On Monday, a Russian group that is a world leader in nanotechnology will open its facility at the National Technology Park in Limerick. NT-MDT is a Moscow group of six companies, employing around 300 people.

Its high-tech products - an award-winning range of scanning probe microscopes and accessories - are key tools in the study of materials at the atomic and molecular level.

The Irish operation, NT-MDT Service & Logistics Ltd, will be manufacturing electronic controllers that are the interface between the microscope and the accompanying computer and software. It will also assemble a start-up research and development group working closely with Irish third-level researchers. It already has a sales and service support function.

The Limerick base, which is in the Modus Building near the University of Limerick, is to be opened by Willie O'Dea, Minister for Defence.

Hosting the event will be the Irish company's general manager, Denis Stoiakine, a Russian national who has been in Ireland for six years. Directors from the parent company in Moscow are to attend.

The group president, Victor A Bykov, is a co-founder of NT-MDT, which was set up in 1991. NT-MDT stands for nanotechnology-molecular device technology. Its high-tech devices are in growing demand as interest in nanotechnology grows.

Speaking from his offices in Zelenograd, a Russian answer to Silicon Valley, Dr Bykov told The Irish Times why the group was coming to Ireland. "We are growing at the rate of 40 to 50 people a year, and last year we did $14 million [ €31.2 million] business,"says Dr Bykov.

"Our general market is universities and research institutes worldwide, and of course industry. Now we are planning to supply colleges and schools with simple scanning probe microscopes, and we are growing so much we need partner companies." He visited Ireland two years ago, and found it very interesting, particularly the conditions for business development. About one year ago the group started to look at Ireland in earnest, and settled on Limerick.

The group already has a successful partnership with a company in Ohio, US. "We can work with the 11-hour time difference, so the three-hour difference with Ireland will not be a problem," he says.

It's perhaps a sign of his confidence in Ireland that the base in Limerick has been set up without any IDA Ireland grants.

Dr Bykov says the group is in discussion with the IDA, and may be eligible for grants, though this has not been decided as yet.

From the base in Limerick, the NT-MDT group plans to co- operate with Irish researchers on the development of a high- vacuum camera for the scanning probe microscope.

The team will be small at first - three or four engineers and physicists - but he hopes that this will grow. Dr Bykov said he hoped that it would be possible to announce an Irish research partner later this month.

Meanwhile, negotiations are in progress with a company in the Ennis area for the sub-contracting of the controller manufacture.

Also in progress are talks with Irish universities about purchasing microscopes. NT-MDT already supplied one to Trinity College Dublin last year.

NT-MDT hopes to sell its new, stripped-down versions to schools in Ireland. These will initially cost around $18,000 to $20,000, approximately one 10th the price of the full models.

"We need to train the young and our educational version will be very basic, and easy to install, but will teach the principles," says Dr Bykov.