Hannover. The new Micro-Nano Area at HANNOVER MESSE features a comprehensive lineup of microtechnology, nanotechnology, MEMS (micro-electrical-mechanical systems), photonics and new-materials solutions. These technologies are drivers of innovation across all industrial sectors. They make the production of structures, components and systems faster and more accurate, reliable and flexible, and are therefore often referred to as "key enabling technologies". The Micro-Nano Area is a group pavilion organized by the IVAM Microtechnology Network and Deutsche Messe in association with "Nano in Germany", a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote and develop the German nanotech sector on the international stage. It is part of the SurfaceTechnology Area at HANNOVER MESSE's Industrial Supply trade show.

The exhibitor lineup in the Micro-Nano Area includes Wista-Management GmbH , the company that operates the Berlin Adlershof Science and Technology Park. The Park is part of the Berlin Adlershof Science City, one of Germany's most successful high-tech clusters. The Science City occupies about 4.2 square kilometers (1.6 sq. miles) of land, is home to 1,013 companies and research institutes and has 15,996 employees and 6,524 students. The Berlin Adlershof Science and Technology Park itself comprises 510 companies and 10 non-university research institutes which, together, specialize in photonics and optics, photovoltaics and renewable energy, microsystems and materials, IT and media, biotechnology, the environment and analytics.

Duropan Alliance will also be among the exhibitors in the Micro-Nano Area. It has developed a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system that combines thermovoltaic technology with photovoltaic (PV) technology. One limitation of current PV technology is that electric efficiency drops off sharply once the array gets above a certain temperature. Duropan Alliance's TPV system overcomes this with a hybrid solution consisting of a thermal transmitter (flow-through carrier plate as a thermal diffuser, thermal barrier with embedded thermoelectric generators, thermal accumulator) with solar cells bonded to its surface.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems (Fraunhofer ENAS) will also be there. Fraunhofer ENAS is a system and technology partner for smart systems integration based on micro and nano technologies. Its activities are clustered into three business units: micro and nano systems, green and wireless systems, and micro and nano electronics/back end of line (BEOL).

Micrometal GmbH will be using the Micro-Nano Area to showcase its expertise in the photo-chemical etching of metal micro-components. The company is able to cost-effectively produce highly tailored products in industrial quantities. Micrometal can make highly complex shapes with extreme precision. There is virtually no limit to the kinds of parts and geometries its etching process can achieve. Moreover, the company has a continuous in-line production process that can etch superfine structures into reels of metal film as thin as 0.025 mm. Typical etched parts include filters, screens, grids, needles, lancets, contacts, blades and functional surfaces. Micrometal works with a number of industry partners to integrate additional process steps and deliver tailored, integrated solutions.

Multiphoton Optics GmbH makes 3D laser lithography equipment for the manufacture of optical packages and biomedical products. It also offers a prototyping and manufacturing service. In the Micro-Nano Area at the upcoming HANNOVER MESSE, the company will showcase LithoProf3D, its high-precision platform for the fabrication of sophisticated 3D structures for a range of applications, including optics/photonics and life and biomedical sciences. The company will also be presenting its LithoSoft3D slicer software, which is used to produce G-Codes, structure designs and various fabrication strategies. LithoSoft3D is available with LithoProf3D and as a standalone product. Multiphoton Optics also provides prototyping and engineering support for industry, research institutions and universities, and offers a consulting service for implementing classic 2D and 3D processing technologies (high-precision 3D printing).

The IVAM Microtechnology Network has been providing high-tech support to companies and organizations from all around the world for more than 20 years. Its central mission is to create synergies and to support its members in exchanging knowledge, initiating joint projects and networking with one another and potential customers. Through highly targeted technology marketing, IVAM accelerates the development of innovative ideas into market-ready products.