Zecotek Prepares for Commercial Production of RFO Vanadate Crystals for Solid-State Laser Systems.
Vancouver, July 10, 2007 - Zecotek Medical Systems Inc. (TSX-V: ZMS; Frankfurt: W1I.F)today announced that its Singapore laboratory facilities are in final preparation to initiate commercial production of the company’s proprietary, high-performance Rare-Earth Fine Oxide (RFO) Vanadate Crystals. Cyberstar of France, the manufacturer of Czochralski crystal growing ovens, is in final assembly and testing of Zecotek’s first crystal growing oven which is scheduled for installation and start up in Singapore in August. This is the first of an expected four Czochralski crystal growing ovens to be installed in Zecotek’s Singapore labs as the company ramps up for commercial production of crystals used in solid-state laser systems.
“The receipt and installation of the Cyberstar Crystal Growing Oven will be a significant step forward for our production facilities in Singapore,” said Dr. A.F. Zerrouk, Chairman, President, and CEO of Zecotek Medical Systems. “We expect to be in a position to initiate commercial production of the RFO vanadate crystal for laser applications in the first quarter of our fiscal 2008. Our RFO vanadate crystal is in many ways superior to the YAG crystal and offers laser manufacturers a crystal with significantly improved performance and adaptability to a wider range of applications. The capability of our RFO Vanadate material significantly bolsters our own current line of impressive laser products.”
The Cyberstar (France) Crystal Growing Oven is based on the Czochralski process. It produces an average of one boule per week. The number of finished elements (crystals) cut from a single boule vary due to size and range from as low as 100 elements to as high as 2000 elements. There is a broad spectrum of pricing for single elements ranging from approximately US$10 to US$900 per element. Specific product specifications and pricing is dependant upon customer requirements and demand.
Zecotek’s proprietary RFO crystal growth technology has been under development for approximately three years and the resulting RFO Vanadate Crystal is a competing product to the ubiquitous YAG crystal, which is presently used in approximately 60% of laser applications. The basis of all solid-state laser systems, whether for medical, industrial or scientific uses, is the activation of a crystal material with a light source, such as a flash lamp or a laser diode. The RFO vanadate crystal can be used in a vast range of laser applications such as materials processing, marking, micro-machining of printed circuit boards, medical surgery, aesthetic-hair removal, surgical urology/prostate treatment, skin resurfacing, range finding, laser radar applications, scientific research as well as entertainment products. Trial samples of Zecotek’s proprietary high-performance RFO vanadates have been well received in the OEM laser community as the active elements of the crystal emit shorter laser pulses and operate in both continuous and pulse regimes of the ultra violet, visible and infrared spectral range of emission.
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About Zecotek
Zecotek Medical Systems (TSX-V: ZMS; Frankfurt: W1I.F) is a bio-photonics technology company developing high-performance crystals, photo detectors, medical lasers, optical imaging and 3D display technologies for commercial applications in the medical diagnostics and high-tech industry. Founded in 2003, the company has three distinct operating divisions: medical imaging, medical lasers and 3D display and labs located in Canada, Singapore and Russia. Zecotek commercializes its novel, patented and patent-pending bio-photonic technologies directly and through strategic alliances and joint ventures with multinational OEMs, distributors and other industry leaders.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on management’s expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what may have been stated.
For additional information on Zecotek Medical Systems and our technologies please see our website at Zecotek Photonics.
For additional information please contact:
MICHAEL MINDER
Zecotek Medical Systems
CFO; VP Corporate Development
T: (604) 827-5203
TIM MCNULTY
Caliber Capital Partners
T: (778) 327-6678
E: [email protected]
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