SVTC Expands Its Analytical Services to Include New Markets

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SVTC Technologies, (www.svtc.com), a leading independent company providing development and commercialization services for silicon-based technologies, today announced an expansion of its Analytical Services capabilities to encompass markets beyond its traditional base of silicon chip-based industries.

“SVTC Analytical Services is making it possible for us to build and characterize micro- and nano-fluidic channels at world-class dimensions and densities, a key feature of our innovative implantable pharmaceutical delivery systems”

SVTC Analytical Services will be showcasing its expertise in advanced microscopy and materials analysis at Pittcon 2009, the 60th Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, being held March 8 to 13, 2009, at McCormick Place in Chicago. SVTC is in booth #1075 at Pittcon.

“SVTC Analytical Services’ commercially oriented, IP-secure approach, along with our vast expertise, focuses on speeding the time it takes to yield useful analytical data while protecting the integrity of our customers’ intellectual property,” said Julian Searle, Business Development Manager of Analytical Services for SVTC. “Our approach can be of enormous benefit for essentially any industry that must analyze or inspect elements, molecules and other tiny structures – including aerospace and defense, electronic materials, emerging energy technologies, fabless semiconductor development, IC manufacturing, life sciences and biotechnology, metal and alloy manufacturing, and semiconductor equipment.”

Using cutting-edge equipment and decades of experience gained in the large research environments from which SVTC evolved, SVTC Analytical Services excels in finding novel ways to perform complex microscopy and materials analysis procedures. As a result, SVTC Analytical Services can often do in two days what it might take a company two weeks to achieve itself.

“What’s unique about SVTC Analytical Services is the way we apply a commercial management approach to areas that have traditionally been the domain of research laboratory systems,” said Jack Blaha, General Manager of Technology Services for SVTC. “It’s this combination of strong research skills with the rigor and discipline of a commercial approach that enables us to not only look for new ways to do things that haven’t been done before, but then to also make these innovative processes repeatable, accurate and sustainable for our customers.”

Customers request a number of highly technical processes from SVTC Analytical Services, including the ability to characterize interface layers using advanced microscopy; detailed materials analysis, including the composition of materials and their chemical interfaces; and basic metal and alloy analysis, such as to look at contaminants or reaction by-products on a substrate. Some processes are used to develop new products, while others are used to confirm the accuracy of processes after they have been scaled to volume production levels.

Customers See Analytical Services as Valuable Resource

“SVTC's Analytical Services has consistently proven to be a valuable resource for process and yield analysis for Nantero,” said Greg Schmergel, CEO and co-founder of Nantero, a nanotechnology company using carbon nanotubes for the development of next-generation semiconductor devices. “The combination of state-of-the-art tooling and very experienced personnel ensures that results are clear and correct the first time. Our company performs work at multiple sites, and due to the high-quality services and fast turnaround time from SVTC, we have been routing more of our analytical work to SVTC due to the value they add toward achieving our objectives.”

“SVTC Analytical Services is making it possible for us to build and characterize micro- and nano-fluidic channels at world-class dimensions and densities, a key feature of our innovative implantable pharmaceutical delivery systems,” said Randy Goodall, president and CEO of NanoMedical Systems, a developer of an innovative drug delivery system using nanotechnology. “SVTC’s business model is a perfect fit for companies like ours, with their IP-secure, quality-controlled procedures and ability to work with just about any material and element out there. Their experience and capability with leading-edge semiconductor structures translates well into our world of leading-edge nanodevice structures. We consider SVTC an important partner in our success.”

About SVTC

SVTC speeds the development and commercialization of innovative silicon-based technologies and products, cost-effectively and in an IP-secure manner. Through facilities in San Jose, Calif., and Austin, Texas, SVTC serves customers in rapidly growing markets such as novel memory, novel transistors, logic, MEMS, biotechnology, image sensors and high-voltage applications. SVTC offers a suite of leading-edge equipment and services, including full-scale 8-inch and 12-inch process capabilities, advanced CMOS equipment, analytical services, development support tools and commercialization services. SVTC is co-owned by Oak Hill Capital Management and Tallwood Venture Capital along with management. SVTC Technologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. More information can be found at www.svtc.com.

SVTC and the SVTC logo are trademarks of SVTC Technologies, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

KEY WORDS: analytical, services, analytical services, advanced microscopy, materials analysis, nanotechnology, analytical chemistry, microscopy, metallurgy, outsourcing, laboratory, TEM, SEM, SIMS, TSM, AES, AFM, FIB, TXRF, VPD, EELS