ABSTRACT
IAN A. WATSON/·* DUNCAN E. S. STEWART-TULL,2 ROGER PARTON,2 IAN PEDEN,' ALLEN YE0, 1 BOON KIAT TAN1 and GLENN WARD2 1Lasers and Optical Systems Engineering Centre (LOSE C), Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G 12 8QQ, UK 2 Division of infection and Immunity, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Joseph Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ. UK
With increasing scientific and industrial emphasis on global advancement there is continued increased demand for cleaner processes and improved cleanroom facilities. Access to cleanroom environments is critical for sustained industrial competitiveness; the ease with which companies can build and sustain such environments is, therefore, of major importance for their success. This is particularly true for economies with strategic emphasis on microelectronics, optoelectronics, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Running cleanrooms is expensive; it is not uncommon for a Class-1 0 facility to cost in excess of US$ 500 000 p.a. Improvement in the delivery of cleanroom technology (such as for surface decontamination) that has the potential to reduce
running costs and improve performance overall may, therefore, play a pivotal role in encouraging and sustaining a country's growth and creative output and shifting its technology base towards higher value, advanced technology.
