Posted: October 12, 2009

(Nanowerk News) The International Prize in Nanotechnology RUSNANOPRIZE 2009 in the field of nanoelectronics was awarded to academician Leonid Keldysh (Russia) for pioneer studies of semiconductor superlattices and tunnel effects in semiconductors widely used in nanoelectronics instrument engineering, particularly, in molecular beam epitaxy, to professor Alfred I. Cho (USA) for investigations and development of molecular beam epitaxy technology for production of nano-hetero-structures and application in nanoelectronics, as well as to RIBER S.A. Company (France) for development of equipment for molecular beam epitaxy.

Molecular beam epitaxy technology is one of the first revolutionary technologies that allowed controlling the material structure at the nanometer level thus producing new materials with unique properties.

Scientific, engineering and production works of Award winners laid the foundation for mass use of semiconductor nano-hetero-structures in production of modern telecommunication systems (mobile communication, internet), semiconductor light sources (LED, solid state lasers), various-purpose photo receivers (security systems, supervision and control systems, including those used in space), high-efficiency semiconductor solar radiation converters (photovoltaic generators) and semiconductor sensors for intellectual control systems and robotics.

International Prize in Nanotechnology RUSNANOPRIZE, founded by RUSNANO, is the first international prize awarded for not only R&D works and inventions but also their introduction in commercial production. This prize is awarded annually to outstanding scientists and companies, both national and foreign, which are engaged in development of nanotechnologies. The prize is awarded every year in one of the four fields, i.e. nanoelectronics, nanomaterials, nanobiotechnologies and nanodiagnostics.

Also, in the framework of the Nanotechnology International Forum for, the winner of the Russian Youth Prize in nanotechnology was awarded. This prize is awarded to Russian businessmen-innovators, their age not exceeding 35 years, for development and introduction of new nanotechnological product, or for mastering its production.

This year, the prize amounted to 300,000 rubles, was awarded to electronics engineer Eugene Sevostiaynov, with the Tomsk R&D Enterprise “Senseriya” OOO, for development of introduction of pioneer of 435-1 fire gas anunciator.

Principle of operation of this instrument is based on detection of gas molecule assembly released during initial stage of fire. This allows carrying out a continuous monitoring of the state of premises, thus providing for qualitatively new level of fire safety.

Aforesaid fire gas anunciator is built around microelectronic semiconductor gas sensor incorporating gas-sensitive element which represents nanocrystalline (grain size of 10 to 20 nm) thin films of metal oxide semiconductors.