We wish wed had a penny, cent or yen for every time that someone had repeated tools are the picks and shovels of nanotechnology. FEIs recent results still are ringing in the rafters, made somewhat sweeter no doubt by ex suitors Veecos current accounting problems leaving them unable to comment on fourth quarter earnings.
Microscopy and Analysis recently published an article (look for it in the feature articles section) by Tim Harper, a twenty year veteran of nanoscale analysis, giving some hints as to the key drivers for the tools sector. Tim concludes that the challenge for existing microscopy manufacturers is to catch the drift from dry to wet, from static to dynamic, and from the academic lab to the production plant. At the same time, this shift offers a wealth of opportunities for new technologies to replace existing techniques. The next few years promise to be an exciting time, both in the lab and in the company boardroom.