| Arrowhead Research Corporation announced today that its newly-formed nanotech subsidiary, Aonexx Technologies, Inc., has named Mr. Sean Olson as President. Aonexx Technologies is developing patented nano-layer transfer technologies and system integration solutions for the compound semiconductor industry. "Sean has a wealth of experience, strong leadership skills, and a clear strategic vision for the Company. He is also deeply knowledgeable on both the business principles and technologies that drive the semiconductor industry," said Harry Atwater, the Caltech Professor who developed the technology and co-founded the Company with Arrowhead Research. "We are very pleased to have him on the team." Mr. Olson joins Aonexx with technical and business experience in the semiconductor industry. He served in engineering and management positions at Silicon Valley Group Lithography (acquired by ASML), and supported technology and business development efforts at Oraxion Diagnostics, a start-up in the metrology space. He was also a strategy consultant for The Boston Consulting Group. Mr. Olson received his bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master's degree in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. Aonexx Technologies was formed to commercialize a patented method for transferring nano-layers of semiconductor materials (e.g., indium phosphide, germanium, and gallium arsenide) and oxides (e.g., barium titanate, lithium niobate, and PMNPT) onto low-cost substrates (e.g., silicon, sapphire and glass), with no adhesives and with controlled stress. Early applications are expected to include the development of inexpensive laminate wafers (e.g., indium phosphide on silicon and germanium on silicon) that could replace expensive, homogenous compound semiconductor substrates. These 'replacement' wafers are expected to reduce manufacturing costs and improve performance for devices such as LEDs, power amplifiers for wireless communications, and high-efficiency solar cells. Aonexx is currently scheduled to have limited samples available for evaluation purposes by qualified customers within three months. The Company is also exploring the use of the technology to support the integration of different semiconductor materials onto a single substrate. Such a technology would enable optical, logical, and high frequency power amplification devices to be integrated into single dies - an industry trend termed 'system on a chip' (SoC) - and bring with it opportunities for significant cost savings and performance improvements. Ultimately, the company hopes to enable the optical and electrical properties of device active regions to be engineered independently of the underlying substrate's thermal, dielectric, and mechanical properties. |