NANOTECHNOLOGY

By:

Y. SRIJAN
 ABSTRACT nanomachines, called replicators, will
be programmed to build more
Nanotechnology is about rearranging atoms assemblers.
which ever way we want:
Nanotechnology is a hybrid science Trillions of assemblers and replicators
combining engineering and chemistry. Atoms will fill an area smaller than a cubic millimeter,
and molecules stick together because they have and will still be too small for us to see with the
complementary shapes that lock together, or naked eye. Assemblers and replicators will work
charges that attract. Just like with magnets, a together like hands to automatically construct
positively charged atom will stick to a negatively products, and will eventually replace all
charged atom. As millions of these atoms are traditional labor methods. This will vastly
pieced together by nanomachines, a specific decrease manufacturing costs, thereby making
product will begin to take shape. The goal of consumer goods plentiful, cheaper and stronger
nanotechnology is to manipulate atoms
individually and place them in a pattern to 1. INTRODUCTION

produce a desired structure. There are three steps

Nanotechnology is a technology in which new
to achieving nanotechnology-produced goods:
ferric powder is used for higher density hard
drives or DNA sensors on a chip .this is the
• Scientists must be able to manipulate
combination of Chemistry and Engineering
individual atoms. This means that they
called “MOLECULAR
will have to develop a technique to grab
NANOTECHNOLOGY”.
single atoms and move them to desired
Molecular nanotechnology is much
positions. In 1990, IBM researchers
different much more useful and dynamic. It is
showed that it is possible to manipulate
about building whole molecular machine system,
single atoms. They positioned 35 xenon
designed on computer, using standard well
atoms on the surface of a nickel crystal,
understood laws of Chemistry with something
using an atomic force microscopy
called molecular assembler. We can place
instrument. These positioned atoms
individual atoms and molecules precisely on a
spelled out the letters "IBM."
structure under construction, this opens up a
• The next step will be to develop
realm of programmable self assembling
nanoscopic machines, called
machinery and fabrication possibility not found
assemblers, that can be programmed to
in nature or industry.
manipulate atoms and molecules at will.
MNT’s initial goal, the key to this
It would take viable time frame.
technology is a device called ‘molecular
• In order to create enough assemblers to
assembler’ a programmable robot arm driven by
build consumer goods, some
software capable of delivering and bonding add or remove pieces until we're left with
atoms and molecules with atomic precision, a whatever object we were trying to create. We
task nature does using proteins. assemble our objects from parts, without regard
to structure at the molecular level. Precise
Around the world scientist are modeling atomic-level fabrication has previously only
familiar looking machine parts with as few been seen in the growth of crystals or in living
atoms as is necessary to physically “stick” the biological organisms like the ribosome, which
part together. Scientists are on the verge of assembles all the proteins in living creatures, or
manipulating atoms and molecules with the same DNA, which carries the instructions for creating
precision as biology.fortunatly we do not need to a living being. If we incorporate similar
understand or need to intricacy of an immune processes during our development of
system. nanotechnology, we will begin to gain a degree
of complexity and control over systems that
2. WHY SHOULD WE DEVELOP IT?
previously only evolution and nature have had.

Ignoring for the moment that scientists are a

Additional benefits arise when we consider the
curious lot, always pushing the envelope of what
size of devices that we will be able to create.
can and cannot be done; precision has been
Once we are working on the atomic scale, we
mentioned as a benefit of molecular machines
can create machines that will go places about
and is one of the keys to understanding why we
which we could once only dream. More
would want to develop this technology.
information will be packed into smaller and
smaller spaces, and we will be able to do much
In this application, precision means that there is
more with much less. Nanotechnology promises
a place for every atom and every atom is in its
unprecedented and efficient control over our
place. Schematics will be detailed, and there will
environment, but taking advantage of anticipated
be no unnecessary parts anywhere in the design.
developments requires forethought and planning.
We will use machines of precision to create
This is a primary aspect of Foresight's mission,
products of equal precision. With this precision,
and we continue to explore the costs and the
we should be able to recycle all of the waste
benefits of developing nanotechnology.
products produced by the manufacturing
processes and put them to good use elsewhere.
3. EFFECTS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
Manufacturing will also become less expensive
as a result. . Nanotechnology is anywhere from five to 15
years in the future, and we won't see dramatic
Technology has never had this kind of precise
changes in our world right away. But let's take a
control; all of our technologies today are bulk
look at the potential effects of nanotechnology:
technologies. We take a lump of something and
The first products made from nanomachines will The promises of nanotechnology sound great,
be stronger fibers. Eventually, we will be able to don't they? May be even unbelievable? But
replicate anything, including diamonds, water researchers say that we will achieve these
and food. Famine could be eradicated by capabilities within the next century. And if
machines that fabricate foods to feed the hungry. nanotechnology is, in fact, realized, it might be
the human race's greatest scientific achievement
• In the computer industry, the ability to yet, completely changing every aspect of the way
shrink the size of transistors on silicon we live.
microprocessors will soon reach its Scientists have recently gained the ability to
limits. Nanotechnology will be needed observe and manipulate atoms directly, but this
to create a new generation of computer is only one small aspect of a growing array of
components. Molecular computers techniques in nanoscale science and technology.
could contain storage devices capable of The ability to make commercial products may
storing trillions of bytes of information yet be a few decades away. But theoretical and
in a structure the size of a sugar cube. computational models indicate that molecular
• Nanotechnology has the potential to manufacturing systems are possible — that they
have a positive effect on the do not violate existing physical law. These
environment. For instance, airborne models also give us a feel for what a molecular
nanorobots could be programmed to manufacturing system might look like. Today,
rebuild the thinning ozone layer. scientists are devising numerous tools and
Contaminants could be automatically techniques that will be needed to transform
removed from water sources, and oil nanotechnology from computer models into
spills could be cleaned up instantly. reality. While most remain in the realm of
Manufacturing materials using the theory, there appears to be no fundamental
bottom-up method of nanotechnology barrier to their development
also creates less pollution than
conventional manufacturing processes. 4. HOW WILL NANOTECHNOLOGY

Our dependence on non-renewable IMPROVE OUR LIVES?

resources would diminish with

One of the first obvious benefits is the
nanotechnology. Many resources could
improvement in manufacturing techniques. We
be constructed by nanomachines.
are taking familiar manufacturing systems and
Cutting down trees, mining coal or
expanding them to develop precision on the
drilling for oil may no longer be
atomic scale. This will give us greater
necessary. Resources could simply be
understanding of the building of things, and
constructed by nanomachines.
greater flexibility in the types and quantity of
things we may build. We will be able to expand
our control of systems from the macro to the
micro and beyond, while simultaneously
reducing the cost associated with manufacturing
products.

Nanogears no more than a nanometer wide could be used to

construct a matter compiler, which could be fed raw material to
arrange atoms and build a macro-scale structure.

Nanotechnology is likely to change the way manufacturing systems are possible — that they
almost everything, including medicine, do not violate existing physical law. These
computers and cars, are designed and models also give us a feel for what a molecular
constructed manufacturing system might look like. Today,
Scientists have recently gained the ability to scientists are devising numerous tools and
observe and manipulate atoms directly, but this techniques that will be needed to transform
is only one small aspect of a growing array of nanotechnology from computer models into
techniques in nanoscale science and technology. reality. While most remain in the realm of
The ability to make commercial products may theory, there appears to be no fundamental
yet be a few decades away. But theoretical and barrier to their development
computational models indicate that molecular
Nanotechnology should let us make almost every ships, nanotechnology will also provide
manufactured product faster, lighter, stronger, extremely powerful computers with which to
smarter, safer and cleaner. We can already see guide both those ships and a wide range of other
many of the possibilities as these few examples activities in space.(Lighter materials will make
illustrate. New products that solve new problems air and space travel more economical.)
in new ways are more difficult to foresee, yet
their impact is likely to be even greater. Could 4.2. Atom computers
Edison have foreseen the computer, or Newton
the communications satellite? Today, computer chips are made using
lithography -- literally, "stone writing." If the
4.1. Improved transportation computer hardware revolution is to continue at
its current pace, in a decade or so we'll have to
• Today, most airplanes are made from
move beyond lithography to some new post
metal despite the fact that diamond has
lithographic manufacturing technology.
a strength-to-weight ratio over 50 times
Ultimately, each logic element will be made
that of aerospace aluminum. Diamond
from just a few atoms.
is expensive, we can't make it in the
shapes we want, and it shatters. • Designs for computer gates with less
Nanotechnology will let us than 1,000 atoms have already been
inexpensively make shatterproof proposed -- but each atom in such a
diamond (with a structure that might small device has to be in exactly the
resemble diamond fibers) in exactly the right place. To economically build and
shapes we want. This would let us make interconnect trillions upon trillions of
a Boeing 747 whose unloaded weight such small and precise devices in a
was 50 times lighter but just as strong. complex three dimensional pattern we'll
need a manufacturing technology well
Today, travel in space is very expensive and
beyond today's lithography: we'll need
reserved for an elite few. Nanotechnology will
nanotechnology.
dramatically reduce the costs and increase the
capabilities of space ships and space flight. The With it, we should be able to build mass storage
strength-to-weight ratio and the cost of devices that can store more than a hundred
components are absolutely critical to the billion billion bytes in a volume the size of a
performance and economy of space ships: with sugar cube; RAM that can store mere billion
nanotechnology, both of these parameters will be billion bytes in such a volume; and massively
improved… Beyond inexpensively providing parallel computers of the same size that can
remarkably light and strong materials for space deliver a billion instructions per
second(Computers of future will use atoms today, allowing them to perform real
instead of chips.) time image analysis of their
surroundings and communicate with
4.3. Military applications weapons tracking systems to acquire
and navigate to targets with greater
• Today, "smart" weapons are fairly big --
precision and control.
we have the "smart bomb" but not the
"smart bullet." In the future, even We'll also be able to build weapons both
weapons as small as a single bullet inexpensively and much more rapidly, at the
could pack more computer power than same time taking full advantage of the
the largest supercomputer in existence remarkable materials properties of diamond.

Rapid and inexpensive manufacture of great From relays to vacuum tubes to transistors to
quantities of stronger more precise weapons integrated circuits to Very Large Scale Integrated
guided by massively increased computational circuits (VLSI) we have seen steady declines in
power will alter the way we fight wars. Changes the size and cost of logic elements and steady
of this magnitude could destabilize existing increases in their performance.7
power structures in unpredictable ways. Military
applications of nanotechnology raise a number of • Extrapolation of these trends suggests
concerns that prudence suggests we begin to we will have to develop molecular
investigate before, rather than after, we develop manufacturing in the 2010 to 2020 time
this new technology. (Weaponry can incorporate frame if we are to keep the computer
computer but is this prudent?) hardware revolution on schedule.
• Of course, extrapolating past trends is a
5. CONCLUSION philosophically debatable method of
technology forecasting. While no
The single most frequently asked question about
fundamental law of nature prevents us
nanotechnology is: How long? How long before
from developing nanotechnology on
it will let us make molecular computers? How
this schedule (or even faster), there is
long before inexpensive solar cells let us use
equally no law that says this schedule
clean solar power instead of oil, coal, and
will not slip.
nuclear fuel? How long before we can explore
space at a reasonable cost? Much worse, though, is that such trends imply
that there is some ordained schedule -- that
The scientifically correct answer is: We don't
nanotechnology will appear regardless of what
know
we do or don't do. Nothing could be further from
the truth. How long it takes to develop this
technology depends very much on what we do. If
we pursue it systematically, it will happen
sooner. If we ignore it, or simply hope that
someone will stumble over it, it will take much
longer. And by using theoretical, computational
and experimental approaches together, we can
reach the goal more quickly and reliably than by
using any single approach alone. How long will
it take? A lot depends on when we start.

6. REFERENCES:

www.zyex.com
www.howstuffworks.com
www.google.com