Winners of Keithley Instruments Nanotech Measurement Contest Share $5000 in Cash Prizes for Innovative Test Techniques.

CLEVELAND -- Keithley Instruments, Inc. (NYSE:KEI), a leader in solutions for emerging measurement needs, announces the winners of its Nanotechnology Test & Measurement Applications Contest. Keithley teamed up with the editors of R&D Magazine, who selected three winners amongst entries that were received from as far away as Singapore. First place ($2500) has been awarded to Dr. Simon Prussin and Jason Reyes of the UCLA Dept. of Electrical Engineering, second place ($1500) to Rahul Gupta of the University of Delaware (Newark), and third place ($1000) to Ryan Major and David Vodnick of Hysitron, Inc. in Minneapolis. The contest objective was to foster development and propagation of improved test techniques to advance nanotech measurement art. Researchers who submitted entries are making complex and advanced measurements for applications as diverse as characterization of carbon nanotubes, electrical contact resistance, electrode spacing via atomic layer deposition, characterization of semiconductor junctions, and studies of nanoscale electrochemical modification in electronic devices.

Each entry was evaluated by the R&D Magazine editorial staff based on four criteria:

1. Did it advance the state of the art in nanotech testing?

2. Was it an advance over earlier test methods?

3. What level of accuracy did the solution provide?

4. What test time was required for making the measurement?

The three innovative test techniques submitted by the contest winners are:

First Place ($2500) - Rapid, accurate, and non-destructive measurements of resistivity and activated dopant profiles in ultra shallow junctions (down to approximately 3 angstroms, or one atomic layer of silicon) by Dr. Simon Prussin and Jason Reyes of the UCLA Dept. of Electrical Engineering.

Second Place ($1500) - Measurement and control of nanoamp level currents in the formation of nanoscale device electrodes (spacing in the 1-10nm range) using atomic layer deposition by Rahul Gupta of the University of Delaware (Newark).

Third Place ($1000) - In-situ I-V and electrical contact resistance measurements, providing time-based correlation with other measurements on nanoscale devices, such as force and displacement during controlled load or displacement conditions by Ryan Major and David Vodnick of Hysitron, Inc., Minneapolis.

The contest encouraged researchers and development engineers to share electrical measurement techniques that will help the industry at large grapple with significant challenges in miniaturization and nanotechnology. Electrical measurements play a pivotal role in developing new materials and devices - even those not intended for electronic applications. All the contest entrants have developed improved techniques to help overcome nanotech research measurement problems.

Keithley Instruments is the world leader in the creation of electrical measurement solutions for nanotechnology. This important new area of research promises significant advances in electronics, materials, biotechnology, alternative energy sources, and dozens of other applications. With their unequalled performance, Keithley measurement tools enable nanotechnology researchers to observe phenomena that were impossible just a few years ago.

Unlocking secrets at the nanoscale level is accelerating the transition from nanotech research labs to commercial production.

For More Information. For an overview of Keithley products used in nanotechnology measurement applications, and a free copy of the brochure "Discover Today's Solutions for Tomorrow's Nano-Characterization Challenges," visit www.keithley.com/nano. For information on other Keithley products and services, contact the company at:

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About Keithley. With more than 60 years of measurement expertise, Keithley Instruments has become a world leader in advanced electrical test instruments and systems from DC to RF (radio frequency). Our products solve emerging measurement needs in production testing, process monitoring, product development, and research. Our customers are scientists and engineers in the worldwide electronics industry involved with advanced materials research, semiconductor device development and fabrication, and the production of end products such as portable wireless devices. The value we provide them is a combination of precision measurement technology and a rich understanding of their applications to improve the quality of their products and reduce their cost of test.

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