company history
1988   Silex Systems Limited (Silex) established as a research subsidiary of Sonic Healthcare Limited.
1990   Silex began researching the laser isotope separation ideas of co-inventors, Dr Michael Goldsworthy and Dr Horst Struve.
1992   The unique principles of the SILEX (Separation of Isotopes by Laser EXcitation) Process were established.
1994
  Proof of Principle’ demonstration of the SILEX Process was achieved at the Company’s laboratories at Lucas Heights, Sydney. Uranium Enrichment, just one of the possible applications of SILEX, became the company’s initial focus.
1996
  Silex was divested from Sonic, and later reached agreement for the development and licensing of SILEX Technology (exclusively for uranium), with the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC, Inc.)
1998   Silex listed on the Australian Stock Exchange on 7 May 1998.
2000  

 

First milestone of the uranium enrichment program achieved – demonstrating the process physics of the Silex concept at a prototypical level.

Agreement for Co-operation between the United States and Australian Governments paved the way for continued development of SILEX Technology for uranium enrichment, facilitating its future transfer to the US.

A program to develop applications of SILEX Technology for Silicon, Oxygen and Carbon enrichment (known as the Stable Isotopes Program) was launched.

Silex won the 2000 Australian Technology Award for Excellence in the Manufacturing and Engineering sector.

Silex secured a "START" R&D Grant from the Australian Government to fund 50% of the SILEX Stable Isotope Program.

A research agreement signed with Westinghouse Electric Company to investigate the application of SILEX Technology to the enrichment of zirconium, (which has the potential to improve the economics of nuclear power reactors).

Silex raised $36 million to assist in funding the development of the Company’s technology portfolio.



2001  

Silex moved further into the semiconductor technology field with the acquisition of a 30% interest in Silicon Valley start-up, Translucent Photonics, Inc. Translucent is developing a revolutionary technology to create "optical gain" in silicon, potentially enabling silicon to play a major role in the photonics/optical communications industry for the first time.

The SILEX Technology was officially "Classified" by the US and Australian Governments. The implications of classification relate mainly to security protocols.

 

2003  

 

Silex acquired a controlling interest in Fiberbyte Pty Ltd, a laser based optical communications company in Adelaide.

The SILEX Uranium Enrichment Project achieved a key milestone with the first full demonstration of practical uranium enrichment using the SILEX 'Direct Measurment Facility'.

Silex signed a Collaboration Agreement with Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Corporation (SUMCO), the world's second largest silicon wafer manufacturer, to test enriched silicon wafers for semiconductor applications.

 

2003  

 

USEC announced its withdrawal from the uranium project after funding it for six years, despite continuing positive results.

The first batch of enriched silicon-28 arrived at SUMCO's wafer plant in Japan, initiating a program to manufacture enriched silicon wafers.

The SILEX silicon project achieved a key demonstration milestone, with enrichment of silicon-28 to ~99.9% (from ~92% natural essay).

Silex took majority ownership in Translucent Photonics, moving to ~70% interest (from 30%). Silex also increased its stake in Fiberbyte to ~83% (from 51%).

Translucent achieved a key technical milestone by demonstrating optical gain in crystalline silicon material. This milestone could have far reaching implications for the semiconductor and photonics industries, potentially allowing fully integrated electronic and optical processing in silicon chips for the first time.

2004  

 

US based subsidiary Translucent Inc won core patent protection for its invention, receiving official notice of allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The Patent "Optical Gain in Silicon" protects not only the core material, but also the device structures which will be fabricated from that material.

Silex commissioned the world’s first silicon laser enrichment pilot plant.

Translucent pursues key ‘spin-off’ technologies (Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) substrates and ‘high-k’ dielectrics) with potential application to the silicon chip industry. Silex and Translucent agree on a ~US$9M debt funding round to accelerate commercialisation efforts.

2005  

 

Translucent wins a US Defence Department DARPA Grant of US$1.2M over 4 years, to help develop the ‘optical silicon’ technology, under DARPA’s Electronics and Photonics Integrated Circuits (EPIC) Program.

Results of the first round of enriched silicon wafer tests conducted by SUMCO show modest improvements in overall semiconductor device performance. Plans for further tests are outlined.

Subsidiary Fiberyte Pty Ltd wins a Federal Government “Commercial Ready Grant” for its novel ‘USB-inSync™’ Data Acquisition Technology ($1.15 million over two years).

Translucent’s commercialisation strategy moves forward with 25 Patents/Applications and third party discussions in progress.

Silex announced the successful completion of its Uranium Enrichment Technology Evaluation project, the results indicating attractive economics.

Commencement of Due Diligence for the uranium project with several potential commercial partners. Classified component of Due Diligence process delayed by US Government approvals.

Translucent achieved a key milestone in its project to develop a silicon-based photonics material – the demonstration of ‘electroluminescence’ at room temperature – an important step in the quest to develop a silicon laser and optical interconnects.

2006  

 

Silex and the General Electric Company sign an exclusive Commercialisation and License Agreement for the SILEX Uranium Enrichment Technology Technology in May, with US Government authorisations received in October.

Translucent files two provisional patents for the development of its advanced materials in Alternative Energy applications: Ultra high efficiency solar cells and thermoelectric energy conversion.

2007  

 

The transfer of the SILEX Uranium Enrichment project to GE’s Wilmington, North Carolina nuclear fuel plant was completed in the first half of 2007. This included equipment used in prior work, to be re-deployed in the Test Loop Program, and a team of 12 key Silex staff who joined with the recently form GE team in Wilmington.

GE-Hitachi Signs Letters of Intent for uranium enrichment services and support using the SILEX Technology with Exelon and Entergy - the two largest nuclear power utilities in the US.

Silex successfully completes a $50 million placement of new securities to professional and sophisticated shareholders. The placement closed heavily oversubscribed.

2008  

 

Global Laser Enrichment (GLE), formed as a subsidiary of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) to commercialise the SILEX Technology, announced that it had selected its Wilmington, N.C., headquarters site for the first potential commercial SILEX uranium enrichment facility.

GLE was notified that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a license amendment (to an existing nuclear facility license) to operate the Test Loop for the next generation SILEX laser enrichment technology.

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and Cameco Corp. (NYSE:CCJ) announced that Cameco Corporation, the world’s largest uranium producer, had joined GE and Hitachi as owners of their laser enrichment venture GLE. Cameco paid US$123.8 million for a 24% stake in GLE.

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