Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have developed an improved method for directly writing nanometer-scale patterns onto a variety of surfaces

The new writing method, dubbed “thermal dip pen nanolithography,” represents an important extension for dip pen nanolithography (DPN), an increasingly popular technique that uses atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes as pens to produce nanometer-scale patterns.

In conventional DPN, a probe tip is coated with a liquid ink, which then flows onto the surface to make patterns wherever the tip makes contact. Dozens of research groups worldwide are working on DPN applications, but the technique – which uses the AFM tips to both sense surface patterns and write new patterns – has been limited by an inability to turn the ink flow on and off. Existing dip pens apply ink as long as they remain in contact with a surface...read the wave

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 30, 2004--Arrowhead Research Corporation (OTCBB: ARWR), an emerging company in the field of nanotechnology, have announced that NASDAQ has approved the Company's common stock and common stock purchase warrants (ARWRW) for listing on the NASDAQ SmallCap Market(TM), subject to certain conditions. The Company expects its stock to begin trading on the SmallCap Market within the next ten trading days.

Commenting on the approval...read the wave

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Contradicting fears that the semiconductor industry's pace of development is slowing, Intel Corp. announced it has achieved a milestone in shrinking the size of transistors that will power its next-generation chips.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company says it's created a fully functional 70-megabit memory chip with transistor switches measuring just 35 nanometres — about 30 per cent smaller than those found on today's state-of-the-art chips.

By shrinking the size of the transistors and other features etched into the silicon, more of the tiny devices can be squeezed on to a single chip. As a result, microprocessors become more powerful and memory chips can store more data without growing in size...read the wave

Bell Labs has been a fount of innovation since its founding in 1925. Now the research center for Lucent Technologies (LU ), Bell Labs has been fundamental in many technologies taken for granted today, including computer and phone networks. Cherry Murray, senior vice-president for physical sciences research, has been with Bell Labs for 26 years and has seen major innovations go from research to development. BusinessWeek's Sarah R. Shapiro recently spoke with Murray about where she sees innovation going in the next 20 years. Edited excerpts from their conversation follow…read the wave

RIKEN, an anglicized acronym for Japan's Research Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, described on Tuesday the MDGrape 3, a processor it thinks will become the cornerstone of a computer capable of operating at a petaflop, or a quadrillion operations per second--far faster than the 36 trillion ops supercomputers of today.

Samples of the chip, which was designed for life sciences research, can now perform 230 gigaflops, or 230 billion operations per second, while running at 350MHz, better than standard general-purpose chips. In a worst-case scenario, the chip performs 160 gigaflops at 250MHz, said Makoto Tanji, a researcher with RIKEN's high-performance computing group. Tanji spoke at the Hot Chips conference taking place at Stanford University…read the wave

A SOUTH Wales technology company that is pioneering a sophisticated solution to help the construction industry improve the soundproofing qualities of new buildings has gained its first foothold overseas.

Xetal Consultants of Crynant, near Neath, is celebrating new business in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the rapidly-developing Middle East emirates which are providing strong opportunities for specialists in the building and construction sector.

Xetal was able to target the region after securing support from WalesTrade International (WTI), the overseas trade arm of the Welsh Assembly Government, which helped Xetal's commercial team meet potential customers and agents in the United Arab Emirates…read the wave

The heart of a minuscule atomic clock---believed to be 100 times smaller than any other atomic clock---has been demonstrated by scientists at the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), opening the door to atomically precise timekeeping in portable, battery-powered devices for secure wireless communications, more precise navigation and other applications.

Described in the Aug. 30, 2004, issue of Applied Physics Letters, the clock's inner workings are about the size of a grain of rice (1.5 millimeters on a side and 4 millimeters high), consume less than 75 thousandths of a watt (enabling the clock to be operated on batteries) and are stable to one part in 10 billion, equivalent to gaining or losing just one second every 300 years.

In addition, this "physics package" could be fabricated and assembled on semiconductor wafers using...read the wave

Since our launch in September 2003, visitors may have seen that we are committed to regularly updating the site.

We pride ourselves on " informing Joe & Mary Public " by publishing as wide a view of nanotechnology as possible, it is our aim to inform more than to instruct.

Our vision is to be a " NanoTech Soapbox " i.e. allowing any party, be they for or against nanotechnology to freely state their news & views.

Your Support is still Needed & highly appreciated ! Unlike many of the other NanoTech News websites, newsletters, and research advisory firms who charge by an expensive subscription model or rely on intrusive advertising, Nano Tsunami is only made possible through your voluntary donations.

So why Donate? Well without your financial support, Nano Tsunami will either have to move to a completely subscription based model, or cease to exist...read the wave

EDMONTON—The pragmatic visionaries of NINT could be forgiven a quiet groan at yet another prediction that research into the very, very small will soon yield very, very big payoffs.

The National Institute of Nanotechnology here is intended as the main focal point for Canada's as yet largely unfocused bid to elbow into the nanorealm, a field that even cautious experts say could usher in a new industrial revolution.

Eventually. Maybe in two or three decades. Maybe longer.

So far, however, what's happening in NINT's temporary quarters at the University of Alberta is as much basic science as technology, and not always strictly nano either...read the wave

In Disarmament Diplomacy No. 65, Sean Howard warned of the dangers of enhanced or even new types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) emerging from the development of 'nanotechnology', an umbrella term for a range of potentially revolutionary engineering techniques at the atomic and molecular level.1 Howard called for urgent preliminary consideration to be given to the benefits and practicalities of negotiating an 'Inner Space Treaty' to guard against such developments. While echoing this call, this paper draws attention to the existing potential of nanotechnology to affect dangerous and destabilizing 'refinements' to existing nuclear weapon designs. Historically, nanotechnology is a child of the nuclear weapons labs, a creation of the WMD-industrial complex. The most far-reaching and fateful impacts of nanotechnology, therefore, may lie - and can already be seen - in the same area....read the wave

There was much talk in the 1990's about the convergence of video, audio and data. And what we have today certainly is proving the validity of that vision.

Video and audio, or course, can be digitized and treated as data. To put it another way, on our networks and computers today, video and audio are logical constructs that leverage information technology.

Today, we are witnessing a convergence that radically will reshape our world. This new convergence extends far beyond the world of communication and media, and enters into new physical frontiers posing challenges hitherto relatively unconsidered.

The topic at hand is the combining of information technology with the worlds of biotechnology and nanotechnology...read the wave

"Biology today is at the same stage chemistry was a century ago — it's growing up quickly, making the transition from a largely descriptive discipline to one where we use what we know about biological systems to build new things," says Jan Liphardt, a Divisional Fellow in Berkeley Lab's Physical Biosciences Division (PBD) and a newly named assistant professor of physics at the University of California at Berkeley.

"In response to this development," Liphardt says, "PBD has established the nation's first Synthetic Biology Department," which is headed by PBD staff scientist Jay Keasling, a professor of chemical engineering at UC Berkeley. As founding members, Liphardt and his group are particularly interested in the design and construction of what Carlos Bustamante, head of PBD's Advanced Microscopies Department and a UCB professor of biochemistry, molecular biology, and physics, has dubbed "biobots" — autonomous, special-purpose robots, about the size of a virus or cell and composed of a small number of biological and artificial parts...read the wave

Europeans are not the only ones struggling to reach a consensus on whether or not public money should be used to support stem cell research. A recent poll in the US on whether federal funding should be used for embryonic stem cell research found a near equal split in public opinion.

Asked 'Do you support or oppose federal funding for embryonic stem cell research?', 43 per cent declared themselves in favour of such a policy, while 47 per cent said that they would oppose it. The poll was conducted via telephone interviews with 1,001 American adults over five days in August of this year.

Embryonic stem cell research would involve the use of embryos left over from...read the wave

Continuing to expand its capacity, Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd has disclosed plans that it is looking to build a new wafer fab for use in processing devices at the 65nm node.
The proposed fab would be a 300mm facility, which would make NAND-based flash memories and other 65nm products. The company is already developing its first sub-70nm parts, including an 8-gigabit flash-memory device for advanced NAND applications.

"We will build a new line for 65nm," said Jon Kang, SVP of technical marketing for the company's U.S. arm, Samsung Semiconductor Inc., based in San Jose, California...read the wave

Those attending the International Commercial- ization of Micro and Nano Systems Conference (COMS) will also have opportunities to connect with global small-tech leaders representing all segments of the micro-nano value chain, said Chris Lumb, co-chair of NanoMEMS Edmonton, the Greater Edmonton region’s small-tech cluster organization...read the news

ITHACA, N.Y. -- With equipment so sensitive that it can locate clusters of electrons, Cornell University and University of Tokyo physicists have -- sort of -- explained puzzling behavior in a much-studied high-temperature superconductor, perhaps leading to a better understanding of how such superconductors work.

It turns out that under certain conditions the electrons in the material pretty much ignore the atoms to which they are supposed to be attached, arranging themselves into a neat pattern that looks like a crystal lattice. The behavior occurs in a phase physicists have called a "pseudogap," but because the newly discovered arrangement looks like a checkerboard in scanning tunneling microscope (STM) images, J.C. Séamus Davis, Cornell professor of physics, calls the phenomenon a "checkerboard phase."...read the wave

Researchers at Temple University are using protein structures to design and assemble metal oxide nanoparticles that could be used in environmental remediation.

The researchers have been exploring how these nanoparticles can be used in environmental remediation, such as helping to transform toxic metals in lakes, rivers or streams, and in groundwater for easier cleanup. "The protein we use to make these particles is ferritin, which is a protein we carry around in our blood," says Daniel R. Strongin, Ph.D., professor of chemistry at Temple. "It's an iron storage protein, so if there's extra iron in our blood, it typically gets stored in ferritin. Then, when our body needs iron, the ferritin releases what has been stored."...read the wave

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)- A research project funded by Arrowhead Research Corporation (OTCBB:ARWR) has resulted in a breakthrough in carbon nanotube technology. The California Institute of Technology ("Caltech") has filed for patent protection on the invention, and Arrowhead has the right to obtain an exclusive license from Caltech. Arrowhead and its subsidiaries have already acquired a large and diverse portfolio of nanotech intellectual property, which consists of approximately 100 U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications.

Atomic force microscopes are used to analyze materials at the molecular and atomic levels. When attached to AFM tips, carbon nanotubes can be used for ultrahigh-resolution imaging and manipulation at the nanoscale. The invention presents several advantages in using SWNTs for AFM imaging. The polymer coating provides a chemically inert and electrically insulating outer layer and mechanically stabilizes the attached nanotube, which enables imaging in liquids without the need for an intervening adhesive...read the wave

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 26, 2004 -- Austin, Texas-based Nano-Proprietary, Inc. (OTC BB:NNPP.OB - News), through its subsidiary, Applied Nanotech, Inc. (ANI), have announced that its U.S. Patent claiming two-dimensional carbon nanostructures (dubbed by ANI ``carbon flakes''), with the priority date of August 21, 2000, was allowed by the U.S. Patent Office. These two-dimensional carbon nanotube structures, which may also be referred to as carbon nanowalls, may have attractive electron emission properties due to their sharp edges. The large surface area of this newly identified carbon phase may also make them particularly useful in applications for chemical and bio-sensors. Professor Yihong Wu of Kyoto University in Japan recently announced that he had succeeded in growing and observing a similar two-dimensional nano-structure (dubbed ``Carbon nanowalls'' ...read the wave

(Blacksburg, Va ) -- Wonder where the fuel will come from for tomorrow's hydrogen-powered vehicles? Virginia Tech researchers are developing catalysts that will convert water to hydrogen gas.

Supramolecular complexes created by Karen Brewer's group at Virginia Tech convert light energy (solar energy) into a fuel that can be transported, stored, and dispensed, such as hydrogen gas.

The process has been called artificial photosynthesis, says Brewer, associate professor of chemistry. "Light energy is converted to chemical energy. Solar light is of sufficient energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gas, but this does not happen on its own; we need a catalysts to make this reaction occur." ...read the wave

Newswise — Nanoparticles and nanodevices -- a thousand times smaller than a human hair (about a millionth of a meter) -- are becoming part of such commonplace products as stain-resistant fabrics, sunscreen, tennis balls and bathroom tile cleaner. Just around the corner will be the use of nanotechnology for air purification systems, medical sensors, imaging devices, processed foods, fuel cells, electronics and other such modern tools.

While microchips and nanochips now are manufactured by the millions for computing use, lesser-known applications of nanomechanisms and materials are in the making as well. A cluster of University of Idaho researchers now lays the groundwork for Idaho and the nation to bring these miniscule technologies to industry and the marketplace...read the wave

BUFFALO, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NanoDynamics, a leading nanotechnology organization and manufacturer of superior nanomaterials, have announced it has received a United States Patent, which covers the use of sol-gel processing, a well established methodology commonly used in the ceramics industry, in the production of a variety of useful end products comprised of carbon nanotubes.

The process methodology covered by the NanoDynamics' patent can result in two and three dimensionally ordered arrays of single wall carbon nanotubes, making them much more useful in the production of a wide range of end products. Potential end products include flat-screen TVs, airplane fuselage structures, water filtration systems, composite panels for automobiles, thermal interfaces for integrated circuits, advanced battery systems and biotech applications such as synthetic membranes and skins...read the wave

NEEDHAM, Mass./PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PTC (NASDAQ:PMTC) , the Product Development Company(TM), have announced its partnership with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in a Hong Kong Government funded research and development project for the advancement of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology, also referred to as molecular manufacturing, is a branch of engineering that deals with the design and manufacture of tiny electronic circuits and mechanical devices built at the molecular level of matter.

As part of the deal, PTC will provide its product design and lifecycle management solutions Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire and Windchill ProjectLink to Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Hong Kong Polytechnic University will use Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire and Windchill ProjectLink to collaborate with four universities in China as well as universities worldwide on a project to design and manufacture a micro-injection moulding machine. The developed micro- injection moulding machine will be used for the mass production of micro- products that are currently limited in commercial availability...read the wave

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ener1, Inc.(OTC Bulletin Board: ENEI), and Delphi Corp. (NYSE: DPH), have entered into a non-binding letter of intent to create a joint venture to leverage their combined expertise in lithium batteries. Delphi and Ener1 will be negotiating definitive agreements and conducting due diligence in the coming weeks.

Through the proposed joint venture, Delphi and Ener1 look to aggressively pursue business opportunities in the military, automotive, power tool, uninterrupted power supply, medical and personal mobility markets.

"Ener1 is an emerging leader in the development of advanced lithium
batteries," said Kevin Fitzgerald, Ener1's chairman and chief executive officer. "The proposed venture would synergistically combine a unique set of competitive advantages from Delphi and Ener1...read the wave

Professor Richard Jones of the University of Sheffield has today outlined the possibilities of using nature’s secrets to develop nanotechnology, and casts doubt on some popular assumptions about the science, including the premise that we may create nano-robots with the power to reduce the world to ‘grey goo’.

Professor Jones is internationally renowned both as an experimental nanoscientist and as a commentator on the social and economic implications of nanotechnology. In his book, Soft Machines – Nanotechnology and Life, published today by Oxford University Press, he argues that many widely-held assumptions on how nanotechnology will work need to be rethought...read the wave

When the government asked the Royal Society to assess nanotechnology, it was expecting the same rubber-stamping service that it got from it on GM foods. But the attempt has backfired, as the much-awaited report highlights a plethora of nano-risks and calls for enhanced regulation.

The Royal Society hardly ranks as one of the UK’s more socially progressive bodies. Pro-nuclear and famously employed by the Blair government to run a spin unit defending GM foods, this august institution can usually be relied on to to give a hearty cheer for new corporate technologies and a sneer to anyone raising tricky questions. That was probably what Lord Sainsbury was expecting last year, when he asked the Royal Society in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineers to run a year long investigation into whether nanotechnology raises any societal issues. Lord Sainsbury had in fact already declared that it doesn't, but was keen to “park” an emerging nanotech controversy by bringing in the scientific heavy guns to declare it safe.

However, it now seems that the heavy guns have inadvertently backfired....read the wave

THE world's first plastic magnet to work at room temperature has passed the elementary test of magnetism. Its creators at the University of Durham in the UK have used it to pick up iron filings from a laboratory bench.

In 2001, chemists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln claimed to have created the world's first plastic magnet, but it only worked below 10 kelvin. Other researchers have made plastic magnets, but typically they only function at extremely low temperatures, or their magnetism at room temperature is too feeble to be of commercial use. So the Durham team can claim to have made the first plastic magnet that could be used in everyday products.

One of the most likely applications is in the magnetic coating of...read the wave

TROY, N.Y.PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Evident Technologies, Inc. have announced that it has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to explore the use of quantum dot composite fluorescent standards for biotech instrumentation. Fluorescence-based measurements are becoming the standard for genomic research, clinical diagnostics, high-through-put screening, forensic determination and drug discovery. However, absolute fluorescent measurements are difficult since there are few fluorescent standards available today.

"A fluorescence standard is necessary, especially for clinical applications, where quantification is required. It is nearly impossible to quantify the fluorescence from an assay today, but our collaboration with NIST should greatly advance the state of the art," said Clint Ballinger, CEO, of Evident Technologies...read the wave

GEMZ Corp., (OTC: GMZP - News) announced today that its subsidiary, International Nanotechnology Corp. (INC) will sample its first consumer product in the fourth quarter of 2004. This progress is based on signing, as previously announced, of a definitive agreement with TSDC-N, a joint venture created by Terra Solar Development Corp. (TSDC) and Dr. S. Kulcsar. TSDC is a leading developer of photovoltaic and nanocell technology. As announced, INC will acquire substantially all of its nanotechnology assets of TSDC-N and an exclusive license to sell certain photovoltaic products being developed by TSDC in the United States as well.

The INC product is believed to be the first to use PV Nanofilms, which combine...read the wave

SAN DIEGO /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nanogen, Inc. (Nasdaq: NGEN), developer of molecular and point-of-care diagnostic products, have announced that it was issued U.S. Patent No. 6,780,584, "Electronic Systems and Component Devices for Macroscopic and Microscopic Molecular Biological Reactions, Analyses and Diagnostics," by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The '584 patent covers the design, development, and capability of an electronic system to carry out and control multi-step and multiplex reactions in macroscopic or microscopic formats. The system described in the patent is at the core of Nanogen's electronic microarray technology, which uses electricity to move and concentrate biological samples in miniature formats for diagnostic applications...read the wave

SCHÄRDING, Austria – EV Group (EVG), a leading manufacturer of MEMS, nano and semiconductor wafer-processing equipment, have announced that a major Canadian research organization has joined its nanoimprint lithography consortium. In addition, the company announced plans to sponsor and participate in COMS 2004, an Aug. 29-Sept. 2 conference in Edmonton, Alberta, that will focus on the commercialization of nano and MEMS devices.

EV Group, which has the world's largest installed base of nanoimprinting equipment, said the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Materials Institute (NRC-IMI) joined the consortium that EVG formed last year. The consortium is working to commercialize advanced nanoimprint lithography (NIL) technologies, a next-generation lithography method that utilizes a low-cost, high-resolution and large-area patterning process....read the wave

ORLANDO,-- University of Central Florida optics researchers and students are poised to become leaders in the next generation of computer chip manufacturing thanks to a $24 million donation of intellectual property, equipment and cash from Northrop Grumman.

The largest donation in UCF history will boost the College of Optics and Photonics' research in extreme ultraviolet lithography, a process that computer chip manufacturers expect to begin using in about four years because it will allow for smaller, denser features to be imprinted on chips. UCF already is researching the shorter-wavelength light sources that will be used in extreme ultraviolet lithography...read the wave

RENO, NV -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 08/24/2004 -- Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI) have announced that it has begun work on a development project entitled "SBIR Phase l: Carbon-Coated Nano-Structured Electrodes for Next-Generation Lithium-Ion Ultra Capacitors." The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase l grant, initially for $100,000, provides the opportunity to receive an additional $500,000 Phase ll grant which, if the development program is successful, leads to a Phase lll commercialization.

Altair and Hosokawa Micron's Nano Particle Technology Center produced the first advanced carbon coated materials for this program, which were tested under a contract with the Energy Storage Research Group at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Based on that work the final research testing protocol was determined...read the wave

"The successful pursuit of space exploration will require the development of new technologies and different ways of thinking," said Meya Meyyappan, chairman of the workshop and director of the Center for Nanotechnology at NASA Ames. "The Grand Challenge brings experts together in a multi-agency effort to address these needs though the development of new applications of nanotechnology," he said.

Lessons learned from the workshop will be included in a Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology report and incorporated into the new National Nanotechnology Initiative strategic plan for the next five to ten years. Input from the workshop will be to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology as part of the council's ongoing review of National Nanotechnology Initiative...read the wave

NanoDynamics, a manufacturer of materials for nanotechnology applications, has received a U.S. patent that covers the use of sol-gel processing, which is the established methodology commonly used in the production of a carbon nanotubes.

The process methodology covered by the patent can result in two and three dimensionally ordered arrays of single wall carbon nanotubes, which the company claims will make them more useful in the production of end products...read the wave

Japanese researchers develop a quantum-dot based semiconductor optical amplifier, a device that could be suitable for affordable CWDM systems.

Optical amplifiers based on quantum dots (QDs) offer a number of sought-after features, including broadband gain and a high saturation output power.

Properties like these could well make them ideal for use in low-cost CWDM systems, in which the aim is to cover a wide range of transmission bands with the least number of amplifiers.

Now, a Japanese collaboration (from the University of Tokyo, the Optoelectronic Industry and Technology Development Association, and Fujitsu) has developed a QD-based semiconductor optical amplifier (QD SOA) that is said to...read the wave

Platypus Technologies has received a three year Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $2.14 million from the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences.

The grant is to continue development of a personal monitor for the measurement of low dose, cumulative exposure to pesticides. The monitors will be small, sensitive, inexpensive, rugged, and suitable for studies involving children.

Collaborators on the grant include the Milwaukee School of Engineering Rapid Prototyping Center and the University of Minnesota. Platypus Technologies was founded in 2000 to develop nanotechnology products for the physical and life sciences. The Company has 20 employees and is located in the University Research Park....read the wave

Trading companies have been bolstering their lineups of products developed through nanotechnology, which involves manipulating materials on atomic and molecular levels.

Such products are expected to hit store shelves within this fiscal year, after the firms complete basic research on materials and implement systems to mass-produce the items.

Nanotechnology, which deals with materials measuring no more than one-billionth of a meter, can be applied to a broad range of products, including semiconductors and cosmetics.

The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) has predicted that the domestic market in nanotechnology would grow to 27 trillion yen in 2010. ...read the wave

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Time is fast running out for the semiconductor industry as transistors become ever smaller and their insulating layers of silicon dioxide, already only atoms in thickness, reach maximum shrinkage. In addition, the thinner the silicon layer becomes, the greater the amount of chemical dopants that must be used to maintain electrical contact. And the limit here also is close to being reached.

But a Cornell University researcher has caused an information industry buzz with the discovery that it is possible to precisely control the electronic properties of a complex oxide material -- a possible replacement for silicon insulators -- at the atomic level. And this can be done without chemicals. Instead, the dopant is precisely nothing...read the wave

AUSTIN, Texas,(PRIMEZONE) -- Austin, Texas based Applied Nanotech, Inc. (``ANI''), a subsidiary of Nano-Proprietary (OTC BB:NNPP.OB - News) have announced that it completed its proof of concept of a high resolution, full color, 14-inch diagonal carbon nanotube (CNT) TV (160 x 160 color lines or pixels). This is a necessary preliminary step in demonstrating a high resolution, full color, 25-inch diagonal CNT TV (200 x 280 color lines or pixels) with the same pixel size and pitch as the 14-inch diagonal CNT TV.

Work on the 25-inch display is in progress and is being performed by a consortium of Japanese firms. Both displays are designed in anticipation of a 60-inch diagonal advanced TV (ATV) with the following characteristics: aspect ratio 16:9; active area 53`` x 30''; ATV format with 480 x 852 color lines; 256 gray levels; and brightness of at least 1000 Nits. The Company expects to have the 25-inch display, which will prove that scalability is not an issue, complete no later than the end of the year...read the wave

LARAMIE, Wyo.--(BUSINESS WIRE) Defense Appropriations Bill Awards $2.5 Million to Nanomaterials Discovery Corporation to Produce a New Class of Fuel Cells Using Nanotechnology

Nanomaterials Discovery Corporation (NDC) announced today that it will receive $2.5 million from the Department of Defense in FY2005. NDC is working with the Army Material Command at Picatinny Arsenal to use nanotechnology to produce a new class of fuel cells powered by high energy materials such as propellants and explosives.

The nanotechnologies developed by NDC under this program will be used to produce portable power devices for soldiers and enable development of miniature power supplies for fusing and arming munitions. Also envisioned, are "self-sterilizing" smart land mines that render themselves harmless after a certain period of time. The nanotechnologies developed under the program could be used to enable the reuse of obsolete ammunition by converting its explosive components into electrical power...read the wave

GULPH MILLS, Penn./PRNewswire/ -- The Henkel Group, a global manufacturer of some of the world's best-know consumer and industrial brands, recently developed an innovative cleaning substance that mimics glass in order to keep reflective surfaces free from dirt and debris. This new cleaning solvent is rooted in nanotechnology and is just one example of the pioneering technologies currently being developed by the Henkel Group -- a global leader in consumer packaged goods and products.

Currently, this breakthrough technology is only available in Europe. The cleaning solvent is composed of microscopic spheres measuring just 9 - 12 x 10-6 mm, generally referred to as nanoparticles. Despite their small size, these spheres have the amazing ability to form a long-lasting film on glass surfaces. They are also hydrophilic, meaning that the water runs off without forming droplets, which leave dirty streaks. This shield also prevents the glass from misting up.

"The particles are chemically very similar to glass, and this is why they adhere extremely well to glass surfaces," said Dr. Michael Dreja, Henkel product developer. Their negative charge gives them magnetic properties to ward off their neighbors and thus to form an even film...read the wave

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq:ACTG)(Nasdaq:CBMX) have announced that its CombiMatrix group's strategic partner, Nanomaterials Discovery Corporation (NDC), has been awarded $2.5 million from the Department of Defense for the development of its fuel cell technology. NDC will utilize CombiMatrix's NanoArrays(TM) for the further discovery and optimization of a new class of fuel cells powered by high-energy materials such as propellants and explosives.

The technology developed by NDC under this program will be used to produce portable power devices for soldiers and enable development of miniature power supplies for fusing and arming munitions. Also envisioned are "self-sterilizing" smart land mines that render themselves harmless after a certain period of time for land mine remediation...read the wave

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 24, 2004--Molecular Imprints, Inc. ("MII"), the leading manufacturer of step and flash imprint lithography (S-FIL(TM)), has reached an investment agreement with Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL). TEL is one of the world's leading suppliers of semiconductor and flat panel display production equipment. TEL has agreed to make an equity investment in MII as a contributor to MII's Series B funding round. TEL joins KLA-Tencor, Carl Zeiss SMT, Motorola and others as a strategic investor in Molecular Imprints.

"Molecular Imprints is very excited about the strategic investment that it has established with TEL," says Dr. Norman Schumaker, president and CEO of MII. "TEL's lineup of leading-edge systems covers most stages of the semiconductor wafer production process, and its strength in the world market makes TEL an ideal partner."...read the wave

New types of chemical sensors for environmental monitoring, food safety or security applications could be based on nanotechnology, according to Frank Osterloh, an assistant professor of chemistry at UC Davis.

"Nanomaterials are very well suited for chemical sensor applications, because their physical properties often vary considerably in response to changes of the chemical environment," Osterloh said. Because nanomaterials can be made up of structures just a few atoms across, just a few molecules of chemical can trigger a response, he said...read the wave

ARLINGTON, Va.-- Researchers have coaxed RNA to self-assemble into 3-D arrays, a potential backbone for nanotech scaffolds. These RNA structures can form a wider variety of shapes than double-stranded DNA can and are easier to manipulate than many protein alternatives.

Peixuan Guo of Purdue University and his colleagues report the findings in the August 11, 2004, issue of the journal Nano Letters.

RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecules are best known for implementing the genetic information encoded in DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). However, instead of using the long molecular strings to carry information, the researchers have achieved new control over RNA and created novel arrays.

By mixing the custom-made RNA strands with other substances, such as magnesium chloride, the researchers were able to get the strands to join into 3-D shapes...read the wave

UPTON, NY -- Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and the University of Florida have uncovered information that may help "molecular wires" replace silicon in micro-electronic circuits and/or components in solar energy storage systems. The scientists were studying how electric charge is distributed in polymer molecule chains that are several nanometers, or billionths of a meter, in length.

"Long molecules that can act as molecular wires, of which there are many variations, are one type of nanoscale object with the potential to lead to new technologies, due to their ability to conduct electricity and very small size," said Miller. "But unlike conventional metal wires, polymer nanowires need assistance in order to conduct."...read the wave

Two weeks after British scientists became the first in Europe to receive permission to clone human embryos for medical research, Pope John Paul II has issued a statement condemning human cloning as an arrogant attempt to improve on God's creation.

In the statement, released on 22 August for a meeting of prominent Catholic cultural, political and business leaders on the theme of progress, John Paul II warned that humanity's rapid progress in science and technology threatens to overlook moral values....read the wave

Nanotechnology projects throughout the country were given a major boost by the UK Department of Trade and Industry.

Twenty five projects are to receive £15m worth of funding for projects
ranging from anti-corrosion coatings and electronics to water purification and printing. This new Government investment will provide up to a maximum of 50% of each project's total value.

A further £3m will be given to INEX, a microsystems and nanotechnology facility for industry based at Newcastle.

These grants are the first to be allocated from the Government's £90m micro and nanotechnology manufacturing initiative in support of both nanotechnology applied research programmes and for the creation of new nanotechnology facilities across the country. Further grants will be made available over the next five years to complete the initiative...read the wave

Korean scientists have developed the worlds first invisible and omnipresent bar code system.

After eight years of research, a team of Seoul National University (SNU) professors and chemists announced Wednesday the development of what is called the Nano DNA-Barcode System (NDBS).

The novel system is literally nvisible but omnipresent. Its invisibility prevents fabrications of barcode information such as password changes or nullification. This ensures a high level of security, whereas the system currently in use is open to fabrications,Choy Jin-ho, who led the project at the National Nanohybrid Materials Laboratory, said.

NDBS works like this...read the wave

PLEASANTON, Calif. and RICHARDSON, Texas, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Hitachi High Technologies America (HTA) and Zyvex Corporation today announced an agreement to refer microsystems customers for worldwide sales channels. Under this agreement, Hitachi High Technologies America will refer appropriate customers interested in integrated circuit probing in the semiconductor industry to utilize the Zyvex nanoprober/manipulation products in conjunction with Hitachi's Scanning Electron Microscopes.

"Hitachi is a worldwide leader of semiconductor manufacturing equipment," said Thomas A. Cellucci, PhD, MBA, Zyvex's President. "Now that Hitachi is referring their microsystems customers to our Nanomanipulator and Prober products, both customer bases will have a far more effective solution than they've ever had before...read the wave

The Markets for Fire Protection Worldwide increase up to more than 30 Billion Euro 2004 and will grow to 54 Billion Euro in 2015. Beijing Olympics 2008 set new standards.

(hkc22.com)Fire Protection have gained importance the last years because of increasing fire problems, damage and death. The loss of assets is about 70 billion Euro in 2004 with increasing tendency. Since many years there is a strong controvercy among passive and active fire protection and the building design and construction. Now the trend goes to more passive fire protection that means to more prevention of fire, damage and death.

Nanotechnology today is playing a importend role. Many applications to secure life and health would not be possible without nanotechnology and molecular science....read the wave

Researchers gathered in Zurich have warned that nanoparticles from diesel engines could pose a serious health threat.

They say regulatory measures and more research funding are needed to counter any potential dangers.

Over 300 scientists from around the world met at Zurich’s Federal Institute of Technology this week to discuss the effects of ultra fine particles found in diesel soot.

While debate continues in this area, the researchers are in agreement that these emissions must be regulated and curbed.

“If you see a foreign particle in a cell, it has the potential of being hazardous,” said Peter Gehr of Bern University’s anatomy institute. “One should consider this to be a problem.”...read the wave

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – High-resolution snapshots of a virus attacking its host – which have culminated in a movie of the process – could reveal secrets of viral infection and improve gene therapy techniques, according to a Purdue University research group.

Structural biologists including Michael G. Rossmann have obtained clearer pictures of how the T4 virus, long known to infect E. coli bacteria, alters its shape as it prepares to pierce its host's cell membrane. The complicated infection process requires a flower-like section of the virus, known as the baseplate, to shape-shift by dramatically changing the configuration of the numerous proteins that form it. The team has taken cryoelectron microscope images of the baseplate from different moments in the process and transformed them into a brief animated movie, helping scientists understand how infection occurs and possibly enabling them to apply this knowledge for the benefit of human patients in the future.

"Instead of a still photo of the baseplate, we now have a movie of it opening," said Rossmann, who is Henley Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences in Purdue's School of Science....read the wave

HCM CITY — Nanote-chnology was a major topic at a national seminar on theoretical physics held in HCM City’s Natural Science University on Monday.

Sixty papers were presented on the subject which, according to Professor Nguyen Van Hieu, headmaster of the Ha Noi National University’s Technology College, could change the productivity and size of materials like polymers, electronic equipment and batteries....read the wave

Hidden amid the hoopla of finding planets orbiting other stars, decoding the human genome and discovering miracle materials with nanotechnology, there's a seemingly improbable but perhaps even more important story — U.S. science may be in decline.

After 50 years of supremacy, both scientifically and economically, America now faces formidable challenges from foreign governments that have recognized scientific research and new technology as the fuels of a powerful economy.

"The Chinese government has a slogan, 'Develop science to save the country,' " said Paul Chu, a physics professor at the University of Houston who also is president of Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. "For a long time they have talked about it. Now they are serious."

According to the National Science Foundation and other organizations that track science indicators, the United States' share of worldwide scientific and engineering research publications, Nobel Prize awards, and some types of patents is falling.

A recent trend in the number of foreign students applying to U.S. schools is even more troubling, scientists say.

As American students have become less interested in science and engineering, top U.S. graduate schools have turned increasingly toward Europe and Asia for the best young scientists to fill laboratories...read the wave

NEW DELHI: In a global first, two Indian scientists have devised a tiny electrical current by merely passing a lot of gas over semi-conductors.

This innovation by Ajay K. Sood and his student Shankar Ghosh at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, is already drawing laurels from across the world for its simple design and immense technological potential. Some observers are even of the opinion that this is the greatest Indian scientific discovery in the last 50 years.

‘‘Gas flow energy can be converted directly into the electrical signal – thus having a potential for applications in generating electricity,’’ the duo asserted.

Already being dubbed ‘‘Sood effect’’, the two scientists work at the world famous department founded by Nobel laureate Sir C.V.Raman, the discoverer of the ‘Raman Effect’’. The two may have,,,read the wave

Centre County has seen big losses in manufacturing jobs in the past few years. But help is on the way, in the form of the tiniest of technological advances. Nanotechnology -- the production of materials and devices on a very small scale -- has become a huge player in local economic development efforts. The proposed Keystone Innovation Zone would link the economies of Centre, Blair and Bedford counties with Penn State research and development in the areas of nanotechnology and materials sciences.

The effort, which will need state funding, makes sense for a number of reasons -- and the timing is perfect. Penn State has become a leader in the field, both nationally and globally. And several local nanotechnology firms have garnered attention, and tax dollars, because of their innovative and important work.

"There are lots of things to brag about at Penn State," Penn State President Graham Spanier said in a recent meeting with Centre Daily Times editors and reporters. "But the truth is that there is only a handful where you can say unequivocally, 'We are No. 1 in the country,' and not get much debate about it. This is an area, materials science, where we are in fact probably the top institution in the world."...read the wave

Biophan Technologies, Inc. (OTC BB: BIPH), a developer of next-generation biomedical technology, today announced that the company's technology portfolio has swelled to 80 different patents, and pending patent applications either owned by Biophan or its licensors. The portfolio of groundbreaking technologies represents the world's most significant collection of intellectual property focused upon extending the safety, functionality, and compatibility of vital biomedical devices with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), one of medicine's most important diagnostic imaging tools. The announcement was made by Michael Weiner, president and CEO of Biophan.

The Company has expanded its advanced technology portfolio 30% in the last 3 months alone, and the steep rate of technology acquisition is continuing. Biophan's patents and licenses involve several cutting-edge fields of research and development, including nanotechnology and biothermal battery technology....read the wave

Sales of made-for-summer cosmetics such as sunscreen have been red hot lately thanks to the heat wave and, on a much smaller scale, nanotechnology.

Shiseido Co., the nation's leading cosmetics maker, saw sales of its Anessa brand anti-suntan products jump 45 percent in July from a year earlier. Anessa sunscreen lotions, the brand's mainstay products, put up their best sales figures since the brand was launched in 1992, officials said.

The biggest seller of the lot was Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen lotion, which comes in a 60-milliliter container and costs 3,000 yen, excluding consumption tax.
The lotion features what the company calls ``flower leaf zinc oxide,'' nanometer-sized particles coated by flouride. The flower leaves are said to have enhanced water-repelling abilities and prevent the lotion from turning white upon application.

Nano Wear, a new line of sunscreen products released by Kose Corp. in February, has also exceeded expectations. Total sales by the end of July had already topped a company target by 50 percent, and the maker expects sales will reach their full-year goal by the end of August.
Nano Wear Whitening UV Solution, priced at a tax-exclusive 3,000 yen for a 50-milliliter bottle, is the line's main product.

Kose says the sunscreen inhibits the formation of melanin, which causes liver spots and freckles, and is also an effective skin whitener.

At Kao Corp., sales of Biore Sarasara Powder Sheet products, tissue paper-like sheets designed to wipe up sweat before it starts to smell, doubled in July year on year.

Kao officials, while withholding the exact figures, said monthly sales in July were the highest since the product debuted in March 1999. They added that August sales have also been brisk.
(IHT/Asahi: August 20,2004) (08/20)

VANCOUVER, BC -- (MARKET WIRE) --- With no apparent obstacles to slow its progress, 193 nm immersion (193i) lithography continues to move toward manufacturing insertion in 2007 and holds promise for future extension, an international symposium concluded here recently.

The International Symposium on Immersion and 157nm Lithography, which attracted more than 250 attendees and 72 technical papers, generally concluded that initial optimism on 193 nm immersion is being supported by hard data from full-field prototype exposure tools, plus encouraging progress in defectivity, resists, lens coatings, and mask substrates. Meanwhile, Japan's Selete consortium leads development of conventional 157 nm lithography for potential use in future manufacturing.

"Rapid progress is visible on all critical issues for...read the wave

COLNBROOK, UK -- (MARKET WIRE) -- Kidde Fire Fighting, a business unit of Kidde plc -- the global fire and safety group (LSE: KID) has entered into a worldwide manufacturing, marketing and distribution agreement for All-Clear™ Chemical/Biological Decontamination Foam with US Global Nanospace, Inc. (OTC BB: USGA).

Under the terms of the license agreement, Kidde has purchased the worldwide rights to manufacture, market and distribute All-Clear to Kidde's worldwide distribution network for which US Global Nanospace will receive a license fee and percentage of All-Clear sales. Kidde has also purchased the rights to use the All-Clear trademark from USGN.

Commenting on the agreement, Doug Vaday -- Managing Director of the Industrial Fire Protection Division of Kidde, said...read the wave

Nano Tsunami : Guest Writer

Michael E. Thomas

CHEYENNE, Wyo., PRNewswire/ -- Industrial Nanotech, Inc. (INI) is finalizing agreements with companies in Mexico and the northwestern United States for distribution of INI's insulation and anti-corrosion product line, Nansulate(TM). The agreements will allow for localized distribution of their products within several regions and allow a wider market to be reached in a shorter period of time.

Nanomerk (http://www.nanomerk.com/) will be the exclusive distributor in Mexico and was one of the first international companies to approach Industrial Nanotech about their new product.

"Mexico's industry is eager to try new technologies that help companies find better solutions, at better prices, that simultaneously bring energy and maintenance costs dramatically down. We believe Nansulate(TM) will be an exciting opportunity to challenge the market to new standards," stated Nanomerk CEO Hector Quintanilla....read the wave

Harris & Harris Group, Inc., noted today that the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded a contract to Nanosys, Inc., for up to approximately $14 million over a five- year period to develop nanotechnology-enabled solar cells for power generation solutions in military applications. The initial phase of development is for $2.2 million for 12 months. Nanosys will manage the contract and will collaborate with research and development partners including the University of California at Berkeley, Battelle Memorial Institute, and SAIC. Subsequent phases will be funded upon approval from DARPA. Shareholders may be interested in reading the press release from Nanosys.

Harris & Harris Group owns a 1.58% fully diluted interest in Nanosys, for which it paid $1.5 million in April 2003. On June 30, 2004, the most recent date on which Harris & Harris Group determined its net asset value, it continued to value its holding in Nanosys at its cost to Harris & Harris Group.

Nanosys is a company with broad-based intellectual property that is initially commercializing applications in macroelectronics, photoelectronics, photovoltaics, and chemical and biological sensing. These applications incorporate novel zero and one- dimensional, nanometer-scale materials, such as nanowires and nanocrystals as their principal elements....read the wave

Biologists have long known that cells "talk" to each other, but there are a limited number of ways in which this conversation can happen. Some cells speak with neurotransmitters or hormones. Other neighboring cells encode their chatter in ions that pass through the holes in their shared membrane known as gap junctions. In plants, a babble of water and small molecules flows through the plasmodesmata between cells. These forms of communication have been known for decades.

So cell scientists can be excused for their surprise when graduate student Amin Rustom at the University of Heidelberg recently described his evidence for a new conversational medium: entire organelles. This finding generated excitement because these intracellular compartments have the potential to carry cumbersome message packets, such as the fat–loving signaling molecules that don't dissolve in the cell's watery contents, and RNA, which dictates the assembly of new proteins. More novel still, a peculiar kind of delivery service—a long, thin, arrow–straight filament suspended between two cultured cells—ships these complex missives....read the wave

It wasn't the first to go small, and it won't be the biggest producer, but AMD's (Quote, Chart) 64-bit 90-nanometer (nm) chips are expected to make waves in the semiconductor pool.

The semiconductor maker said it has shipped its low-power 90nm Mobile AMD Athlon 64 processors for thin and light notebooks (previously codenamed "Oakville"). AMD says the desktop chips will ship later this quarter, while its Opteron counterpart for servers will ship later this year. The company also said it is right on schedule to deliver 90nm dual-core products in mid-2005.

"We promised 90 nanometer revenue shipments in the third quarter, and today we're delivering on that promise," Dirk Meyer, AMD executive vice president, said in a statement.

The new chips will eventually compete with other 64-bit 90nm chips from companies, such as...read the wave

NEW DELHI: The government is planning to put commercialisation of nanotechnology—one of the promising areas for future growth—on the fast track. It is launching a major initiative to identify prospective nanotechnology products that can be commercialised with the support of research and development (R&D) institutes.

A nanotechnology mission programme will also be launched early next month, said Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI), Pilani, senior scientist S Ahmad. Dr Ahmad is closely associated with the mission programme, representing the R&D institutes....read the wave

We are once again pleased to publish news from Iranian NanoTechnology Policy Studies Committee via their latest Iranian Nano Technology Newsletter.

This link is published as a service to many of our global visitors. Please note that the link is to a non-English language web site so we have not been about to check this link to ascertain if it contains any “non appropriate “ language or statements.

Judging from the earlier high standard of news published items from the Iranian NanoTechnology Policy Studies Committee, Nano Tsunami is happy to add this link to our site. However, Nano Tsunami cannot be held reasonable for any remarks made by the Iranian NanoTechnology Policy Studies Committee web site or their newsletters.

The Editor …read the wave

CORDIS:

An international team of scientists has measured the velocity of slow moving or 'cold' antihydrogen atoms for the first time.

The ATRAP collaboration, which brings together Harvard University from the US, Germany's Forschungszentrum Jülich and Max Planck institute and the UK's University of York, is working towards capturing large numbers of cold antihydrogen atoms in a trap. The team is working at CERN, the European organisation for nuclear research.

The development puts the ATRAP team well on the way to understanding anti-elements. The results will also undoubtedly be used for further fundamental physics research, possibly including the most accurate test yet of charge, parity and time reversal (CPT) symmetry - the fundamental symmetry under transformations that involve the inversions of charge, parity and time simultaneously. Symmetry is regarded as a fundamental property of physical laws...read the wave

Nano Tsunami : Guest Writer

Dr. Jose Feneque DVM
Associate Veterinarian Crossroads Animal Hospital

Brief Introduction To The Veterinary Applications Of Nanotechnology

...read the wave

AlphaGalileo --- The University Twente (The Netherlands), representing a network of 12 partners, has received a considerable grant from the European Commission to implement the nanotechnology program ‘Frontiers’.

Frontiers is a European network which aims at establishing leadership in research and innovation on behalf of life sciences related nanotechnology by integrating the strengths and facilities of the network partners. This integrated approach will strengthen Europe’s position in nanosciences and will increase its competitive R&D position with respect to the US and Japan. In the Frontiers consortium 12 top-level nanotechnology institutes are united including the University of Cambridge, Max Planck in Germany and the Nano Science Group from Toulouse, France.

On August 23 the network gathers in Enschede (The Netherlands) to launch a joint program of activities...read the wave

NEW DELHI: A German nanotechnology firm Wednesday announced plans to open information centres in major Indian metros for the hottest emerging technology.

Announcing this, Matthias Oesterwinter of Thomas Oesterwinter KG told a seminar on nanotechnology, or NT, organised by the Chamber of Indian Industries (CII) here that the centres would seek to make end-users aware of the technology's benefits.

Georg Wagner of NTC NanoTech Coatings GmbH of Germany said his company was successfully marketing technology for glass coating that makes glass water repelling....read the wave

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have been awarded a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to further develop nanotube sensors for homeland security.

The nanoscale chemical sensors are designed to detect toxic gases and chemical warfare agents.

"Traditionally, it could take several days to get gas analysis results back from a lab, but first responders don't have that kind of time. They need answers immediately," said Nikhil Koratkar, RPI assistant professor of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering...read the wave

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---University of Michigan researchers have discovered a way to self-assemble nanoparticles into wires, sheets, shells and other unusual structures using sticky patches that make the particles group themselves together in programmed ways. This method could be used to fabricate new materials and devices for nanotechnology.

Using computer simulation of model particles, Zhenli Zhang, U-M research fellow in chemical engineering, and Sharon Glotzer, U-M associate professor in chemical engineering, studied the self-assembly of particles with sticky molecular "patches" on their surfaces---discrete interaction sites that cause particles to stick together at just the right places to make the grouping organized...read the wave

PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanosys, Inc. today announced that the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded a contract to Nanosys and its collaborators to support the development of flexible low cost solar cells. The award has a potential value of approximately $14 million over a five-year period. The initial 12-month Phase 1 of the program will include up to $2.2 million of funding to Nanosys and its collaborators. Additional phases of development will be funded based upon the approval of DARPA....read the wave

Sterling, Virginia: By 2011 the market for nano-engineered information storage devices will be worth $65.7 billion, according to a new report from NanoMarkets, LC, a leading nanotechnology industry analysis firm. The new report provides forecasts and analysis of the markets for MRAM, FRAM, holographic memory, ovonic unified memory, molecular memory, nanotube RAM, MEMS-based memory and polymer memory, all of which are expected to generate initial revenues in the next couple of years. ...read the wave

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---Dr. Larry Dubois, Vice President of the Physical Sciences division at SRI International, an independent, non-profit research and development organization, will open a day of discussions about clean energy, clean air, nanocatalysts, photo electrochemical hydrogen production and next generation fuel cells this Friday. Event details are as follows:...read the wave

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 17, 2004--tinytechjobs, a career web site focused on jobs in nanotechnology, microtechnology, biotechnology, and information technology, have announced that it has been selected by the Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance to develop and host the Canadian Nanotechnology Job Centre. Companies, government agencies, and academic institutions can post Canadian-based jobs on this dedicated site that will be viewed by thousands of experienced and highly qualified individuals. "The Canadian Nanotechnology Job Centre offers a unique meeting place for prospective employers and job seekers in Canada's vibrant nanotechnology community. tinytechjobs has built a highly professional on-line service that is a natural extension to our association's mission," according to Neil Gordon, President of the Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance. The Job Centre can be found at: http://cnba.tinytechjobs.com.
...read the wave

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)---GEMZ Corp., (OTC: GMZP - News) have announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, International Nanotechnology Corporation (INC) has signed a definitive agreement with TSDC-N, a joint venture created by Terra Solar Development Corp. (TSDC) and Dr. S. Kulcsar. TSDC is a leading developer of photovoltaic and nanocell technology. INC will acquire substantially all of its nanotechnology assets of TSDC-N and an exclusive license to sell certain photovoltaic products being developed by TSDC in the United States as well. Previously GEMZ Corp. had announced the signing of a letter of intent in connection with this transaction.
...read the wave

Palo Alto, Calif. - -- Optical lithography may currently offer the advantage of high wafer throughputs, but to sustain in the long term and compete with the next generation lithography (NGL) technologies, it must deliver finer resolution and achieve the desired quality, reliability, and cost targets.

"Constant improvements in optical lithography are likely to play a crucial role in assisting the semiconductor industry to achieve shrinking device sizes and increased chip performance," says Technical Insights Research Analyst Sivakumar Muthuramalingam.

Extending optical lithography toward the...read the wave

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- The molecule of life just got a new job description.

University of Florida scientists have coaxed a piece of DNA to act in concert with a filter-like membrane and tiny hollow tubes called nanotubes to find and retrieve other DNA dissolved in a solution. It’s the first time researchers have turned to a nanotube filter based on DNA to perform a task now routine in medical research, criminal forensics and other areas.

An article about the research, authored by several scientists in UF chemistry professor Charles Martin’s laboratory, is scheduled to appear Friday in the journal Science...read the wave

TEMPE, Ariz. – A team of researchers have developed a method that could vastly improve the ability of atomic force microscopes to "see" the chemical composition of a sample, follow variations of the sample, as well as map its topographic structure.

The advance could have significant implications for drug development by allowing scientists to monitor the effects of potential drugs on an ever-smaller scale, according to Stuart Lindsay, director of the Center for Single Molecule Biophysics at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University and a lead researcher on the project.

Lindsay, an ASU professor in the department of physics and astronomy said the new technique allows an atomic force microscope to "see," on a nanometer scale, the chemical composition of molecules...read the wave

Reacting to the UK's decision to legalise the cloning of human embryos for medical research, German doctors and politicians have called for a EU-wide ban on the practice.

Although cloning is already illegal in Germany, medical associations are calling on the German government to take a strong stance on the issue and advocate an international ban.

'We can't allow embryos to be harvested like raw materials,' said the president of the German Medical Association, Jürg-Dietrich Hoppe, at a press conference, as he called for all forms of embryo cloning to be made illegal...read the wave

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. & ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Biophan Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: BIPH), have announced that its TE-Bio subsidiary has signed an agreement with NASA for characterization and joint development of high-density, nanoengineered thermoelectric materials for use with implantable medical devices. Research will be conducted at the NASA Ames Research Center for Nanotechnology in Moffett Field, CA.

Successful outcomes of the agreement are anticipated to provide breakthrough power generation systems for use in implanted medical devices, such as pacemakers, as well as long-life, light-weight power for use in future space exploration applications. Specifically, NASA is supporting Biophan's efforts and hoping to utilize its technology to further develop on-board power for astronaut health monitors...read the wave

HOBOKEN, N.J. — Stevens Institute of Technology’s Dr. Henry Du and his research team have pioneered work on the integration of photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) with nanoscale technologies that will potentially lead to robust chemical and biological sensing devices. The National Science Foundation recently granted Du’s team $1.3 million to pursue a multidisciplinary project in the area.

Using molecular and nanoscale surface modification, state-of-the-art laser techniques, and computer simulation, their research seeks to enhance the prospects of PCF sensors, sensor arrays, and sensor networks for diverse applications such as remote and dynamic environmental monitoring, manufacturing process safety, medical diagnosis, early warning of biological and chemical warfare, and homeland defense...read the wave

JMAR Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:JMAR) reports that its proprietary Britelight(TM) laser is being applied to leading edge applications by two of its customers. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has awarded a contract to JMAR to supply its Britelight(TM) laser to condition laser crystals used by the National Ignition Facility, a 192-beam laser system under construction at LLNL. Separately, as part of an SBIR research project, OPOTEK, Inc. reports success in using the Britelight(TM) laser with an OPOTEK doubler to increase bio-detection throughput.

JMAR's Research Division General Manager, Dr. Scott Bloom, said "We are pleased that our Britelight(TM) laser meets LLNL's stringent requirements for beam quality, pulse energy, short pulse width, and high repetition rate. Our laser will be used by...read the wave

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nanomix Inc., a leading nanotechnology company which is commercializing a line of nanoelectronic sensors for industrial and biomedical applications, today announced that it has been awarded a $500,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. The Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award will be used to continue Nanomix's development of a medical capnography sensor. Capnography is the measurement of carbon dioxide concentration in human respiration and is a standard of care during administration of anesthesia in the operating room...read the wave

RENO, NV -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 08/16/2004 -- Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI), today announced that it has appointed Alan J. Gotcher, Ph.D. as its Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Gotcher fills the position created by the May 1, 2004 retirement of Dr. William P. Long. Dr. Gotcher has been working with Altair as a management consultant since May 2004.

"Dr. Gotcher has a record of bridging unmet market needs with technology-based product and service solutions," said Altair Board Chairman Jon N. Bengtson. "His almost 30 years of experience in successfully taking new technology to diverse markets and leading development teams with companies such as Avery Dennison and Raychem Corporation adds significant depth to our management team. His management skills and technology expertise are particularly important to the company as Altair is positioned for significant growth in both its life sciences and performance materials businesses." ...read the wave

From the President’s Nanotechnology Bill signed last December to the Merrill Lynch Nanotech Index (NNZ on NASDAQ) created in March to the recently cancelled Nano-sys IPO, the “buzz” in the financial community is awash with a nanotechnology fervor reminiscent of similar periods of enthusiasm in biotechnology over the past ten years.

But the distinction with nanotech is that it’s based on a physical linear dimension, the nanometer or a billionth of a meter. Natural nanotech processes have been around since the beginning of time, it is researchers’ ability now to analyze, evaluate, manipulate, and control specific materials at the nanoscale level that makes this process so important today. And many of these controllable nanotech processes are not really new, either. The semiconductor industry has been involved with them for nearly 20 years, and so has the instrumentation industry, the coating industry, and the life science community, among others. So what makes nanotech so hot in 2004?...read the wave

MUMBAI: Biotechnology and nanotechnology are tomorrow's star industries in Taiwan, said Paul Wang, director, Bilateral Trade Division, Bureau of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan.

Speaking on the topic "Taiwan - your partner for globalization" at the Nasscom event, he said, Taiwan is known for its technical skills. Taiwan has high number of patents filed with US. It has so far 6545 patents of which 3003 are in high tech areas. For approved patents in the US in the year 2000, Taiwan ranked fourth in the world, behind US, Japan and Germany. The economy of Taiwan has increased from 3.2 percent to 5 percent. Capital goods market too has increased in Taiwan from 14 - 23 percent…read the wave

LONDON: Most Britons have never heard of Nanotechnology and have no idea what it is, according to a survey released.

But the majority of the 29 per cent of people questioned in the poll who were aware of it think the ultra-small scale technology will have a beneficial effect in the future.

The survey was carried out by the Royal Society, an academy of leading scientists and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

"Nanotechnology involves studying and working with matter at an ultra-small scale, and a nanometer is just one-millionth of a millimeter in length. It is not really a shock to discover that most people have not heard about nanotechnology, …read the wave

SCHARDING, Austria--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 17, 2004--EV Group (EVG), a global supplier of wafer-bonding and lithography equipment, announced today that it has opened a second customer-support center in Japan with a significant increase in engineering staff to better serve its growing customer base in that country.
The EV Group Customer Support Center Kyushu is in Fukuoka, a city of 1.3 million people on the island of Kyushu. The island, which has become a focal point for emerging technology research, accounts for nearly one-third of Japan's semiconductor production.

"EV Group is committed to providing a strong service and support network, to ensure that volume production installations receive timely service and access to information," said Dr. Peter Podesser, chief executive officer of EV Group. "Moreover, Kyushu has established itself as a technology hotspot, which presents EV Group with opportunities to expand our customer base and participate in the significant R&D efforts underway in SOI, MEMs and nanotechnology." ...read the wave

While the memory inside electronic devices may often be more reliable than that of humans, it, too, can worsen over time.

Now a team of scientists from UW-Madison and Argonne National Laboratory may understand why. The results were published in a recent edition of the journal Nature Materials.

Smart cards, buzzers inside watches and even ultrasound machines all take advantage of ferroelectrics, a family of materials that can retain information, as well as transform electrical pulses into auditory or optical signals, or vice versa.

“The neat thing about these materials is that they have built-in electronic memory that doesn't require any power,” explains Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Paul Evans, a co-author of the recent paper...read the wave

Zyvex Corporation and XEI Scientific have announced an exclusive worldwide reseller agreement for Zyvex to sell the Evactron® Anti-Contaminator Product. Under this agreement Zyvex will also integrate the Evactron A-C with the Zyvex Nanomanipulator/Prober and sell it as a unified system.

Zyvex’s Nanomanipulator/Prober enables rapid-response device failure analysis at the contact level for better, faster, and more cost-effective IC development. A clean environment is critical when probing the most advanced sub-100 nanometer feature size devices available in today's semiconductor industry....read the wave

Mayo Clinic researcher Yuan-Ping Pang, Ph.D., a chemist and head of the Computer-Aided Molecular Design Laboratory, reports results produced by the terascale computer he designed, built and managed. Using 800 PC processors harnessed together, Dr. Pang analyzed the SARS viral genome and built, atom by atom, the instantaneous 3D structures of the viral enzyme -- each of which is composed of 8,113 atoms -- just 20 days after the SARS viral genome was made public....read the wave

Grenoble, France — Collaborative research is cranking up in Europe, as France's CEA Laboratory of Electronics and Information Technologies (LETI) has gathered partners in a project to develop a 45-nanometer-and-beyond CMOS gate stack with a high-k insulator and metal gate electrodes.

The partnership is based at the French Atomic Energy Commission's (CEA) LETI's new 300-mm research facility here called Nanotec 300.

Tokyo Electron Ltd., the world's second-largest equipment company, recently signed an agreement to participate in Nanotec 300, joining the three partners of the Crolles, France, process development alliance: Freescale Semiconductor, Philips and STMicroelectronics....read the wave

Shipments of AMD64 notebooks on 90nm began last week, within AMD’s schedule for shipments prior to the end of Q3, making it one of the few companies that does not seem to have had significant delays or defect issues on its 90nm technology, according to a recent Goldman Sachs report.

Desktop AMD64 shipments on 90nm are scheduled to commence next month, followed by servers, with market share for the latter expected to reach 10 percent by year-end. In the report, Hector Ruiz, CEO of AMD, said the company should see 50 percent of total MPU revenues on AMD64 by year-end, with units crossing over in Q2 2005...read the wave

Contrary to popular lore, Thomas Edison didn't invent the first lightbulb. That was Sir Joseph Wilson Swan, a British chemist, physicist, and inventor. Edison simply came up with one that could burn for 600 hours instead of 40, making it the first commercially viable "electric lamp" in history.

For scientists at General Electric's global research facility in Niskayuna, New York, that's more than trivia. It's a guiding principle for Anil Duggal, 38, an amiable chemistry researcher who is trying to pull off an Edison-like feat. Duggal and a cross-disciplinary team of scientists at the center want to develop a new kind of electric lamp using an emerging technology called organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), most easily thought of as light-up plastic.

Why? Call it creative destruction. Or, for the slightly more jaded perspective, call it a Hail Mary pass to salvage the iconic but struggling GE Lighting business (now part of GE's $14 billion consumer and industrial division). In 2002, it lost all of its Home Depot business to rival Philips. That single defeat wiped out a full 7% of the unit's annual sales. Business hasn't improved much since. And in a commodity line such as lighting, Duggal's work also fits in nicely with CEO Jeffrey Immelt's push to foster innovations that let GE widen its margins with hard-to-copy products rather than competing on incremental improvements and price....read the wave

Cautiously optimistic. Those are the words you hear, from Silicon Valley to New York City, when you ask about the mood of the technology industry today. From young startups to old pros, everybody is looking hopefully forward while keeping one eye on the pitfalls of the past. And in the thick of it all, entrepreneurs are lighting the way with solid business plans and a careful attitude toward funding.

OK, now brace yourself. Internet companies are making a comeback. Not money-burning dotcoms as we knew them, but businesses like CertificateSwap.com, an online marketplace for buying and selling gift certificates. CEO Cameron Johnson is a veteran of more than a dozen ventures. He's also 19 and living in a dorm at Virginia Tech. Internet entrepreneurs are a diverse bunch these days...read the wave