosage depends critically on size.

The new NIST method uses micrometer-size channels etched into a device to produce self-assembled liposomes of specific sizes from as large as about 240 nanometers (nm) to as small as about 100 nm. A stream of natural fats (lipids) dissolved in alcohol is directed at an intersection of two channels that looks like a micro version of a four-way stop. A water-based liquid containing medicines or other substances is sent toward the lipid stream from two opposing directions. Rather than mixing with the water, the lipids surround it, forming self-assembled nanocells.

Controlling flow rates in the microchannels produces nanocells of specific sizes. Faster flows produce smaller cells. Medicine-filled liposomes made in nanosizes should allow for more accurate drug delivery. In particular, liposomes have been studied for years as a way to concentrate the effectiveness of cancer chemotherapy while minimizing harmful.

Nanotube Ropes Spun in One Step

USA forcieren Nanotechnologie Insgesamt 4,7 Mrd. Dollar für Forschung in den nächsten fünf Jahren

DARPA's Wild Kingdom

Weaponized bees, robotic rats, sleepless soldiers; does Mother Nature stand a chance in the face of the Pentagon's new science? By Nick Turse

Researchers Create Terahertz Magnetism from Non-magnetic Materials

THE MAGIC OF FLOW - Université Laval engineer captures prestigious Canadian research prize

Today the Université Laval polymer engineering professor is still mixing materials, devoted to understanding their basic properties and their potential- and still creating gasps of surprise. The latest high-tech trick he's working on? Turning a lump of clay into a transparent, ultra-light, bullet-proof
material.

Dr. Bousmina is a specialist in discovering the way in which ….read the wave

Oregon prof: Wires beat tubes in nano world
By R. Colin Johnson

Samsung joins chip technology alliance at Fishkill
By David Lammers

Dr Martin Naughton contributes €5million to support Nanoscience Research in Trinity College Dublin

"Trinity has recently built up a critical mass of world-class expertise in nanoscience by establishing our Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN). Over the last few years we have attracted a number of superb people in the area, who have been externally assessed as one of the best groups in the world.” said Dr. Hegarty....read the wave

Mo6 ANNOUNCES COMMERCIAL AVAILABILITY OF THE MoSIx-6 NANOMATERIAL

Provides the First Viable Alternative to Carbon Nanotubes

"One of the biggest challenges in nanotechnology is the synthesis of pure,
monodispersed nanotubes or nanowires with identical structure and -ideally - with tuneable physical or functional properties," said dr.Dragan Mihailovic, chief scientist of Mo6, "but the prototype material -carbon nanotubes - stops short of fulfilling this goal, partly because it is difficult to synthesise them in a way that produces identical nanotubes in bulk."

In an apparent breakthrough...read the wave

DOPING BUCKYBALLS WITH ATOMS, ONE AT A TIME
Researchers Tune the Electronic Properties of Individual C60 Molecules

By adding potassium atoms to familiar soccer-ball-shaped "buckyballs," Crommie and his coworkers can increase the electric charge on each C60 molecule; individual potassium atoms are either attached or removed from a C60 molecule using the tip of an STM. The method demonstrates that the electronic properties of an individual molecular structure can be reversibly tuned with atomic precision. ...read the wave

Delftse nanowetenschappers in prestigieuze club van top-instituten

Can nanotech keep chipmaking up to speed?
By John G. Spooner

Nanotechnology, the science of building products out of components that are less than 100 nanometers in size, could help companies continue their tradition of minting generations of speedier, less-costly chips every two years, according to one influential industry observer. …read the wave

Researchers Split on Nanotechnology Future
By JUSTIN POPE

BOSTON - Show us the profits, the skeptics shout. Nanotechnology will amount to nanoprofits, they worry as they tick off a list of technologies from artificial intelligence to virtual reality that looked cool in the lab but have foundered commercially.

Such voices were all but drowned out this week at Nanotech 2004, the industry's largest conference.
And why not? The economy is rebounding, investors are interested and last year President Bush signed a bill to invest nearly $3.7 billion for nanotech research in the coming years. …read the wave

SouthWest NanoTechnologies Commercialization Expertise Leads to Second Phase of NASA SBIR Funding

The Phase 2 NASA SBIR contract will provide SWeNT a total of $600,000 over two years to expand its nanotube development program producing highly durable, extremely light, enabling materials for aerospace applications. The contract will assist SWeNT in upholding its strong commitment to the Single Walled Carbon Nanotube industry and its customers by continuing to expand the company and its discoveries...read the wave

Small World

Scientists aren't the only ones who can play around with atoms or hear the sounds cells make if you touch them. Now you can, too. As this ScienCentral News video reports, one nanotechnologist has come up with a way you can see and hear what that invisible world is like....read the wave

Little Things Could Mean a Lot
By Mark Baard

Complex machines that are nanometers in length are far off in the future. But simple materials on the nano scale are already finding their way into sensors and tools for food and medical applications.
Nestlé believes that researchers may soon be able to use nanotechnology to make artificial noses and mouths for tasting foods, and to make packaging that prevents microbial growth….read the wave

Nano-Tex Inks Deal With Domestic Workwear, Sportswear, Cotton Leader Avondale Mills

Nanotech could become as influential as the Internet, says a leading venture capitalist

Warren Packard, a venture capitalist from Silicon Valley firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson, said that even though the fledgling industry may be at a stage equivalent to Earth's primordial soup, that won't keep him and others from moving in to stake their claim.

Nanotechnology is the science of building products out of components that measure less than one-billionth of a meter….read the wave

Nano- und Mikrotechnologie erhalten einen deutlichen Einfluss auf die regionalen Arbeitsmärkte

Effects of nanotechnology on the environment.
Update from the UK Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering working group on nanotechnology

The use of nanotechnology to create new types of miniature sensors, pollutant filters and fuel cell catalysts could benefit the environment, according to evidence, published today (11 March 2004), that is being considered by the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering working group on nanotechnology.

However, the testimony from industry and academic experts and regulators suggests there is still uncertainty about the impact of releasing nanoparticles into the environment….read the wave

'God particle' may have been seen.

By Paul Rincon BBC News Online science staff

A scientist says one of the most sought after particles in physics - the Higgs boson - may have been found, but the evidence is still relatively weak. Peter Renton, of the University of Oxford, says the particle may have been detected by researchers at an atom-smashing facility in Switzerland …read the wave

MULTILEVEL MOLECULAR MEMORY.

A USC/NASA-Ames collaboration has taken a step in the direction of such a chemical memory by producing a memory cell with three different controllable bit states, with a total of 8 (2 raised to the 3rd power) distinct levels. This multilevel molecular memory unit works by charging or discharging "molecular wires" consisting of molecules (attached to an underlying nanowire) into different chemically reduced or oxidized (redox) states.

(See the figure at http://www.aip.org/mgr/png/2004/213.htm )

The information stored in the unit can be read back out by sampling the resistance of the nanowire; the attached redox molecules act, in effect, as chemical gates for controlling the number of electrons in the nanowire. In tests so far the data written this way has survived for as long as 600 hours, compared to retention times of a few hours for one-bit-per-cell molecular memories.

The researchers (contact Chongwu Zhou, USC, chongwuz@usc.edu. 213 740 4708) are attempting to make more extended memory chips using the new principle. Data density rates as high as 40 Gbits/cm^2 are expected. (Li et al., Applied Physics Letters, cover story in the 15 March 2004 issue;)

MICROFLUIDIC MACHINES

(see figure at http://www.aip.org/mgr/png/2004/212.htm ).

The rotors are at the millimeter scale but can be made much smaller. Unlike conventional
machines the rotor arrays have no fixed axles and are virtually friction free. (Grzybowski et al., Applied Physics Letters,

Contact Bartosz Grzybowski, grzybor@northwestern.edu
or George Whitesides, ugwhitesides@gmwgroup.harvard.edu

Rock 'n' Roll Down the Tubes Metal-filled fullerenes are "hopping" inside of carbon nanotubes

TSMC delivers 90nm chip to Qualcomm

The previous year’s audit opinion from Sprouse & Anderson, L.L.P., was a qualified opinion that expressed doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company had received similar qualified opinions related to its ability to continue as a going concern from its independent auditors for each year from 1995 through 2002. The 2003 unqualified opinion and the related financial statements are included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-KSB, which was filed yesterday, March 9, 2004.

“We are pleased that our improved financial condition enabled our independent auditors to remove their qualification related to potential uncertainty about our ability to continue operations,” said Marc Eller, CEO of Nano-Proprietary, Inc. “We believe this unqualified opinion will be a significant positive as we negotiate development and license agreements,” continued Mr. Eller....read the wave

Applied Materials and Soitec Collaborate to Develop Advanced Germanium-on-Insulator Substrates for 45nm and Beyond

SANTA CLARA, Calif. & BERNIN, France--Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) and Soitec announced a strategic agreement to jointly develop advanced germanium-on-insulator (GeOI) and other related critical Ge-based processes designed to significantly enhance transistor performance at the 45nm and beyond technology nodes. The companies will combine the power of Soitec's Smart Cut(TM) technology and engineered substrate expertise with the advanced epitaxial deposition capabilities of the Applied Centura(R) RP Epi system to speed the development and production of these future generation substrates....read the wave

nPoint, Inc. Receives '2004 MIT Club of Wisconsin Technology Award' for Contributions to State Economy

Award Recognizes Achievements That Have Boosted the State's Status in the Field of Nanotechnology

MADISON, Wis.,USA, -- nPoint, Inc., the global leader in ultra-precision motion devices and controllers for nanoscale research and manufacturing, has been recognized by the MIT Club of Wisconsin for major contributions to Wisconsin's economy through technological change. nPoint will be recognized with the small company of the year award at the annual "2004 MIT Club of Wisconsin Technology Awards" on March 11, 2004.

The MIT Club of Wisconsin consists of alumni of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who live in the state.nPoint designs and manufactures basic tools to facilitate the imaging, measurement and manipulation of structures at the sub-molecular level. These tools are being used in a broad range of applications wherever controlled motion at the nanometer scale is required. nPoint was founded by Dr. Max Lagally, Erwin W. Mueller Professor of Materials Science and Physics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

"We are honored to be recognized by the MIT Club of Wisconsin as a new company with the capability of providing economic and technological growth within the state," said Dr. Lagally. "nPoint nanopositioners are an enabling technology for the world's next industrial revolution, that of nanotechnology."

The MIT Club of Wisconsin gives three awards each year -- one to a large company, one to a small company, and one to a scientist. The recognition awards are given to those that have boosted the state's status in the technological fields. nPoint is this year's recipient of the small company award.

Other recipients include: Quad Tech International for the large company category, and Dr. James Dumesic, Professor of the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin, for the individual scientist category. nPoint will be presented the award during a banquet being held on March 11, 2004, at the Rotunda in Waukesha, WI. …read the wave

Philips and IMEC Sign New Agreement to Develop Semiconductor Processes in Support of Philips' Core Business

Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG) (AEX:PHI) and IMEC, one of the world's leading independent research centers in nanoelectronics, signed an agreement that extends Philips' access to IMEC's advanced research facilities and expertise until the end of 2008. This new agreement, which closely follows Philips' decision last year to become a core partner in IMEC's sub-45nm CMOS research program, will allow Philips through its Philips Research Leuven organization to further extend joint research with IMEC of specialized semiconductor processes, as well as to engage in joint research and development of advanced CMOS technologies in preparation of continued process development with Philips' Crolles2 Alliance partners. ...read the wave

Film Promises Terabit Storage

Nanotech: 2003 Was A Banner Year
Josh Wolfe, Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report

First International Workshop on
Nano & Bio-Electronics Packaging
March 22-23, 2004 • Atlanta, Georgia, USA

First International Workshop on Nano and Bio-electronics Packaging: March 22-23, 2004.

This two-day event will take place at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta hotel (GrandAtlanta.Hyatt.com) and offers a wealth of keynote presentations and technical sessions focusing on: NanoBio-Packaging, Nano Photonics, Nano Manufacturing, Nano Imprint, NEMS, Nano Fluidics,and Nano Packaging Materials
...read the wave

Nanotechnology firm Polaron to float

Nanowires vie with carbon tubes for next-gen transistors by R Colin Johnson

NanoSight Ltd, receive an Invention and Innovation investment of £100,000 from NESTA

NanoSight Ltd, a UK based developer of nanometer scale imaging technologies have received an Invention and Innovation investment of £100,000 from NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) This follows on from the recently announced signing of a Licence Agreement between NanoSight and Smiths Detection – Watford Ltd (a subsidiary of Smiths Industries plc). This Licence Agreement allows Smiths Detection a world-wide exclusive licence for the NanoSight patented nanoscale detection and imaging technology for the detection of biological hazards.

Dr Bob Carr of NanoSight commented that being supported by NESTA after an extensive examination of the company and its products was a tremendous vote of confidence in the technology. He added that with the NESTA investment and the Smiths’ Agreement, the company now had a world-beating combination to produce the tools for rapid and cost effective detection and analysis of nanoparticles. He added that the company was also looking for other partners in the medical, nanoparticle manufacturing and scientific instrumentation markets.

Tim Harper, head of London-based nanotech consultant Cientifica Ltd and a Director of the Company added that Nanosight is now providing the first real alternative to scanning probe and electron microscopy for nanoscale detection. With nanoparticles now being produced in industrial quantities for applications from cosmetics to paints, this instrument will have a significant effect on the productivity of the entire sector

About the companies:

NanoSight Ltd, of Salisbury, UK, is a company formed to develop optical detection and analysis of deeply sub-micron particles and molecular structures in real time and at a cost several orders of magnitude lower than Electron-Microscopy. Particles of size less that 20 nanometres can be detected in real time using patented technology...read the wave

NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) was established by Act of Parliament in 1998 to pioneer ways of supporting and promoting talent, innovation and creativity in science, technology and the arts. ...read the wave

A first-ever blueprint for capturing light on a chip may boost prospects for smaller, faster optical computers in the future.

Several years ago, physicists showed they could stop light in gaseous systems; the motion of photons - light particles - could be converted into the motion of electrons. However, these systems require ultracold temperatures and other extreme conditions that make their implementation on silicon chips nearly impossible....read the wave

HIGH-PERFORMANCE, SINGLE-CRYSTAL PLASTIC TRANSISTORS REVEAL HIDDEN BEHAVIOR

Now, an unusual way of fabricating single-crystal organic transistors has allowed scientists to probe charge transport within the crystals and to observe a strong anisotropy of the charge transport mobility within the crystal plane never before seen....read the wave

Holograms to sort, steer nanotubes, cells By Charles Choi

At-Home Device Would Check Blood Thinning
By JOANN LOVIGLIO

Plastic on Steroids : Artificial muscles pump up everything from military gear to drug delivery.
By Steve Nadis

Nanocomposite Coating

Matsushita Joins IMEC's 45nm Program
By David Manners

Mit Quantum Dots den Ursachen von Krankheiten auf der Spur

Mit Hilfe von Halbleiter-Nanokristallen ist es Forschern des Göttinger Max-Planck-Instituts für biophysikalische Chemie gelungen, die Übermittlung von Steuersignalen für die Gene in einer Zelle im Film festzuhalten. Von diesem methodischen Durchbruch erwartet man, dass er der pharmazeutischen Industrie helfen wird, Medikamente gegen Krebs wesentlich schneller als bisher zu entwickeln. Die Experimente wurden in Zusammenarbeit mit zwei Forschergrupppen der Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentinien, durchgeführt (Nature Biotechnology, Februar 2004). Quantum Dots (QDs) können als winzige Marker benutzt werden, um einzelne Gene, Nukleinsäuren, Proteine oder auch kleine Moleküle sichtbar zu machen und in Zellen zu verfolgen. Die auf diese Weise entstehenden Quantum Dot-Komplexe (Quantum conjugates) binden an ihr Zielmolekül und können - abhängig von ihrer Größe - in allen Farben und bis zu 1000fach heller leuchten als Fluoreszenzfarbstoffe..,..read the wave

EC to fund Euro 45nm process with €24m grant
By Tony Smith

The EC funding will be used to launch NanoCMOS, a project which aims to "pioneer the necessary changes in materials, processes, device architectures and interconnections to keep pushing the limits of semiconductor performance and density", the organisation said.

That will allow the European chip industry to "keep its place among the few worldwide leaders in the field". …read the wave

Scientists, Technologists And Business Leaders Converge On Magee

Correspondents Report - Reporter: Mark Willacy

Mercedes coating comes up to scratch

2004 European NanoBusiness Survey

Established by leading players in European nanotechnology, the European NanoBusiness Association provides a forum to link, inform and enable European nanotechnology companies, from start-ups to multi-nationals.

Samsung Joins IBM, Infineon, Chartered Alliance

Samsung Electronics have announced it is joining the development partnership between IBM, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing and Infineon initially focusing on 65nm process development and extending to 45nm in time. The development will continue to takes place at IBM's 300mm fab in East Fishkill, N.Y. …read the wave

UC Berkeley researchers developing robotic exoskeleton that can enhance human strength and endurance By Sarah Yang

MEMSIC Opens New 45,000 sq. ft. Manufacturing Facility; MEMSIC Has Qualified and Begun Shipments from New Facility in Wuxi, China

Commercializing Nanotechnology ( part two)
By Carl Wherrett and John Yelovich

Bay State stakes claim as nanotechnology leader
By Jon Chesto

Tiny New Rulers Researcher Study How to Measure 'Ultrasmall' Devices By Robert C. Cowen

They cannot reliably make what they cannot measure. And in the world of nanotechnology, where a billionth of a meter can make a huge difference, they've had a tough time. Now they're beginning to get some help….read the wave

Kopin President and CEO Dr. John C.C. Fan to Present at Nanotech 2004 Conference & Trade Show

Dr. Fan's presentation is scheduled for 2:40 p.m. in the Constitution Ballroom B at the Boston Sheraton Hotel & Copley Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Nanotech 2004 is the largest international Nanotechnology conference and trade show in the world. The conference's sponsor, the Nano Science and Technology Institute (NSTI), expects more than 60 booths and 1,500 attendees at this year's event, which runs from March 7-11. For more information on www.nanotech2004.com

Complexity is Elusive

Researchers need enormous computer power to forecast changes in the Earth's climate, but they can predict the speed of a ball rolling down a ramp with pencil and paper. Stephen Wolfram claimed in his 2002 best seller, A New Kind of Science, that there is a clear dividing line between complex problems that require computer crunching and those for which equations alone will do. He argued that many important problems are more like the climate than the ball. But according to the 20 February PRL, his definition of complexity is imperfect because many of the problems he classified as complex are easily solved, as long as you can accept approximate answers. The results suggest that the traditional approach of physics--the equivalent of pencil and paper--is more widely applicable than Wolfram's analysis implies….read the wave

Nano oil rush? By MOON-HEE ANDERSSON

Nanonex and NanoOpto Reach Settlement on Intellectual Property and Business Disputes

SOMERSET & PRINCETON, N.J. NanoOpto Corp. and Nanonex Corp. announced today that they have settled a legal dispute over intellectual property and certain other business issues between companies, founders, directors and investors. Under terms of the agreement, both sides agree to a full release of claims from all parties and a cross-license of technology and patents. In addition, NanoOpto will have a royalty based non-exclusive license of certain patents of Nanonex which preceded the founding of NanoOpto. Nanonex and Dr. Stephen Chou, a Founder of Nanonex and NanoOpto, also received a one-time payment….read the wave

Norwegian nanotubes By MOON-HEE ANDERSSON

Nanogen Announces $34 Million Common Stock Sale

SAN DIEGO, -- Nanogen, Inc. (Nasdaq: NGEN) announced today that it has sold 4.25 million shares of its common stock to institutional investors at a price of $7.94 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $33.7 million.

After deducting fees and expenses, Nanogen will receive approximately $31.5 million from the sale, which is being conducted pursuant to Nanogen's shelf registration statement filed in January 2004. The sale is expected to close on or about Friday, March 5, 2004. Nanogen plans to use the net proceeds for working capital, including the pending SYN X Pharma acquisition, and other general corporate purposes. Seven Hills Partners LLC acted as exclusive placement agent to Nanogen for this financing.

"This financing further strengthens our balance sheet and provides additional capital to accelerate our entry into the point-of-care diagnostics market, which began with our recent agreement to acquire SYN X Pharma," said Howard C. Birndorf, chairman and CEO of Nanogen. "The financing will also support our long-term strategy to commercialize advanced medical diagnostics and help pave the way for Nanogen to enter new, synergistic markets." …read the wave

Chinese doctors remove three needles stuck in man's brain for 29 years

The man, surnamed Guo, and his parents had no idea how the needles got into his head, but doctors who performed the unusual operation said someone likely stuck them through a membranous space in his skull when he was a baby.

"It's not possible for a needle to penetrate the skull otherwise, because the skull is extremely hard," Xinhua news agency quoted Zhang Zhiqiang, one of the neurosurgeons at the 999 Hospital for Brain Diseases in southern Guangdong province, as saying.

Guo only found out about the needles only after an X-ray in 1994 for a brain injury…read the wave

High-Tech Pants or Molecular Revolution?

The field of nanotechnology is divided between those who think it will simply improve our lives and those who think it will completely transform them. The former group thinks of nanotechnology as essentially a new branch of materials science. The latter group, inspired by nanotechnologist Eric Drexler, hews to a more ambitious vision in which molecular manufacturing, nanomedicine, and even nanoweapons will radically reshape the world. Many people in the former category think that Drexler’s version of nanotechnology is bunk…read the wave

Europe Lags Behind U.S., Japan in R&D Spending
By Richard Ball

Scientist says new treatments could let humans live for centuries

Michigan State University clinical professor of medicine Michael Fossel said researchers had already "rejuvenated" skin cells in the laboratory and the potential existed to expand the technolgy to turn back the entire ageing process….read the wave

'IT'S GOING TO BE A GIANT BUSINESS.'
After years of promise, nanotubes can deliver
By ERIC BERGER

With 100 times the strength of steel at a fraction the weight, electrical conductivity and high heat resistance, a carbon-based nanotube is certainly the Superman of the polymer world. But its prohibitive cost precluded any practical use….read the wave

South Korea to Spend 180 Billion Won on Nanotechnology

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy will provide services ranging from research support and production to sales on nano-materials, work processes and equipment.

Penn Researchers Introduce A New Nanotube-Laced Gel, Create New Means Of Aligning Nanotubes

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have devised a new method for aligning isolated single wall carbon nanotubes and, in the process, have created a new kind of material with liquid crystal-like properties, which they call nematic nanotube gels….read the wave

NEC Claims License to Carbon Nanotube

NEC Corp. have claimed a monopoly of sorts, saying that it owns patents on carbon nanotubes that must be licensed by any company wishing to pursue the graphite material.

NEC said that one of its senior research fellows discovered carbon nanotube in 1991 and that the company now has two essential patents on the technology.
With the claims, NEC announced that Sumitomo Corp. and it have inked an agreement, granting Sumitomo a non-exclusive license under basic Japanese patents owned by NEC that cover carbon nanotube. …read the wave

Indian Americans Shining in Nanotechnology
by: Francis C. Assisi

The trend is inescapable. Indian Americans are big, really big, in the world of the very small.

So much so that in the past five years they have emerged as important players in the science and business of nanotechnology. Clearly, they have become a force to reckon with. Working with atoms and molecules from the bottom up, Indian American scientists at government labs, educational institutions, and corporate facilities are emerging in the forefront of what is being heralded as the next technological frontier, with major innovations anticipated in virtually every industry and public sector.

At NASA, at DARPA, at major university centers, at the DOEs National Laboratories, at defense research establishments, among the outcropping of start-ups, as well as among venture capitalists, Indian Americans are becoming a force to reckon with. This is at a time when nanotechnology, or the ability to manipulate and organize matter and structures from the atomic up to the molecular scales, is being heralded as a vastly more powerful technology than ever seen before. Which is why the U.S. government is investing 1 billion dollars for its National Nanotechnology Initiative this year. …read the wave

Catalytic nano-activity points to a new application for platinum

Platinum nanoparticles possess an unusual property that may be useful for manufacturing new substances and the development of materials, according to new research.

Japanese researcher Hitoshi Kato says that close examination of the molecular activity that occurs in platinum coated catalytic convertors in cars shows that platinum nanoparticles behave in an unusual, if regular, pattern….read the wave

Cheap CPUs may revolutionize China
By Kaiser Kuo

BEIJING - A Hong Kong-based company that began as a comic-book publisher now promises to revolutionize the Chinese personal-computer (PC) market with its new, low-cost, Linux-based, Chinese-language central processing unit (CPU).

Culturecom Holdings Ltd says its new V-Dragon CPU, which retails for only US$15-$30, will reduce the price of PCs and appliances by anywhere from 50-70 percent, mostly by eliminating costly intellectual-property (IP) fees charged by "Wintel" - Microsoft and Intel - for their operating systems and CPUs.

Co-developed by IBM and based on the Midori Linux operating system, the new V-Dragon architecture aims specifically for the Greater China market with an embedded dynamic Chinese character-generating engine, allowing direct use of 32,000 Chinese characters without additional font sets or Chinese language peripherals…read the wave

KEITHLEY RELEASES FREE MEASUREMENT SOFTWARETOOLKIT FOR NANOTECH RESEARCHERS

Cleveland, Ohio Keithley Instruments, Inc. (NYSE:KEI), a leader in solutions for emerging measurement needs, has developed a Nanotech Toolkit, a set of measurement software tools designed specifically for a variety of tests common to nanotechnology researchers to assist them in making the very precise, often complex electrical measurements associated with nanotechnology.

The Nanotech Toolkit and its software routines are available at no charge and are compatible with Keithley’s Model 4200-SCS Semiconductor Characterization System. Measurements at the nanoscale level are challenging even for those trained in electrical measurements, while many of the chemists, biologists, and physicists often working in nanotech labs have less formal training in measurement science.

The Nanotech Toolkit is designed to shortcut many measurement tasks by providing common routines typically used in testing nanotech devices.
Included in the Nanotech Toolkit are icons that represent Model 4200-SCS measurement routines for testing a carbon nanotube-based transistor, a bio-component, a molecular transistor, a molecular wire, a nanowire, and a nanocell.

For example, there are tests that plot the I-V (current vs. voltage) curves of carbon nanotubes and molecular transistors, and other tests that make differential conductance measurements for high resistance/low resistance measurements on nanowires.

The Nanotech Toolkit is distributed on a CD, which also contains a collection of relevant white papers, application notes, data sheets, and a seminar on making accurate nanotech electrical measurements.

The Model 4200-SCS Semiconductor Characterization System offers sub-femtoamp (10-15) current measurement resolution. The Model 4200-SCS is being used in nanotech research facilities around the world because of its ability to make extremely sensitive measurements, open architecture, and ease of use, making it well suited for applications such as current-voltage characterization of carbon nanotube electronics, molecular electronics, optoelectronics, and materials research.

For More Information. For more information on the Nanotech Toolkit, contact Keithley Instruments at: product_info@keithley.com

Zinc oxide welcomes nanorings to nano-scale brood
By John Toon

Scientists in the US have added nanorings to a growing family of nanometer-scale structures based on single crystals of zinc oxide, a semiconducting and piezoelectric material.
The rings, complete circles formed by a spontaneous self-coiling process, could serve as nanometer-scale sensors, resonators and transducers and provide a test bed for studying piezoelectric effects and other phenomena at the small scale. The nanorings join 'nanobelts' and 'nanosprings' in a family of…read the wave

The Swiss will be well represented at the upcoming Nanotech2004 Conference and Trade Show.
Boston, USA, March 8 - 11, 2004.

Switzerland has been at theforefront of the nanotechnology development curve thanks to leadership,excellent research, and an innovative business environment. Members of thisvibrant and world class nano-community will be exhibiting their products andservices at the Nanotech 2004 Trade Show. Exhibitors at the Swissnanotech pavilion will include:

Nanoworld AG (www.nanoworld.ch),
Nanosensors AG (www.nanosensors.com),
Reinhardt Microtech (www.reinhardt-microtech.ch),
Nanofair (www.nanofair.ch),
Greater Zurich Area (www.greaterzuricharea.ch),
Economic Development of Western Switzerland (www.dews.com), Basel Area Business Development (www.baselarea.org),
CSEM (www.csem.ch) and others.

In addition, Swiss experts will be at the show as keynote speakers,
panelists or as participants throughout the conference including
representatives from Nestle, UBS, Nanodimension, CSM Instruments, Semasopht, EPFL, Swiss Re, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and many others.

There will also be an open house event at the Consulate of Switzerland - SHARE Boston, on March 9th. For more information on the event go to...read the wave

Penn Researchers Introduce a New Nanotube-Laced Gel, Create New Means of Aligning Nanotubes

PHILADELPHIA -- Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have devised a new method for aligning isolated single wall carbon nanotubes and, in the process, have created a new kind of material with liquid crystal-like properties, which they call nematic nanotube gels. The gels could potentially serve as sensors in complex fluids, where changes in local chemical environment, such as acidity or solvent quality, can lead to visible changes in the gel shape. The researchers describe their findings in the current issue of Physical Review Letters.
Single wall carbon nanotubes have astounded researchers with their remarkable strength and their ability to conduct heat and electricity…read the wave

Carnegie Mellon's Nanofab Lab gears up to be region's best equipped for tech startups
Nanofab Lab home-sweet-home for New Tech Startups

PITTSBURGH--Carnegie Mellon University's Nanofabrication Facility is becoming home-sweet-home for a handful of technology startups using tiny computer chips that can improve the sound in cell phones or gauge damage done to a disk drive when dropped by a user.
"If a tech startup is deciding where to set up shop, an important part of the decision is the availability of processing facilities,'' said Charles Buenzli, vice president and chief operating officer of Bridge Semiconductors. The early stage MEMS – MicroElectro Mechanical Systems – company develops integrated circuits for a variety of industry sectors.
"We are a fabless (no factory) semiconductor company that uses…read the wave

CeNTech Workshops:
Moderne Oberflächenanalytik in der Praxis

1./2. April 2004, Münster
7./8. Oktober 2004, Münster

Aufgrund der großen Resonanz aus dem letzten Jahr bietet das Zentrum für Nanotechnologie CeNTech, in Kooperation mit dem BMBF-Kompetenz-zentrum Nanoanalytik und der Aus- und Weiterbildungsstelle der Universität Münster, am 1./2. April 2004 und am 7./8. Oktober 2004 erneut zwei Workshops zur "Modernen Oberflächenanalytik" an.

Experten aus Unternehmen und Hochschule vermitteln direkt am CeNTech Gerätepool einen praktischen Einblick in die moderne Oberflächenanalytik im Mikro- und Nanometerbereich. Anschaulich werden Leistungsumfang, Funktionsprinzip und Entwicklungsstand der einzelnen Techniken sowie der mit ihnen verbundene Investitions- und Ausbildungsbedarf erläutert. Die Teilnehmer des Workshops erfahren, wie die modernen Techniken eingesetzt werden können, um die Produktentwicklung zu beschleunigen, Produktions-prozesse zu optimieren und die Produktqualität zu sichern. Zudem besteht die Möglichkeit, individuelle Problemstellungen zu diskutieren und eigene Proben direkt vor Ort zu analysieren.

Ausführliche Informationen zum Programm und ein Formular für die Online-Registrierung liegen un...read the wave

Das Zentrum für Nanotechnologie (CeNTech) in Münster ist eines der deutschlandweit ersten Zentren für Nanotechnologie, das sich gezielt der Überführung ausgewählter Forschungsergebnisse auf dem Gebiet der Nanotechnologie in die Anwendung widmet. Es steht Unternehmen, Forschungs- und Bildungseinrichtungen als kompetenter Partner bei der Vermittlung von Serviceleistungen und Know-How sowie der Organisation von Verbundprojekten zur Seite.

EVIDENCE BUBBLES OVER TO SUPPORT TABLETOP NUCLEAR FUSION DEVICE

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Researchers are reporting new evidence
supporting their earlier discovery of an inexpensive "tabletop" device
that uses sound waves to produce nuclear fusion reactions.

The researchers believe the new evidence shows that "sonofusion"
generates nuclear reactions by creating tiny bubbles that implode with
tremendous force. Nuclear fusion reactors have historically required
large, multibillion-dollar machines, but sonofusion devices might be
built for a fraction of that cost.

"What we are doing, in effect, is producing nuclear emissions in a
simple desktop apparatus," said Rusi Taleyarkhan, the principal
investigator and a professor of nuclear engineer at Purdue University.
"That really is the magnitude of the discovery - the ability to use
simple mechanical force for the first time in history to initiate
conditions comparable to the interior of stars."

The technology might one day result in a new class of low-cost, compact
detectors for security applications that use neutrons to probe the
contents of suitcases; devices for research that use neutrons to
analyze the molecular structures of materials; machines that cheaply
manufacture new synthetic materials and efficiently produce tritium,
which is used for numerous applications ranging from medical imaging to
watch dials; and a new technique to study various phenomena in
cosmology, including the workings of neutron stars and black holes.

Taleyarkhan led the research team while he was a full-time scientist at
the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and he is now the Arden L. Bement
Jr. Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Purdue.

The new findings are being reported in a paper that will appear this
month in the journal Physical Review E, published by the American
Physical Society. The paper was written by Taleyarkhan; postdoctoral
fellow J.S Cho at Oak Ridge Associated Universities; Colin West, a
retired scientist from Oak Ridge; Richard T. Lahey Jr., the Edward E.
Hood Professor of Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
(RPI); R.C. Nigmatulin, a visiting scholar at RPI and president of the
Russian Academy of Sciences' Bashkortonstan branch; and Robert C.
Block, active professor emeritus in the School of Engineering at RPI
and director of RPI's Gaerttner Linear Accelerator Laboratory.

The discovery was first reported in March 2002 in the journal Science.

Since then the researchers have acquired additional funding from the
U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, purchased more precise
instruments and equipment to collect more accurate data, and
successfully reproduced and improved upon the original experiment,
Taleyarkhan said.

"A fair amount of very substantial new work was conducted, "
Taleyarkhan said. "And also, this time around I made a conscious
decision to involve as many individuals as possible - top scientists
and physicists from around the world and experts in neutron science -
to come to the lab and review our procedures and findings before we
even submitted the manuscript to a journal for its own independent peer
review."

The device is a clear glass canister about the height of two coffee
mugs stacked on top of one another. Inside the canister is a liquid
called deuterated acetone. The acetone contains a form of hydrogen
called deuterium, or heavy hydrogen, which contains one proton and one
neutron in its nucleus. Normal hydrogen contains only one proton in its
nucleus.

The researchers expose the clear canister of liquid to pulses of
neutrons every five milliseconds, or thousandths of a second, causing
tiny cavities to form. At the same time, the liquid is bombarded with a
specific frequency of ultrasound, which causes the cavities to form
into bubbles that are about 60 nanometers - or billionths of a meter -
in diameter. The bubbles then expand to a much larger size, about 6,000
microns, or millionths of a meter - large enough to be seen with the
unaided eye.

"The process is analogous to stretching a slingshot from Earth to the
nearest star, our sun, thereby building up a huge amount of energy when
released," Taleyarkhan said.

Within nanoseconds these large bubbles contract with tremendous force,
returning to roughly their original size, and release flashes of light
in a well-known phenomenon known as sonoluminescence. Because the
bubbles grow to such a relatively large size before they implode, their
contraction causes extreme temperatures and pressures comparable to
those found in the interiors of stars. Researches estimate that
temperatures inside the imploding bubbles reach 10 million degrees
Celsius and pressures comparable to 1,000 million earth atmospheres at
sea level.

At that point, deuterium atoms fuse together, the same way hydrogen
atoms fuse in stars, releasing neutrons and energy in the process. The
process also releases a type of radiation called gamma rays and a
radioactive material called tritium, all of which have been recorded
and measured by the team. In future versions of the experiment, the
tritium produced might then be used as a fuel to drive energy-producing
reactions in which it fuses with deuterium.

Whereas conventional nuclear fission reactors produce waste products
that take thousands of years to decay, the waste products from fusion
plants are short-lived, decaying to non-dangerous levels in a decade or
two. The desktop experiment is safe because, although the reactions
generate extremely high pressures and temperatures, those extreme
conditions exist only in small regions of the liquid in the container -
within the collapsing bubbles.

One key to the process is the large difference between the original
size of the bubbles and their expanded size. Going from 60 nanometers
to 6,000 microns is about 100,000 times larger, compared to the bubbles
usually formed in sonoluminescence, which grow only about 10 times
larger before they implode.

"This means you've got about a trillion times more energy potentially
available for compression of the bubbles than you do with conventional
sonoluminescence," Taleyarkhan said. "When the light flashes are
emitted, it's getting extremely hot, and if your liquid has deuterium
atoms compared to ordinary hydrogen atoms, the conditions are hot
enough to produce nuclear fusion."

The ultrasound switches on and off about 20,000 times a second as the
liquid is being bombarded by neutrons.

The researchers compared their results using normal acetone and
deuterated acetone, showing no evidence of fusion in the former.

Each five-millisecond pulse of neutrons is followed by a
five-millisecond gap, during which time the bubbles implode, release
light and emit a surge of about 1 million neutrons per second.

In the first experiments, with the less sophisticated equipment, the
team was only able to collect data during a small portion of the
five-millisecond intervals between neutron pulses. The new equipment
enabled the researchers to see what was happening over the entire
course of the experiment.

The data clearly show surges in neutrons emitted in precise timing with
the light flashes, meaning the neutron emissions are produced by the
collapsing bubbles responsible for the flashes of light, Taleyarkhan
said.

"We see neutrons being emitted each time the bubble is imploding with
sufficient violence," Taleyarkhan said.

Fusion of deuterium atoms emits neutrons that fall within a specific
energy range of 2.5 mega-electron volts or below, which was the level
of energy seen in neutrons produced in the experiment. The production
of tritium also can only be attributed to fusion, and it was never
observed in any of the control experiments in which normal acetone was
used, he said.

Whereas data from the previous experiment had roughly a one in 100
chance of being attributed to some phenomena other than nuclear fusion,
the new, more precise results represent more like a one in a trillion
chance of being wrong, Taleyarkhan said.

"There is only one way to produce tritium - through nuclear processes,"
he said.

The results also agree with mathematical theory and modeling.

Future work will focus on studying ways to scale up the device, which
is needed before it could be used in practical applications, and
creating portable devices that operate without the need for the
expensive equipment now used to bombard the canister with pulses of
neutrons.

"That takes it to the next level because then it's a standalone
generator," Taleyarkhan said. "These will be little nuclear reactors by
themselves that are producing neutrons and energy."

Such an advance could lead to the development of extremely accurate
portable detectors that use neutrons for a wide variety of applications.

"If you have a neutron source you can detect virtually anything because
neutrons interact with atomic nuclei in such a way that each material
shows a clear-cut signature," Taleyarkhan said.

The technique also might be used to synthesize materials inexpensively.

"For example, carbon is turned into diamond using extreme heat and
temperature over many years," Taleyarkhan said. "You wouldn't have to
wait years to convert carbon to diamond. In chemistry, most reactions
grow exponentially with temperature. Now we might have a way to
synthesize certain chemicals that were otherwise difficult to do
economically.

"Several applications in the field of medicine also appear feasible,
such as tumor treatment."

Before such a system could be used as a new energy source, however,
researchers must reach beyond the "break-even" point, in which more
energy is released from the reaction than the amount of energy it takes
to drive the reaction.

"We are not yet at break-even," Taleyarkhan said. "That would be the
ultimate. I don't know if it will ever happen, but we are hopeful that
it will and don't see any clear reason why not. In the future we will
attempt to scale up this system and see how far we can go."

Writer: Emil Venere, (765) 494-4709, venere@purdue.edu

Source: Rusi P. Taleyarkhan, (765) 494-0198, rusi@purdue.edu

Company to mass produce humanoid robots

Tokyo — A Japanese company unveiled a prototype of a human-shaped walking robot Tuesday it said will be mass-produced for sale at the equivalent of $6,165 (Canadian) by the end of the year.
Tokyo-based ZMP, which has so far only made robots for research and rental, expects to sell about 3,000 of the new Nuvo model, which will be manufactured by another company. The manufacturer and sales network have not yet been decided, ZMP president Hisashi Taniguchi said at a Tokyo hall….read the wave

U.S. Army's Future Force Warrior Program Taps Kopin to Develop HDTV-Quality Microdisplays

- Company Wins $3.2 million Contract For Next-Generation Soldier Technology
- World's Highest Density Microdisplays Designed to Make Soldiers Safer, Smarter and More Effective

TAUNTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 2004--Kopin Corp. (NASDAQ: KOPN)-- Kopin Corp. (NASDAQ: KOPN) today announced a $3.2 million Department of Defense (DoD) contract to develop ultra-high resolution color microdisplays for the U.S. Army's Future Force Warrior (FFW) Program and other dismounted soldier applications. The FFW program is designed to improve battlefield effectiveness and survivability by incorporating technological breakthroughs in miniaturized electronics, wireless communications, nano-textiles and ultra-low-power communications systems into soldiers' equipment and uniforms....read the wave

Cymer Unveils the XLA 105 -- Extending DUV Lithography to 65-nm Regime

SAN DIEGO- Cymer, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYMI), the world's leading supplier of deep ultraviolet (DUV) light sources used in semiconductor manufacturing, today introduced the XLA 105 argon fluoride (ArF) excimer light source, which is designed to support 65-nm photolithography applications. This second-generation ArF light source in the XL Series -- based on Cymer's revolutionary Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) dual-gas-discharge-chamber technology -- is targeted at volume production of semiconductor devices for the 65-nm node and beyond. Delivering the highest output power and narrowest bandwidth in the industry, the XLA 105 leverages the production-proven XL Series platform to enable the lithography system solutions providers to achieve seamless integration and rapid time to market with their most advanced ArF scanners to meet the semiconductor industry's next-generation lithography needs.

According to Cymer President and Chief Operating Officer, Pascal Didier, Cymer is dedicated to developing its latest-generation, highly reliable lithography light sources to satisfy customers' needs, and bringing these products to market rapidly to enable its customers to achieve the greatest economic benefit possible. "By integrating the XLA 105 into their most-advanced lithography tools targeted at the 65 nm node, our customers are better able to help chipmakers address next-generation lithography process applications, while simultaneously increasing overall wafer throughput and maintaining a low cost of operation."

Operating at a 4 kHz repetition rate and delivering 40 W of output power, the XLA 105 is designed to provide full imaging capability for advanced 200 mm and 300 mm lithography scanners. By offering this feature at a very tight bandwidth -- less than or equal to 0.2 pm at full-width half maximum (FWHM) and less than or equal to 0.50 pm at 95 percent energy integral -- the XLA 105 enables exposure of the most critical semiconductor features with high numerical aperture (NA) lens designs. As a result of this high spectral bandwidth performance, these high NA lens designs require fewer calcium fluoride (CaF2) elements -- an important advantage given the current limited availability of CaF2 material and its high cost. In addition, the XLA 105 offers increased pulse duration of greater than or equal to 70 ns which helps reduce peak fluence for increased scanner optics lifetimes.

Cymer's XLA 105 light source is the latest addition to the company's product portfolio -- enabling robust DUV technology. Through its ongoing efforts in the area of technology innovation, Cymer is committed to helping chipmakers continue keeping pace with Moore's Law by speeding execution and time to market....read the wave

Quantum Dots Capture First Movies of Cells ``Talking''; Nanotechnology Aids Researchers in Revealing Mechanisms Vital to Drug Development

HAYWARD, Calif.-Researchers at Max Planck Institute in Germany have used a new nano-sized imaging tool to capture the first-ever movies of cells transmitting the messages that control genes. The breakthrough is expected to help pharmaceutical companies speed and enhance the process of screening candidate cancer drugs.

In a study published in the February issue of the respected science journal Nature Biotechnology, the researchers reported they used quantum dots developed and manufactured by Hayward-based Quantum Dot Corporation (QDC) to provide prolonged, real-time visualizations in living cells of the signaling mechanisms of the erbB family of receptors, the targets of many cancer drugs. Quantum dots are nano-scale crystals of semiconductor material -- up to ten-billionths of a meter in size -- that glow in several different colors, depending on their size, when excited by a light source such as a laser. The dramatic video-clip images mark the first time researchers have been able to see moving images of a cell's basic means of communication with its environment.

"The in vivo measurements reported in our study revealed new insights into cellular processes and interactions that could previously only be studied on fixed (dead) cells," wrote the researchers, led by Prof. Thomas M. Jovin, chairman of the department of molecular biology at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Goettingen, Germany. "An understanding of receptor-mediated transduction mechanisms is essential for rational receptor-targeted therapeutics. Quantitative approaches based on multiple combinations of quantum dots and ligands will be invaluable for such investigations."

In a commentary on the study that appeared in the same issue of Nature Biotechnology, two leading experts in live cell imaging welcomed the Jovin team's breakthrough. "Semiconductor nanocrystals can track movements of individual receptors on the surface of living cells with unmatched spatial and temporal resolution," wrote Drs. Gal Gur and Yosef Yarden of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. "(Other) imaging methodologies have limited spatial resolution and either require complex manipulation or are able to provide only very brief snapshots of receptor dynamics."

"This significant study again validates the importance of quantum dots for biomolecular imaging and drug development," said Carol Lou, president of QDC. "Our Qdot conjugates give researchers a powerful set of tools in the quest to develop new drugs that can successfully treat cancer and other diseases."

Older imaging tools such as fluorescent dyes or polymer spheres fade too quickly -- within a matter of seconds -- to capture lengthy video images of living cells, the scientists wrote. QDC's Qdot conjugates, by contrast, let the researchers see multiple cell elements for minutes or hours at a time. Length of observation time is critical to studying cellular processes, which change rapidly over a span of several minutes. Previous observations using dyes have produced only quick snapshots of the process.

The study is one of several recent reports to validate the superior imaging qualities of QDC's Qdot conjugates. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and QDC announced in January they had developed Qdot particles that are compatible with prolonged, non-invasive imaging in living animals with unparalleled brightness, paving the way for direct detection and tracking of molecules within the animal models that are the basis of drug development in almost every major pharmaceutical company. That report was published in the science journal Bioconjugate Chemistry.

QDC's Qdot and Qbead(TM) products are used by life science researchers as tiny beacons or markers, allowing them to easily see individual genes, nucleic acids, proteins or small molecules. Qdot conjugates work by seeking out and bonding with target materials. Once bonded with a target, each individual Qdot particle emits light. Depending on their size, they can glow in a variety of colors and are up to 1,000 times brighter than fluorescent dyes.

The full text of the Nature Biotechnology article ("Quantum dot ligands provide new insights into erbB/HER receptor-mediated signal transduction") is available on the journal's website ...read the wave

High-resolution images and video are freely available ...see the wave

Nano-composite coating process to improve food packaging

Consumer demands for fresh, minimally processed and naturally preserved foods place new pressures on packaging. SOLPLAS offers an environmentally friendly nano-particle deposition process for coating plastic films.

The packaging industry faces a challenge from the ever-growing demands of consumers, who want foods to remain fresher longer, as well as being easy to handle, safe, healthy and packaged in environmentally-friendly materials. To meet the need for ready meals and convenience foods without compromising freshness and quality, food packaging is becoming more active and more intelligent….read the wave

Marine sponges provide model for nanoscale materials production

"Nature was nano before nano was cool," stated Henry Fountain in a recent New York Times article on the proliferation of nanotechnology research projects. No one is more aware of this fact of nature than Dan Morse of the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research groups have been studying the ways that nature builds ocean organisms at the nanoscale for over ten years.

For example, they have studied the abalone shell for its high-performance, super-resistant, composite mineral structure.

Now they are now looking to learn new biotechnological routes to make high performance electronic and optical materials. …read the wave

nPoint Introduces Enhanced Scanning Control Mode for AFM And Nanopositioner Stages

New Mode Offers High Scan Rates That Speed Data Collection and Metrology Without Sacrificing Accuracy or Stability

nPoint, the global leader inultra-precision motion and control nanopositioners for nanoscale research and manufacturing, has announced an enhanced scanning control mode for nanopositioning stages that incorporates digital signal processing (DSP) forprecision response at high scan speeds. Nanopositioners are key components inscanning probe microscopes (SPMs) including atomic force microscopes (AFMs) and related instruments used in nanotechnology. The enhanced scanning controlmode is part of the overall nanopositioner controller. The controllerin corporates advanced closed-loop control to increases scan speed for fasterdata collection in AFM and metrology applications and rapid response for critical nano-location applications.

The new advanced scanning mode is available for all nPoint nanopositioning
stages, including the nPoint iC(TM) AFM Upgrade Kit, which provides closed-
loop control and metrology capability to scanning probe instruments currently
in use. The new scanning control mode provides faster scanning with minimal
phase-lag between the commanded and achieved position, maintaining positioning
accuracy at high scanning speeds. The iC Upgrade Kit with the new controller
can be easily integrated into an existing AFM without the need for
modification or custom installation…….read the wave

BIOTROVE, INC. APPOINTS PATRICK CARROLL
AS CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER

Woburn, MA, BioTrove, Inc., a biotechnology company developing and commercializing nano-fluidic systems for the life sciences, today announced the appointment of Patrick Carroll as Chief Business Officer. Mr. Carroll joins BioTrove after a 20-year career at Applied Biosystems (NYSE: ABI), where he was most recently Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales.

Patrick brings an enormous depth of experience in the sales and marketing of innovative life science technologies, said Robert H. Ellis, President and Chief Executive Officer of BioTrove. He is joining BioTrove at a key point in the evolution of the company, as we begin to commercialize our Living Chip platform and Momentum Assay Development and Screening technologies. Mr. Ellis also noted that BioTrove plans to launch its first product from the Living Chip platform in the coming months. The company recently introduced its Momentum Technology service as a way to unlock the value of intractable drug targets.

Prior to joining BioTrove, Mr. Carroll served in various senior level positions during his 20-year tenure with Applied Biosystems, most recently as Senior Vice President for Worldwide Sales, Service and Support. He began his career with the company as its first field sales representative. Mr. Carroll held subsequent positions within ABIs sales organization, including National Sales Manager, Vice President of North America and Vice President of Asia. Mr. Carroll previously was with Autolab Division of Spectra-Physics and was a research assistant at Johns Hopkins University. He holds M.S. and B.A. degrees in Biological Sciences from the University of Delaware and an MBA in Marketing from Loyola College.

The Living Chip, one of BioTroves two technology platforms, enables massively parallel low volume analysis of genetic, genomic, biochemical and cellular samples with parallel liquid transfer. Early products will provide compelling advantages for SNP and transcription analysis by combining the best attributes of real time PCR (data quality) and micro arrays (parallelism) on one platform with higher throughput, lower cost, better quantification and high sensitivity. Over the past year, BioTrove launched Momentum, a patented ultra high-throughput mass spectrometry technique that enables label-free microliter-scale functional assay development and screening of intractable targets. As companies select targets for screening, they are often forced to forgo highly promising targets, because of the challenge in developing screening assays. Momentum can frequently remove that barrier.

About BioTrove, Inc.
BioTrove, Inc. is a privately held biotechnology company focused on leveraging revolutionary micro- and nano-scale engineering solutions to overcome current bottlenecks in pharmaceutical drug discovery and biotechnology. BioTrove has two core platforms: the Living Chip, which is a broadly applicable nano-liter fluidics technology platform for massively parallel and low-volume analysis of genetic, genomic, proteomic, biochemical and cellular samples and Momentum Assay Development and Screening technology, which is an ultra high-throughput mass spectrometry service that enables microliter-scale functional assay development and screening of challenging targets with promising biology that are generally not pursued...read the wave

NEW YORK NANOTECHNOLOGISTS WIN PRESTIGIOUS GRANTS

Empire State Scientists Net Six Major Federal Nanotech Awards

Russell W. Bessette, M.D., Executive Director of the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) today commended six nanotechnology researchers in New York for being recognized by the National Science Foundation as academic leaders of the 21st century.

"We are very pleased the National Science Foundation has granted so many of our up-and-coming nanotechnology scientists with this prestigious award," Dr. Bessette said. "Governor Pataki's effort to promote a high-tech economy in New York, through his nationally acclaimed Centers of Excellence program and other high-tech initiatives, continues to raise the level of scientific achievement across New York State."…read the wave

Nanotechnologies featured in third edition of magazine

The third issue of the European Industrial Research magazine focuses on support for research in nanosciences and nanotechnologies in the EU. It surveys the past present and future of this crucial area, examines the effects of nanotechnologies and outlines the activities of EuroNanoForum 2003.

Nanotechnologies are set to play a key role in improving the everyday life of European citizens. Publicly funded research in this field will ensure that Europe exploits the potentials offered to stay in the race with the USA and Asia, both of which are investing heavily in this field.

The Commission’s four-day EuroNanoForum 2003 event, held in Trieste (Italy) from 9 to 12 December 2003, brought together over 1000 stakeholders to examine the state of the art in nanotechnologies and to debate the need for public funding in this area.

Copies of this magazine may be downloaded from the magazine page on this website. …read the wave

Organic Spin Valves Open Possibilities for Spintronics

University of Utah physicists have integrated organic semiconductor electronics and spin spintronics by building the first "organic spin valves."
In a study published Feb. 26 in the journal Nature, Jing Shi and Z. Valy Vardeny report they used a semiconductor made of organic material to make switch-like valves that can control the flow of electrical current. They were able to change the flow of electricity through the valves by 40 percent…read the wave

Bid to raise $2.75m for nanotechnology looks set to succeed

Nuon's bid to raise $2.75 million to help commercialise unique cutting-edge nanotechnology research looks set to succeed on Monday. The Christchurch company is aiming to buy half of Canterbury University's Nanocluster Devices. The business was set up to research and develop aspects of nanowire technology and ensure its intellectual property remains in New Zealand. Nanocluster is currently owned by the university's commercial arm, Canterprise, which has agreed to sell half the company to Nuon if it raises the money in the public subscription issue. …read the wave

India should focus on nanotechnology

India could be a leader in the new technology areas such as nano materials, biotechnology and energy technologies, said venture capitalist and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, Mr Vinod Khosla, here on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an open house with employees of Centrata and MetricStream, Mr Khosla who is the general partner of Kleiner, Perkins Caufield & Byers, said India had largely started as a follower in the IT sector. "If we start serious research in areas like nanotechnology, biotechnology, we can start as a leader," he said….read the wave

Complete restructuring of its research funding mechanisms.

It seems that it is only a matter of time before the EU sees a complete restructuring of its research funding mechanisms. As outlined in the previous two editions of CORDIS Express, the Commission has proposed doubling the financial resources available for research, as well as ensuring a unique budgetary line for basic research.
This week the Director-General of the Commission's Research DG, Achilleas Mitsos, added his voice to those calling for more focus on basic research….read the wave

Request for Proposals has been extended for CANEUS

The deadline to submit Request for Proposals has been extended in preparation to the CANEUS Conference that will take place in Monterey, CA, USA from October 30 to November 5, 2004.

CANEUS, the joint Canada-Europe-USA-Asia organization for the advancement of Micro-Nano-Technologies (MNT) for Aerospace Applications has extended the deadline to Submit Request for Proposals (RFP) for their Conference to March 1, 2004. The event, entitled Conference on MNT for Aerospace Applications: from Concepts to Systems will take place in Monterey, CA, USA from October 30 to November 5, 2004.

It will bring together scientists, engineers, program managers, investors, and policy-makers from the three continents represented in the CANEUS organization. Consisting of sessions, workshops, short courses, posters, and exhibits, the Conferences structure rests on participants paper contributions. Topics to be covered include novel MNT-based concepts, micro- and nanostructured materials, micro-nano-devices and systems, challenges with MNT-based system development, and coordinated international collaborations.

For more information, see the CANEUS request for proposals website:...read the wave

Microfabrica Secures $15 Million Funding WK Technology Fund leads Series B financing

Microfabrica Secures $15 Million Funding WK Technology Fund leads Series B financing

Burbank, CA Microfabrica, Inc. has closed $15 million in Series B financing, led by international venture capital firm WK Technology Fund.

All of Microfabrica's existing investors also participated in this round, including DynaFund Ventures, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Partech International, ChevronTexaco Venture Equities, Zone Ventures and Atherton Venture Partners.

The funds will be used primarily to expand Microfabrica's global presence, move into a production mode and expand the capabilities of the company's unique EFAB(r) manufacturing process to cover additional markets. The EFAB process enables complex microdevices and microsystems previously impossible or impractical to manufacture using other approaches.

WK Technology Fund is a leading venture capital firm with over $600 million under management and investments in high tech startups across North America and Asia. Wen Ko, WK chairman and founder, as well as Dr. Keh-Shew Lu, WK partner in charge of worldwide semiconductor investments, will be joining Microfabrica's board of directors. Mr. Ko is one of the pioneers of the VC industry in Taiwan and the founding chairman of Taiwan's Venture Capital Association. Before founding the firm, Mr. Ko was the chairman and president of HP Taiwan for 13 years.

Dr. Lu is a semiconductor industry veteran who joined WK after a 27-year career at Texas Instruments, most recently as senior vice president running TI's worldwide operation in Analog, Logic and Mixed-signal products. Before that, he was Asia president for Texas Instruments from 1994 to 1997.

"We invest in companies that leverage the global trend of outsourcing the design and manufacturing of electronic systems. Microfabrica's focus on building an innovative manufacturing technology with applications from communications to computers make it a perfect fit for our portfolio," said Dr. Keh-Shew Lu, partner at WK. "We feel that the company's combination of breakthrough micro-fabrication technology, the breadth of unique applications and its strong management team have positioned it to revolutionize micro-device manufacturing."

"WK's investment during a tepid investment climate is a testimony to the strength of our technology and market strategy," said Vacit Arat, president and CEO of Microfabrica, Inc. "We have already demonstrated to major customers worldwide the leaps in performance, flexibility and cost that EFAB enables in a variety of compelling applications. With this strong endorsement of WK as well as all of our existing investors, we are now well-positioned to move into a production mode and realize the full potential of the technology."

Microfabrica previously raised over $11 million in its first round of financing in February 2001, followed by an additional $5.7 million in Series A1 financing, led by Partech International in July 2002.

About WK Technology Fund
Founded in 1989, WK Technology Fund has become a leading venture capital firm in Taiwan with focus in Asia and the United States. WK invests in
early-stage and mid-stage private companies in Taiwan, the United States and China, primarily in semiconductors, communications and information technology. WK Technology Fund creates marketing and manufacturing synergies for its portfolio companies by leveraging its extensive technology network and strong management expertise in Asia and US....read the wave