The University of Surrey catches high-speed tube to success

UK technology venture company IP Group has teamed up with scientists from the University of Surrey's Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) and CEVP Ltd to form a new company, Surrey NanoSystems, to provide commercial tools for producing nanomaterials which will revolutionise the semiconductor industry.

IP Group has financed the joint venture company in which ATI scientists are developing a "˜NanoGrowth' machine in conjunction with specialists from CEVP.

Using patented technologies and recipes developed by the University, the machine is a commercial tool for low-temperature growth of carbon nanotubes, which can provide high-quality, high-speed connections to the next generation of silicon chips. The low temperatures used permit the use of existing silicon semiconductor materials which are not able to withstand the high growth temperatures previously required for the formation of nanotubes.

The low-temperature carbon nanotube growth process is expected to be of use in both academic and commercial laboratories for the development of practical nanomaterial production techniques for high-technology applications.

Applications include: low-resistance nanowires in integrated circuits; semiconducting nanotubes for fabricating high-performance transistors; micro-miniature heatsinks; ultra-tough polymer composites; gas sensors and light sources for flat panel displays.

Professor Ravi Silva, Dr Guan Yow Chen of the University of Surrey and Ben Jensen, Technical Director for CEVP Ltd, represent the driving force behind this world-leading development. Ben Jensen has previously developed and built machines for a large range of blue chip customers including IBM, Motorola, Segate, General Motors and Cambridge University.

"I am incredibly excited by the partnership mix between IP Group, the University of Surrey and Surrey NanoSystems. This will enable the company to break new ground in the manufacturing and use of carbon nanotubes and nanostructures within the CMOS process window. It will finally allow the material to be brought into the mainstream semiconductor manufacturing areas that from today should be limited only by the imaginations of the world's leading scientists," Ben Jensen said.