Nanoco Group PLC has announced the launch of its new wafer device facility, or 'Fab', at its Runcorn headquarters. The facility is set to significantly accelerate the product development cycle for customers and allow the demonstration of the superior performance of Nanoco's nanomaterials. This latest expansion keeps the company at the forefront of commercial nanotechnology.

The new Fab is a state-of-the-art wafer device facility that will enable Nanoco to develop nanomaterials at the volumes required for mass market consumer electronics applications. It will be used to coat quantum dot materials and other conductive layers on silicon wafers and coupons, accelerating prototyping and testing of new materials in-house. This will enable faster innovation and market readiness for prospective clients, reducing the time to provide performance feedback.

The Fab will provide clear data on the performance of materials within the final product stack, crucial for engaging new customers by showcasing the tangible benefits of Nanoco's nanomaterials. The facility is designed to feed into 300mm CMOS semiconductor facilities, the industry standard for high-volume semiconductor chip production.

Nanoco has been committed to the North-West of the UK since its establishment in 2001, and the new facility represents a significant step forward in the Company's ability to deliver high performing materials for use in infra-red sensing applications. The business employs 52 people of many nationalities, with 28% holding PhDs or being named inventors.

Nanoco's Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Nigel Pickett, expressed pride in the company's contribution to the development of nanomaterials and highlighted the new testing and analytical capabilities as strengthening their position further and keeping them at the cutting edge of nanotechnology.

Nanoco (LSE: NANO) is a nanomaterial production and licensing company, specialising in the production of its patented cadmium-free quantum dots (CFQD®) and other patented nanomaterials for use in the electronics industries. The company continues to build out a world-class, patent-protected IP portfolio alongside the scaling of production for commercial orders. Nanoco's CFQD® quantum dots are free of cadmium and other toxic heavy metals, and can be tuned to emit light at different wavelengths across the visible and infrared spectrum, rendering them useful for a wide range of display applications.

This new facility marks a significant milestone for Nanoco, positioning them to further advance their capabilities in nanomaterial development and production, and to continue their leadership in the commercial nanotechnology sector.