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Nanotechnology. By: Adam Morte. What is Nanotechnology?. Nanotechnology is broadly defined as controlling matter on a scale of smaller than one micrometer. It also can be defined as an extension of existing sciences along a nanoscale. Human hair is 80,000 nm wide.
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Nanotechnology By: Adam Morte
What is Nanotechnology? • Nanotechnology is broadly defined as controlling matter on a scale of smaller than one micrometer. It also can be defined as an extension of existing sciences along a nanoscale. • Human hair is 80,000 nm wide. • One nanometer (nm) is one billionth (10^-9) of a meter
Approaches to Nanotechnology • Two main approaches: “bottom-up” & “top-down”. • Bottom-up occurs when devices are built from smaller components into more complex assemblies molecule by molecule. • Top-down occurs when smaller nano-objects are constructed from larger entities that direct their assembly & built piece by piece in stages, much like the way manufactured items are constructed.
Advantages of Nanotechnology • When nanotechnology is applied the ratio of surface area to volume increases & opens possibilities • Has ability to improve materials strength and intelligence while enabling products to be smaller, light weight, more flexible, more efficient, and run cleaner. • Materials when reduced to a nano-size can show very different properties than on a macro scale. • Substances such as aluminum and plastic become combustible & solid gold becomes a liquid. • Plastic can conduct electricity very well on nano scale.
Impacts on Computer Speed • Improve capabilities of current computer chips • Allows speeds that we have never dreamed of • In 1995 there was a challenge to make the worlds first nanometer supercomputer that would run billions of times faster than our current computers • Deadline is November of 2011
Impacts on Computer Memory • Continue to shrink memory components
NVRAM • Nano-engineered crystals could lead to the realization of a 50 year old dream of creating Nonvolatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM) • Laptop computers would no longer need back-up batteries, allowing them to be smaller and lighter.
Far Future • Possibilities are endless • Nanotechnology is said to potentially allow for entirely new computation methods with algorithms based on quantum principles. • Would greatly increase the speed and memory capacity of computer systems.
Risks • Little is known about nanotechnology. • The extent of the technologies capabilities are still unknown. • World take over • Unpredictable outcomes