FHR to leverage use of NanoFoil® for Sputter Target Bonding
HUNT VALLEY, MD – May 26, 2009 – Reactive NanoTechnologies, Inc. (RNT), developer and manufacturer of its patented NanoFoil®, today announced that FHR Anlagenbau GmbH (FHR) of Ottendorf-Okrilla, Germany, a supplier of thin-film equipment and a division of Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG, has entered into a license agreement for the use of RNT’s NanoFoil® and NanoBond® technologies. FHR has capitalized its facilities near Dresden to bond sputter targets using RNT’s patented room temperature bonding technique. NanoBond® is used to bond sputter targets with the additional benefits of minimizing the CTE mismatch of target and backing plate materials, improving the overall performance of target assemblies in use, and providing a more environmentally friendly process solution.
“We welcome FHR to RNT’s family of licensees,” stated RNT’s CEO, Joseph Grzyb. “FHR is very focused in engineering of customized equipment for thin-film technology where we have already demonstrated the benefit that NanoBond® provides for increasing deposition rate. With FHR’s bundled sputter target and equipment offering, they are certainly in a position to offer great value to the solar panel producers.”
Christian Raensch, COO of FHR Anlagenbau GmbH, commented, “We signed the license agreement with RNT to increase the range of our bonding methods. By using the new NanoBond® technology we are able to supply optimal target assemblies for specific applications. Especially, we are developing new specific target designs for high rate sputtering, photovoltaic and optoelectronic solutions.”
About RNT
Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, Reactive NanoTechnologies, Inc. (RNT) was founded in 2001 to develop and manufacture its patented technology, NanoFoil®.
NanoFoil® is used to precisely control the instantaneous release of heat energy for advanced joining applications providing superior performance and value to the user. The company has also developed its patented NanoBond® joining process to simplify manufacturing and ensure the benefits of NanoFoil® are maximized. NanoBond® is used today to bond sputter targets and in several electronics assembly applications including LED assembly and thermal management. Mass production of NanoFoil® is taking place from RNT’s onsite manufacturing facilities, supported by a worldwide sales, applications support, and distribution network. RNT continues to expand its customer base and has entered into licensing agreements with a number of Fortune 500 Companies. Its breakthrough technology has also earned several prestigious awards including the 2005 “R&D 100” from R&D Magazine, the 2005 Nano 50™ from NASA Nanotech Briefs Magazine and recognition in The National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan in December 2004. For more information please visit www.rntfoil.com
About FHR Anlagenbau GmbH
FHR Anlagenbau GmbH is an innovative enterprise in the branch of vacuum processing and thin-film technologies. The company was founded in 1991 in Dresden, Germany by a group of engineers with a strong personal background of equipment design and technologies with the aim to develop and sell new concepts and solutions for multiple applications of thin films in the industry and R&D. FHR supplies thin-film technologies and equips customers around the world with tailor-made equipment for a wide range of applications. The FHR technology portfolio includes:
• Flash Lamp Annealing (FLA; annealing in the millisecond regime) for treatment and modification (e.g. recrystallisation, electrical activation) of semiconductors, metals, ceramics, nanostructures and photonic materials
• Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) for precisely controlled growth of monolayer stacks (e.g. conductive and insulating layers, barrier and adhesion layers, optical layers) joined with excellent uniformity of thickness on complex 3D shapes
• Advanced metallization technologies by sputtering and CVD
• Reactive sputtering technologies for deposition of oxides and nitrides
• Advanced etching technologies by support of high density plasma sources
Besides cluster type and roll-to-roll type equipment for thin-film processing on small dimensioned and flexible substrates, FHR provides in-line type systems for the large area coating and supplies high-quality, bonded sputtering targets. Since 2008 FHR Anlagenbau GmbH belongs to the Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG, a leading international provider of technology and services for the production of solar cells and solar silicon. For further information on FHR Anlagenbau GmbH please visit www.FHR.de.