Updated June 2, 2008

   Production of "aspheric optical elements on a machine using nano-positioners" became the first investment project of Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RCNT; Rusnanotekh). NCP Nanotekh company receives €8,66 from RUR 130 billion allotted by the government to nanotechnologies development. . In RCNT assure they had completed documents passing and expect some scale projects would be approved in the nearest future.

   Recently RCNT supervisory board has approved the first investment project of the corporation. This project is based on the unique nano-positioner used to produce high-quality aspheric optics processed by R&D deputy director of NCP Nanotekh company, doctor of science Vadim Rakhovsky. Two implementation stages are envisaged: within the first stage (2008-2010) will be designed several high-accuracy, up to 10 nm, machines and small-lot production of optical elements will be implemented, then (2010-2012) follows an industrial production. Overall investments volume by 2010 totals €13 million without the assets paid by a developer. RCNT invests €8,66 million and receives 50% minus two stocks. €4,3 million more (25% plus one stocks) invests co-investor (is not exposed). Developers (Vadim Rakhovsky and his Nanotekh company) will invest not money, but other assets, including intellectual property that has been estimated by an independent assessor.

   Within the first stage will be established a special project operating company to implement the project, then it comes within the foreign jurisdiction. A company incorporated in Netherlands will own the assets, including patents and other intellectual property. As explained RCNT managing director Dionis Gordin, co-investor and developer had insisted on implementing the project within the foreign jurisdiction. "We stand for projects and money are in Russia, but our task is those projects where investors want to earn not on a process, but on a result. Therefore when people insist on foreign jurisdiction, we should at least listen to them. We have no right to stop the investment process just because the legislation does not keep up with the realities of innovations market", Mr. Gordin declared and marked that it is an exception and RCNT would not always strip its assets within another jurisdiction.

   "The procedure was rather difficult, the more so as we were the first project, and everything was just developed and debugged", declared Vadim Rakhovsky and marked that on the whole the procedure of application approvement took three months. He marked that RCNT became the first structure in Russia ready to invest into technologies. According to him, until now the Russian scientists could have implemented such project only abroad. "RCNT is an extraordinarily interesting organization where specialists from the venture business are working and they treat everything in another way", marked the scientist.

   Positioner is a device allowing to move macro objects with high accuracy, for instance, machine cutter. Professor Rakhovsky nano-positioner is based on magnetostriction principle (rod expansion from the rare-earth metals alloy when subjected to external magnetic field) and permits moving macro objects with 0,01 nm step. In this case it goes about an aspheric optics or aspherics – optical systems, which details’ surfaces are not spherical. Aspherics allows eliminating most traditional defects of an ordinary optics and removing distortions, spherical aberration in particular. Moreover, one aspheric lens replaces three-four ordinary ones. Until now the wide use of aspherics has been encumbered with its complexity of calculation and production. However, in 2007 the world market volume of aspheric optics exceeded €7,5 billion.

   Vadim Rakhovsky team and his Nanotekh company already produce nano-positioners. "One of their positioners is on Goznak, and it makes cliche for large banknotes, so we can see Mr. Rakhovsky products every day", explained in RCNT. Rakhovsky nano-positioner has not been used yet to produce precision optics. One has to join several technological chains to implement a project, therefore separate works will be executed by contractors. In RCNT specified that these companies had been already chosen, but refused to name them. "We are obliged to take into consideration a developer concerns, even if he is afraid someone repeats his technology", stated in the corporation and marked that one could determine by a company-contractor name "what kind of, for instance, linear drive will be".

  It RCNT say the inconsiderable investments volume should not confuse, as it can surge after the mass production launch. Soon RCNT will approve several projects more and the investments volume will be rather higher. "It is the first project and it is squeezed out. But our aim was to establish co-operation, including within the corporation. We have been longing for this and it has finally started to run", declared Mr. Gordin and marked that "projects conveyer" is already launched and it has been the task of RCNT head Leonid Melamed to start it.