National Prototype Facility

In response to DTI / MNT Network’s search for Industrial partners to develop Micro- and Nanotechnologies, Qudos Technology applied and won a grant to support the formation of the National Prototype Facility.

We started the three year project on 7th July 2006.It is to provide open access to the facilities at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory’s, Qudos Mini-Fab and Central Microstructure Facility. Also the process’s offered and developed by Qudos. The project will remain live until at least 2010 and thereafter indefinitely to support industry requirements.

The aim of this project is to create a regional Centre of Excellence to promote the growth of the Micro- and Nanotechnology industry in the UK.

The project has a £720.k fund between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under the UK Micro and Nanotechnology (MTN) Network / Nanotechnology KTN (Knowledge Transfer Network) partial matched funding by Qudos Technology.

The National Prototype Facility (NPF) allows:

• Promoting a wider knowledge of the facilities available onsite.
• Customers to develop their product ideas in Micro- and Nano-technology.
• Commercial level processes for SMEs
• Improved services and processes
• Access to Micro- and Nano- Fabrication prototyping
• Qudos development of new products:
o Fine line processes
o Grey-scale masks
o Nano-imprint masters

Qudos NPF

MTN network / Nanotechnology KTN / DTI's Micro and Nanotechnology Manufacturing Initiative