Student rejects $1.3 mln for patent-winning nano-probe  

南航学霸发明“纳米铅笔” 获4项专利

Meng Lingchao, 25, a PhD candidate at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. (Photo: Chinanews.com)

(ECNS) -- A PhD candidate at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics has rejected an investment of 8 million yuan ($1.3 million) for one of his inventions. 

Meng Lingchao, 25, has won four national patents for his inventions, including for a pencil-like probe that can be used in high precision processing and medical research, the Modern Express reported. 

Meng initially majored in industrial design at the university before transferring to flying vehicle production and aviation repair, but finally found his real passion in mechanical engineering. 

Now a first-year PhD, he made a probe less than one-1000th the thickness of a human hair after more than 20,000 experiments. 

The probe holder is about 0.3 millimeters and the point is about 100 nanometers, invisible to the naked eye. 

Meng said the probe can significantly improve the precision of mechanical engineering, such as gears for watches and chips for cell phones. It can also be used to extract cancer cells at a lower cost than current methods. 

Meng said he has rejected nine investors interested in his creation.