AACHEN, Germany /BUSINESS WIRE/ -- AIXTRON AG and Nanoinstruments Ltd., GB, have agreed on the acquisition of Nanoinstruments Ltd. business by AIXTRON. Under the terms of the agreement, the price of the transaction will not be disclosed. Founded in 2005 as a spin-off from the University of Cambridge, Nanoinstruments is a manufacturer of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and plasma enhanced CVD research systems for carbon nanotubes (CNT) and other nanomaterials. CNT is a promising material solution for many future optical and electronic devices and applications. Many research groups are currently investigating CNT as a promising material to be used in flat panel displays, heat sinks, integrated circuits, sensors, or as electron guns. The addition of Nanoinstruments' products to AIXTRON's portfolio of deposition equipment creates new potential opportunities in the mid- and long term within the nanotechnology application space for the company.
AIXTRON Nanoinstruments will focus both on R&D and industrial scale CNT equipment, combining the unique expertise of Nanoinstruments with AIXTRON's technical resources, manufacturing capabilities, and its international customer service and support network. Key members of the present Nanoinstruments management team will join the new AIXTRON Nanoinstruments technology unit, including Nanoinstruments' founders, Dr. Ken Teo and Dr.Nalin Rupesinghe.
Paul Hyland, President and CEO of AIXTRON said, "We have been very impressed with what the Nanoinstruments team has achieved in the short time they have been operating. They have already supplied systems to key research and industrial institutions around the world, which are using their equipment to push CNT technology into novel electronic applications. This emerging technology is highly complimentary to our core skill set, and so we are eagerly looking forward to Ken and Nalin joining the AIXTRON team at an exciting time for their customers. Coupled with our existing extensive experience and technical strength, we believe that we can, through the Nanoinstruments team, expand the business in the very interesting nanotechnology arena."
Dr. Ken Teo adds, "We are convinced that AIXTRON is the right partner to take our technology to the next level. Our existing and future customers will strongly benefit from the acquisition not only in terms of increased R&D capabilities but also from AIXTRON's production capabilities and its worldwide sales, service, and support network. We will be able to operate more closely with our customers through AIXTRON's subsidiaries in Europe, USA, Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan."
About AIXTRON
AIXTRON AG is a leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry. The company's technology solutions are used by a diverse range of customers worldwide to build advanced components for electronic and opto-electronic applications, based on compound, silicon, or organic semiconductor materials. Such components are used in fiber-optic communication systems, wireless and mobile telephony applications, optical and electronic storage devices, computing, signaling, and lighting, as well as a range of other leading-edge technologies.
About Nanoinstruments
Nanoinstruments Ltd was founded in 2005 to supply enabling nanotube, nanowire, and nanofiber equipment to the nanotechnology market. The company is based in the U.K., with its headquarters in Cambridge and its manufacturing facility in Meldreth, near Cambridge. Nanoinstruments' equipment, with an installed base spanning America, Europe, and Asia, are used in research and industry for various emerging applications in electronics.
For further information on AIXTRON AG, please consult the company's Web site.