News

January 2006: CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE OPENS UP ACCESS TO NANOTECHNOLOGY

Companies wishing to use nanotechnology to develop new products and services are set to benefit from a new £1.2 million project to establish an international Nanotechnology Centre of Excellence.

Glasgow-based Kelvin Nanotechnology Ltd. (KNT) has formed a strategic partnership with incubation and business support provider Photonix Ltd. to provide SMEs access to the advanced nanotechnology capabilities that exists within both companies. The ‘High Impact’ project is being supported by Scottish Enterprise’s Micro and Opto Electronics Cluster Team and the Department of Trade & Industry’s Micro and Nanotechnology Network (MNT). It will enable KNT and Photonix to offer companies a comprehensive fabrication service ranging from small-scale prototyping and medium-volume production to technology and company incubation.

The new centre of excellence will enable companies access to the technology and expertise at the University of Glasgow’s recently completed £5 million James Watt Centre for Nanofabrication and Photonix’ Fabrication Facility at the West of Scotland Science Park that includes extensive equipment that enables microstructure fabrication at the smallest possible sizes.The project will also enable the two companies to develop its existing sales, marketing and technology transfer capabilities and recruit new staff to establish itself as an internationally leading centre of excellence.

Neil Francis, Director of Scottish Enterprise’s Micro and Optoelectronics Cluster Team, said: ‘Scotland has a long tradition of creativity and innovation when it comes to new technology as well as in the fields of electronics and micro and optoelectronics. Nanotechnology is a sector where there is not only huge potential for global growth but where Scotland also has a real capacity to be a world leader. This project is another step to ensuring Scotland can build on its international reputation and world class research expertise and capture its share of this emerging market.’

Dr. Frank Tooley, CEO of Photonix, said: ‘Implementation of this high impact project will allow Photonix and KNT to deliver a unique range of MNT services to industry over the next 3 years’.

Nanotechnology is an emerging market that is predicted to grow to between $25 and $100 billion globally within the next ten years. It deals with the study and use of materials on the nanometre scale – one millionth of a millimetre. At that scale, Nanomaterials have unique properties which can exploited to develop better built, longer lasting, cleaner, safer, and smarter products for the home, for communications, for medicine, for transportation, and for industry in general.

Photonix provides access to the microfabrication tools and infrastructure to support development of micro-optics and optoelectronics. This includes supporting companies, research institutes and universities. It also offers serviced office accommodation and laboratories to support visiting companies using its facilities and is an incubator of high-tech companies. Photonix also houses the world-class compound semiconductor growth facilities of the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde.

Contact
Photonix: Frank Tooley 0141 579 3030 (07740072393)
tooley@photonix.org.uk