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Regional invention will revolutionise $1.6 billion market - 17/04/2008
The global optical, x-ray and electron microscopy market could be revolutionised thanks to an invention from the University of Sheffield, which has just received £600,000 of investment.
Phase Focus’s new technology eliminates the need for a lens in the microscope, dramatically reducing the cost and eliminating the distortions found in even the most sophisticated of modern microscopes. It works by illuminating selected areas of a specimen, recording the diffraction patterns and then processing the resultant images using Phase Focus’s proprietary software.
According to Phase Focus, potential applications for the technology lie within the optical, x-ray and electron microscopy markets, which are forecast to grow to US$1.6 billion by 2009. The technology has already been demonstrated in both the optical and x-ray frequency ranges and, in principle, is applicable to the entire electromagnetic spectrum, including radar, ultra-violet, infra-red and terahertz imaging.
White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund, which provides funding for spin-out companies from the Universities of Sheffield, York and Leeds, has invested £200,000 into Phase Focus, with existing investor Biofusion investing £400,000. The funding will be used to produce prototype microscopes.
Phase Focus was established by Biofusion in 2006 as the result of Professor John Rodenburg’s invention, born out of the University of Sheffield’s Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.
Ian Pykett, chief executive of Phase Focus said: “We are pleased to have achieved this investment from the White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund and existing investors Biofusion. The funding will enable the development of our technology which will reduce instrument costs and dramatically improve microscopy.”
David Milroy of Aberdeen Asset Managers, which manages the White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund said: “We are delighted to be involved in the development of Phase Focus and believe the company’s “lensless” microscope technology could deliver substantial performance and cost benefits across virtually all forms of microscopy.”
