Now Switzerland's Eidgenoessische Materialpruefungs- und Forschungsanstalt (EMPA) which ordered its Black Magic Carbon Nano Tube (CNT/fibre), single and multi-wall, plasma or CVD system in 2009 will recieve delivery of its system - a 1x2" wafer configuration from Aixtron AG in the first quarter 2010

Aixtron can supply the 2" Black Magic 2, and Black Magic Pro offering 4", 6" and larger 12" systems under development.

EMPA, is aninterdisciplinary research and services institution for material sciences and technology development, and will employ the new system to produce several different nano-carbon materials.

“These applications require a system with great flexibility, which can easily be used by different researchers from several research groups,” adds EMPA's Dr Stephan Egger. “These are needed for very different topics such as miniaturized X-ray sources which demand MWCNT field emitters. It will also be used to create single- and double-walled CNTs and graphene for sensors and other devices as well as composite materials incorporating carbon nanotubes and fibers.”

Sizing rethink?
For that 'bigger is better' school of silicon addicts, pondering how 450mm silicon wafers will be funded, when both Industry analysts with SEMI, estimate the R&D investment required for suppliers at around $25bn to $30bn. With the emergence of the newer nano materials such as 100mm (under 4") graphene, perhaps smaller wafer sizes will become the next highly desired object!