Molecular Nanosystems

News Release

Molecular Nanosystems Signs Strategic Partnership with NanoDevices

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Mar. 25, 2002 - Molecular Nanosystems today announced that it has entered a strategic partnership with NanoDevices Inc. Only five months after securing initial funding, Molecular Nanosystems has shipped its first commercial product: Nanotube Probes. This deal is part of the company's overall strategy to partner with leaders in the industry.
"We aim to be the leader in nanotechnology research and applications," said Dr. Dai, co-founder of Molecular Nanosystems. "NanoDevices is our first strategic partnership that allows us to execute our business strategy to partner with leaders in various markets, including atomic force microscopy, as well as gas sensors, biosensors, and field emission devices (FED)."
This shipment is composed of a wafer of 375 atomic force microscope (AFM) probes with nanotube tips, or Nanotube Probes. Atomic force microscopes provide pictures of surfaces by scanning a fine tip-such as a Nanotube Probe-over a surface. Nanotube Probes are composed of single-wall carbon nanotubes and are developed by Molecular Nanosystems using its patented core technology known as chemical vapor deposition. Nanotube Probes are much more durable, up to seven times sharper than previously available versions, and greatly improve imaging resolution for semiconductor, nano-research and biological applications.
NanoDevices manufactures and distributes a range of AFM probes. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this privately-held company is the market leader for AFM probes. Nanotube Probes are available from NanoDevices at their Web site www.nanodevices.com. Nanotube Probes are expected to improve resolution in several key markets such as semiconductor inspection, nanotechnology research, biological research, and surface analysis.
"By working with Molecular Nanosystems, we can continue to meet our customers' demands for consistency and quality by equipping them with the tools to realize the potential of the nano scale revolution," stated Dr. Stephen Minne, CEO of NanoDevices. "These Nanotube Probes enable unmatched precision and resolution in atomic force microscopy."
Dr. Calvin Quate, whose group introduced the atomic force microscope in 1986, recently joined the Scientific Advisory Board of Molecular Nanosystems. Dr. Calvin Quate is a legendary professor at Stanford University who has made many contributions in the field of microscopy such as the acoustic microscope and the atomic force microscope.
Molecular Nanosystems has licensed several patents from Stanford University related to the synthesis of carbon nanotubes. These licenses are based on Dr. Hongjie Dai's extensive and successful research of multiple technologies and applications in industries including electronics, biotechnology and chemistry.

About Molecular Nanosystems, Inc.

Molecular Nanosystems, Inc. is engaged in research, development, production and distribution of nanotube-oriented products and systems using leading-edge nanotechnologies. Its suite of nanotube-based end products are intended to provide improvements in scale, density, sensitivity, selectivity, integration and power consumption. These products will have a fundamental impact in electronic, biological and chemical industries. Molecular Nanosystems was founded in 2001 by Dr. Hongjie Dai, an Associate Professor at Stanford University and a world-renowned scholar and scientist in the nanotechnology research field. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Molecular Nanosystems can be found online at www.monano.com.

Molecular Nanosystems
(650) 846-2519
info@monano.com