JUNE 19--nPoint Inc. (Middleton, WI) has announced a new, advanced motion-controller and positioning technology that is said to set a new standard in the emerging nanopositioning and measuring arena. The company's nanopositioning products are capable of achieving positioning precision and movement at the submolecular level. The products also enable movement of samples in increments of as little as a fraction of a nanometer--with high precision and speed.
These ultraprecision positioners and motion controllers are key components of larger instrumentation, such as critical-dimension measuring tools, profilometers, atomic force microscopes, optical microscopes, and robots, said Max Lagally, founder and chairman of nPoint. Founded in 1997, nPoint was originally known as Piexomax Technologies.
The company's technology is set to take off for various reasons. As integrated-circuit structures shrink in size at an ever-faster pace, conventional motion and control techniques are no longer able to meet the performance specifications in the semiconductor industry. Nanopositioning and control is a critical component required for a variety of tools and instruments used to manufacture and test ICs. The ability to image and measure at the nanoscale is essential to the semiconductor fabrication process, added John Biondi, nPoint CEO.
Separately, nPoint recently closed a round of funding from four leading angel technology investment groups in Wisconsin, including Early Stage Research, Wisconsin Investment Partners, Madison, Silicon Pastures, and Origin Investment Group. Next month, nPoint plans to relocate to a 6000-square foot building in Madison.
