[MEMS-Business] Press release: MIT's Collaboration with IMT Lauded by Nature Journal

[Chi, Ted]

Santa Barbara, CA, 11 February 2008 - Nature Journal has recognized the
collaborative effort between Innovative Micro Technology (IMT) and the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the weighing of single
cells and single nanoparticles in fluid with sub-femtogram resolution.
The IMT-MIT collaboration was among eighteen research papers published
in Nature throughout 2007 that were selected as "favourites" by the
prominent scientists and technologists serving as Nature's manuscript
editors.  Designed by MIT with design for manufacturability by IMT, the
advanced function and ultra-high sensitivity of the device were made
possible by manufacturing prowess developed by IMT, including vacuum
wafer-level packaging.  The device is currently in the process of being
commercialized.

Nature summarized the significance of the work:  "Tiny particles -
molecules included - can be weighed with remarkably high resolution
using nanoscale mechanical resonators. But not in the presence of
fluids, which dampen the vibrations that make the system work.  This
rules out practical applications such as medical diagnostics or
environmental monitoring.  But here is an ingenious way around the
problem: 'hide' the fluid inside the resonator.  A vacuum-packaged
resonator holds the solution with particles of interest in microfluidic
channels, and weighs single nanoparticles and bacteria at subfemtogram
resolution."  The full article can be found under T P Burg et al. Nature
446, 1066-1069 (26 April 2007).

About Innovative MicroTechnology
IMT is the world's leading MEMS contract manufacturer/foundry partner
with a diversified range of customers and products.  IMT was formed in
2000, specifically to produce MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems)
devices.  IMT's 130,000 sq ft facility contains a 30,000 sq ft Class 100
clean room/fab, the largest and best-equipped independent MEMS fab in
the world.  The company was built for volume manufacturing, and provides
complete foundry services from design through production.  IMT currently
has >25 customers in diverse applications, including relays and relay
arrays, drug discovery, drug delivery, biomedical implants and cell
purifiers, microfluidics, displays, inertial navigation, optical
telecommunications, printing, various sensors, night vision, IR
emitters, telephone/DSL switching, RF devices, power management, and
others.  IMT's overriding goal is to partner with companies to develop
and manufacturer products based on MEMS technology.  

Contact Monteith Heaton:  phone (805) 681-2852; fax (805) 967-2677,
monte at imtmems.com, or visit www.imtmems.com.