Launch of hi-tech spin-out company

A new company which aims to tap into a EURO 70 billion market has been created in Dundee as a cross-border spin-out from the universities of Dundee and Surrey.

Quantum Filament Technologies will build on joint research findings from the two universities to develop radical new technologies in the field of flat panel displays, which are becoming ubiquitous in devices from mobile phones and digital cameras to home cinema.

The company has been established in a EURO 750,000 equity deal led by Braveheart Ventures in Perth, and also involving Dundee-based business development company Amcet, Dundee University, Surrey University and the Scottish Co-investment Fund.

Roy Clarke, managing director of QFT, explained the company's objectives. "We have acquired the rights to exploit some remarkable research from Merv Rose at Dundee and Ravi Silva at Surrey which we believe can alter people’s expectations from flat displays. We are planning to create a technology for the manufacture of display panels which have the brightness, speed and definition of the highest quality cathode-ray tube but can be configured into the thinnest panel. Although liquid crystal displays have improved dramatically over the last few years they are limited in scope compared with the field emission technology we are developing.

"The market for displays continues to grow at a remarkable rate and already exceeds EURO 70bn but we know that if a radically superior display can be demonstrated there are endless possibilities for new applications for display technology.

"In the longer term, our technology can contribute to the development of flexible, even wearable, displays or display panelling to replace conventional lighting. In the nearer term we know the medical and avionics industries are seeking high performance displays to replace conventional instrumentation in life-critical environments."

The University played a significant role in the development of the kind of flat LCD displays already widely employed on laptop computers and flatscreen TVs. The technology underpinning those kind of flat screen displays, that of thin film transistors, was developed at the University in the late 1970s.

James Houston, Director of Research and Innovation Services commented, "We have always believed that this technology had great commercial potential and we were fortunate to be able to make use of Scottish Enterprise’s Proof of Concept Scheme to lay the early foundations for this spin out. Given that we were able to complete this locally with funding coming from Braveheart Ventures this deal is particularly pleasing and is indeed very good for the Tayside Region".