Jan 22 2008
Atotech, a world leader in the development and manufacture of chemistry applications for the nanoelectronics industry with headquarters in Berlin, Germany, will conduct its next-generation research and development ("R&D") in copper-plating technology as part of a $5 million program being launched in partnership with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany.
A team of Atotech researchers, led by its Vice President of Semiconductor Technology Robert Preisser, will be located at CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex as part of the joint program, which is focused on the development of copper deposition technologies for use in advanced device structures. R&D activities will target chemistry development, mode of operation and analytical techniques, including online technologies, usable for computer chip, chemical and biological sensors for the health and energy industries, and biochips for medical applications.
A global company with more than 3,300 employees in 36 countries around the world, Atotech will provide international support for the CNSE-centered program through its operations in Berlin and Yokohama, Japan. And, as part of the collaboration, Atotech will also fund two fellowships for students at CNSE, which was ranked by Small Times magazine in May 2007 as the world's number one college for nanotechnology and microtechnology.
Atotech Vice President of Semiconductor Technology Robert Preisser said, "We are very excited to launch this cutting-edge research and development program in collaboration with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at its state-of-the-art Albany NanoTech Complex in the state of New York. This program will play a critical role in Atotech's push to develop and refine next-generation copper-plating technology to be used in the fabrication of nanoelectronics devices, and it is made possible by the unparalleled intellectual know-how and world-class infrastructure in place at the UAlbany NanoCollege."
Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of CNSE, said, "It is a pleasure to welcome still another global corporate leader to the growing list of leading high-tech companies at CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex. This new collaboration with Atotech provides further evidence that New York State is a desired location for the world's foremost nanoelectronics companies, and demonstrates the first-class nature of the intellectual and physical assets of the UAlbany NanoCollege, which provide unparalleled competitive advantages to leading high-tech companies engaged in innovative research, development and commercialization at the nanoscale."
The agreement between Atotech and CNSE also includes the potential for further R&D initiatives in the future, which may involve the location of additional Atotech employees and tools at CNSE.