About Surrey NanoSystems

Surrey NanoSystems' mission

Surrey NanoSystems is focused on providing production platforms for using carbon nanotubes and other nanowires in high technology applications, including as a replacement for the conventional metals used in the fabrication of silicon chips - which are approaching their performance limits.

To support this goal, Surrey NanoSystems has developed a range of modular tools based on the Intellectual Property (IP) developed for NanoGrowth, to support research development, and volume production.

The concept behind Surrey NanoSystems started in 2005, as a joint venture between The University of Surrey's Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), who had developed a pioneering process for manufacturing carbon nanotubes at room temperature (see Nature Materials article), and the thin film tool manufacturer CEVP.  The organisations united to turn the carbon nanotube fabrication idea into a practical, commercial tool.

With the aid of funding from SEEDA (the South East England Development Agency), during 2005 and 2006 CEVP and ATI developed a modular hardware platform, control software, and processing recipes that made low temperature Carbon Nanotube growth (as well as conventional high temperature growth) feasible. This is NanoGrowth™, a highly versatile PVD/PECVD processing tool.

The commercial manufacturing possibilities opened up by the NanoGrowth tool led the joint venture partners to investigate means of accelerating the availability of the technology onto world markets, and the partners secured funding from IP Group plc, a UK based agency that specialises in commercialising intellectual property (IP) originating from research intensive institutions. IP Group has long-established partnerships with many of the UK's most prestigious University research departments, including The University of Surrey, which has led to many successful commercial high technology ventures.

In December 2006, IP Group provided substantial funding to create a new corporation, Surrey NanoSystems, formed with staff and IP from ATI and CEVP. The new company's portfolio includes the new Carbon Nanotube growth tool, and CEVP's established line of thin film sputtering tools - the Gamma range. The extremely high degree of processing flexibility in Gamma is favoured wherever users faces novel or unusual deposition or material growth applications, and the tool has a long track record of success with renowned R&D and industrial establishments.