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Abstract:
$4.55 million in financial support from Canada Economic Development and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC)

Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance Receives Government of Canada Support to Set Up a NanoImprint Lithography Prototyping Centre in Quebec

Boucherville, Quebec | June 22, 2005

The Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance (CNBA) is proud to announce $4.55 million in financial support from Canada Economic Development and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to establish a leading edge centre for fabricating high tech devices in partnership with the NRC. The Centre will employ a new fabrication technology called NanoImprint Lithography that builds micro or nano-structures on surfaces, which can be used in state-of-the-art products that combine multiple scientific disciplines such as biology and electronics.

Nanotechnology is the beginning of a technological revolution caused by humankind’s ability to work on the same scale as nature - as small as one-billionth of a meter in size. Because properties change at the nanoscale, nanotechnology is being used to produce a new generation of materials, devices and products with vastly improved performance. Nanotechnology is currently found in many mainstream products including sunscreens that completely block harmful ultraviolet rays, airbag switches and miniature devices in cars that detect low tire pressure and automatically inflate flat tires, and tiny cameras with wireless communication that fit in a pill and can be swallowed to allow doctors to better detect patient problems. In the future, nanotechnology will allow us to systematically organize and manipulate matter from the bottom up and control every atom. This will permit industry to greatly reduce its consumption of raw materials and energy in manufacturing, and potentially eliminate industrial pollution. Breakthroughs in medicine, clean energy, homeland security, and space travel are also expected in the coming decades from nanotechnology and other converging technologies.

“As nanotechnology is a fundamental building block for industries of the future, this initiative represents an important step for Canada and a milestone for the nanotechnology sector”, according to Neil Gordon, President of the Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance and head of the new Centre. “NanoImprint Lithography (NIL) is one of the key building blocks of nanotechnology because of its ability to fabricate nanoscale patterns today at a fraction of the cost of traditional lithography techniques. By offering prototyping services and low volume production runs for applications that have nanoscale dimensions and make use of low cost polymer substrates instead of silicon, the Centre will act as a catalyst for the creation of a new generation of applications – from biosensors and lab-on-a-chip, to solar panels and OLED displays”.

The NanoImprint Lithography Centre will be operated in partnership with the National Research Council of Canada – Industrial Materials Institute (NRC-IMI). “NRC`s contribution goes beyond funding and is significant in many ways as NRC-IMI is already a world leader in the research of NanoImprint Lithography fabrication processes and materials”, says Uri Sagman, Executive Director of the Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance. “Our intention is to transition this Centre into a full-scale fab that will leverage government support with private sector investments. This will lead to building an economic engine for nanofabrication in Canada and a home for application developers from around the world who want to develop revolutionary products using NIL in partnership with our Centre.”

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About The Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance:
The Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance (CNBA) is involved in developing major nanotechnology initiatives throughout the world. With an extensive network of nanotechnology leaders in business, science, finance and politics, the CNBA offers leadership and know-how for establishing commercial-oriented nanotechnology programs. With its headquarters in Canada, CNBA is committed to establishing nanotechnology activity in Canada and promoting Canadian capabilities worldwide.

For more information, please visit www.nanobusiness.ca

Contact:

Neil Gordon P.Eng, MBA
President, Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance
407 St. Laurent Boulevard, Suite 500
Montréal, Québec, Canada H2Y 2Y5
Tel: (514) 351-7878 ext 299
Cell: (514) 813-7936
Fax: (514) 351-7545
email: neil.gordon@nanobusiness.ca
Website: www.nanobusiness.ca

Dr. Uri Sagman, MD, FRCP(C)
Executive Director
Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance
446 Spadina Road, Suite 310
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5P 3M2
Tel: 416-351-0208
Cell: 416-436-6640
Fax: 416-351-0410
email usagman@usagman.com
website: www.nanobusiness.ca

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