IBM and Swiss Technical University to build shared nanotech lab

The Swiss Technical University (ETH) and IBM's Research Lab in Zurich, plan to build a joint research centre for nanotechnology. 90 million Swiss francs – roughly £44 million – will be invested in the lab, which will have some 900 square metres of clean rooms. Construction will begin in March of 2009 and is expected to take two years.

ETH President Ralph Eichler called the project an "historic moment for the ETH" because the university will remain independent. Of the 900 square metres of clean room, 258 square meters of the centre will be for the exclusive use of the ETH and 268 square metres will be "IBM only". The remaining 400 square metres will be shared space. Both parties are free to separately work with their own partners. Both the university and IBM will be able to use any patents created from joint research in the shared space.

Only five years ago, the ETH set up 860 square metres of clean room for nano-research. "We thought that would be enough for the next 10 years. But now, we have a waiting list that includes biologists", explained Peter Chen, vice president of research at the ETH in Zürich. "Five years ago, we did not expect biologists to want to use the clean room."

The new high-tech building – the laboratories are protected against vibrations, temperature fluctuations, and electromagnetic fields – will be built on the campus of IBM's research lab in Rüschlikon. The partners will share the costs for technical infrastructure (some 30 million francs) and operating costs. IBM will cover the building costs. The centre will focus on carbon-based materials, nano-optics, spintronics, and the characterisation and integration of nanotubes.

(trk)