NANO TECHNOLOGY: "one can proceed from the bottom up, by assembling atoms and molecules into functional components and systems. There are two main approaches for building useful devices from nanoscale components. The first is based on self-assembly, and is a natural evolution of traditional chemistry and bulk processing-see e.g. [Gómez-López et al. 1996]. The other is based on controlled positioning of nanoscale objects, direct application of forces, electric fields, and so on. The self-assembly approach is being pursued at many laboratories. Despite all the current activity, self-assembly has severe limitations because the structures produced tend to be highly symmetric, and the most versatile self-assembled systems are organic and therefore generally lack robustness. The second approach involves Nanomanipulation, and is being studied by a small number of researchers, who are focusing on techniques based on Scanning Probe Microscopy (abbreviated SPM, and described later in this article).
A top-down technique that is closely related to Nanomanipulation involves removing or depositing small amounts of material by using an SPM. This approach falls within what is usually called Nanolithography. SPM-based Nanolithography is akin to machining or to rapid prototyping techniques such as stereolithography. For example, one can remove a row or two of hydrogen atoms on a silicon substrate that has been passivated with hydrogen by moving the tip of an SPM in a straight line over the substrate and applying a suitable voltage. The removed atoms are 'lost' to the environment, much like metal chips in a machining operation. Lines with widths in the order of 10 to 100 nm have been written by these techniques-see e.g. [Wiesendanger 1994] for a survey of some of this work. In this article we focus on Nanomanipulation proper, which is akin to assembly in the macroworld."
NANO TECHNOLOGY:
NANO TECHNOLOGY: "Nanorobotics research has proceeded along two lines. The first is devoted to the design and computational simulation of robots with nanoscale dimensions-see [Drexler 1992] for the design of robots that resemble their macroscopic counterparts. Drexler's nanorobot uses various mechanical components such as nanogears built primarily with carbon atoms in a diamondoid structure. A major issue is how to build these devices, and little experimental progress has been made towards their construction.
The second area of Nanorobotics research involves manipulation of nanoscale objects with macroscopic instruments. Experimental work has been focused on this area, especially through the use of SPMs as robots. The remainder of this article describes SPM principles, surveys SPM use in Nanomanipulation, looks at the SPM as a robot, and concludes with a discussion of some of the challenges that face Nanorobotics research.
Scanning Probe Microscopes
The Scanning Tunelling Microscope (STM) was invented by Binnig and Rohrer at the IBM Zürich laboratory in the early 1980s, and won them a Nobel prize four years later."
The second area of Nanorobotics research involves manipulation of nanoscale objects with macroscopic instruments. Experimental work has been focused on this area, especially through the use of SPMs as robots. The remainder of this article describes SPM principles, surveys SPM use in Nanomanipulation, looks at the SPM as a robot, and concludes with a discussion of some of the challenges that face Nanorobotics research.
Scanning Probe Microscopes
The Scanning Tunelling Microscope (STM) was invented by Binnig and Rohrer at the IBM Zürich laboratory in the early 1980s, and won them a Nobel prize four years later."
NANO TECHNOLOGY:
NANO TECHNOLOGY: "Nanotechnology in aerospace
Aerospace “The importance of the space sector can be emphasized by the number of spacecrafts launched. In the period from 1957 till 2005, 6376 spacecraft have been launched at an average of 133 per year. The has been a decrease in the number of spacecrafts launched in the recent years with 78 launched in 2005. Of the 6378 launches, 56.8% were military spacecrafts and 43.2 were civilian. 245 manned missions have been launched in this period. 1674 communication or weather satellites were also launched. The remaining spacecraft launches has been exploration missions.”
satellites for Nanoscale will increasingly have an impact on numerous commercial, military and space aero-applications. I covered nano military applications in a column last year and will cover that subject again sometime later this year. I would like to review non-military aerospace applications here.
CANEUS is described as the world's foremost international conference on Micro-Nano-Technology (MNT) development for aerospace applications. According to its webpage , the conference deals with the challenges of rapidly and efficiently transitioning aerospace MNT development from a low technology-readiness-level (TRL) to system-level implementations based on an integrated 'cradle-to-grave' approach."
Aerospace “The importance of the space sector can be emphasized by the number of spacecrafts launched. In the period from 1957 till 2005, 6376 spacecraft have been launched at an average of 133 per year. The has been a decrease in the number of spacecrafts launched in the recent years with 78 launched in 2005. Of the 6378 launches, 56.8% were military spacecrafts and 43.2 were civilian. 245 manned missions have been launched in this period. 1674 communication or weather satellites were also launched. The remaining spacecraft launches has been exploration missions.”
satellites for Nanoscale will increasingly have an impact on numerous commercial, military and space aero-applications. I covered nano military applications in a column last year and will cover that subject again sometime later this year. I would like to review non-military aerospace applications here.
CANEUS is described as the world's foremost international conference on Micro-Nano-Technology (MNT) development for aerospace applications. According to its webpage , the conference deals with the challenges of rapidly and efficiently transitioning aerospace MNT development from a low technology-readiness-level (TRL) to system-level implementations based on an integrated 'cradle-to-grave' approach."
NANO TECHNOLOGY:
NANO TECHNOLOGY: "The webpage describes CANEUS stakeholders as:
the low-TRL research and development community;
the mid- and high-TRL system developer community;
end-users from the aerospace and defense sectors;
the private investment community, consisting of venture capitalists and investors;
government investors in CANEUS member countries;
government policy makers for cross-border collaborations;and
scientists, engineers, program managers, investors and policy-makers from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, representing these MNT stakeholder communities.
The conference covers such topics as:
emerging MNT concepts (low TRL);
MNT system development (mid TRL);
mature systems and dub-dystems (high TRL);
end-user needs and perspectives);
investment perspectives and roadmaps; and
governmental policies affecting coordinated, joint international development of aerospace MNT.
Nanowerk reported recently that CANEUS has launched a 'pre-seed' fund to provide partial funding for system-level development projects recommended by the CANEUS Board. Contributors gain privileged access to downstream investment opportunities. The fund description is posted on the CANEUS website. A NATO lecture series has been developed on nanotechnology aerospace applications. Interestingly, a paper published in 1999 covered the application of molecular nanotechnology in aerospace."
the low-TRL research and development community;
the mid- and high-TRL system developer community;
end-users from the aerospace and defense sectors;
the private investment community, consisting of venture capitalists and investors;
government investors in CANEUS member countries;
government policy makers for cross-border collaborations;and
scientists, engineers, program managers, investors and policy-makers from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia, representing these MNT stakeholder communities.
The conference covers such topics as:
emerging MNT concepts (low TRL);
MNT system development (mid TRL);
mature systems and dub-dystems (high TRL);
end-user needs and perspectives);
investment perspectives and roadmaps; and
governmental policies affecting coordinated, joint international development of aerospace MNT.
Nanowerk reported recently that CANEUS has launched a 'pre-seed' fund to provide partial funding for system-level development projects recommended by the CANEUS Board. Contributors gain privileged access to downstream investment opportunities. The fund description is posted on the CANEUS website. A NATO lecture series has been developed on nanotechnology aerospace applications. Interestingly, a paper published in 1999 covered the application of molecular nanotechnology in aerospace."
NANO TECHNOLOGY:
NANO TECHNOLOGY: "The Open-Site free internet encyclopedia has a write-up about the purpose, needs, problems and solutions of nanotechnology research for aerospace.
The most complete publicly available report on nanotechnology applications in non-military aerospace was published recently by the Nanoforum. It says this Nanotechnology in Aerospace report “presents a concise introduction and contribution to the expert debate on trends in nanomaterials and nanotechnologies for applications in the civil aeronautics and space sectors in Europe and explicitly excludes any military R&D and applications.”"
The most complete publicly available report on nanotechnology applications in non-military aerospace was published recently by the Nanoforum. It says this Nanotechnology in Aerospace report “presents a concise introduction and contribution to the expert debate on trends in nanomaterials and nanotechnologies for applications in the civil aeronautics and space sectors in Europe and explicitly excludes any military R&D and applications.”"
NANO TECHNOLOGY:
NANO TECHNOLOGY: "computer science to nanotechnology
Smaller, lighter computers and an end to worries about electrical failures sending hours of on-screen work into an inaccessible limbo mark the potential result of Argonne research on tiny ferroelectric crystals.
'Tiny' means billionths of a meter, or about 1/500th the width of a human hair. These nanomaterials behave differently than their larger bulk counterparts. Argonne researchers have learned that they are more chemically reactive, exhibit new electronic properties and can be used to create materials that are stronger, tougher and more resistant to friction and wear than bulk materials.
Improved nano-engineered ferroelectric crystals could realize a 50-year-old dream of creating nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM). The first fruits of it can be seen in Sony's PlayStation 2 and in smart cards now in use in Brazil, China and Japan. A simple wave of a smart card identifies personnel or pays for gas or public transportation."
Smaller, lighter computers and an end to worries about electrical failures sending hours of on-screen work into an inaccessible limbo mark the potential result of Argonne research on tiny ferroelectric crystals.
'Tiny' means billionths of a meter, or about 1/500th the width of a human hair. These nanomaterials behave differently than their larger bulk counterparts. Argonne researchers have learned that they are more chemically reactive, exhibit new electronic properties and can be used to create materials that are stronger, tougher and more resistant to friction and wear than bulk materials.
Improved nano-engineered ferroelectric crystals could realize a 50-year-old dream of creating nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM). The first fruits of it can be seen in Sony's PlayStation 2 and in smart cards now in use in Brazil, China and Japan. A simple wave of a smart card identifies personnel or pays for gas or public transportation."
NANO TECHNOLOGY:
NANO TECHNOLOGY: "Computing applications
RAM – random access memory – is used when someone enters information or gives a command to the computer. It can be written to as well as read but - with standard commercial technology - holds its content only while powered by electricity.
Argonne materials scientists have created and are studying nanoscale crystals of ferroelectric materials that can be altered by an electrical field and retain any changes.
Ferroelectric materials – so called, because they behave similarly to ferromagnetic materials even though they don't generally contain iron – consist of crystals whose low symmetry causes spontaneous electrical polarization along one or more of their axes. The application of voltage can change this polarity. Ferroelectric crystals can also change mechanical to electrical energy– the piezoelectric effect – or electrical energy to optical effects.
A strong external electrical field can reverse the plus and minus poles of ferroelectric polarization. The crystals hold their orientation until forced to change by another applied electric field. Thus, they can be coded as binary memory, representing 'zero' in one orientation and 'one' in the other.
Because the crystals do not revert spontaneously, RAM made with them would not be erased should there be a power failure. Laptop computers would no longer need back-up batteries, permitting them to be made still smaller and lighter. There would be a similar impact on cell phones."
RAM – random access memory – is used when someone enters information or gives a command to the computer. It can be written to as well as read but - with standard commercial technology - holds its content only while powered by electricity.
Argonne materials scientists have created and are studying nanoscale crystals of ferroelectric materials that can be altered by an electrical field and retain any changes.
Ferroelectric materials – so called, because they behave similarly to ferromagnetic materials even though they don't generally contain iron – consist of crystals whose low symmetry causes spontaneous electrical polarization along one or more of their axes. The application of voltage can change this polarity. Ferroelectric crystals can also change mechanical to electrical energy– the piezoelectric effect – or electrical energy to optical effects.
A strong external electrical field can reverse the plus and minus poles of ferroelectric polarization. The crystals hold their orientation until forced to change by another applied electric field. Thus, they can be coded as binary memory, representing 'zero' in one orientation and 'one' in the other.
Because the crystals do not revert spontaneously, RAM made with them would not be erased should there be a power failure. Laptop computers would no longer need back-up batteries, permitting them to be made still smaller and lighter. There would be a similar impact on cell phones."
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