A conbination of exchange of information and personal opinions of those who attended the Forum resulted in the following working definition of nanotechnology The ability to individually address, control, modify, and individually structures and functions at  the nanometer scale including their synthesis to systems of micro and macroscopic dimension and preparation of dedicated materials.

 

Selected examples include:

 

From simple, preprogrammed response to multidimensional complex adaptive systems

From nanofuntionality to autonomous nanorobots

From the protein to the organ

From the molecule to the logic circuit

From the genome to the bio-algorithm

From the molecule error to the disease cure

From the polymer to the optical switching network

From the atom to the quantum computer

 

Nanoscience provides a fundamental understanding in the life and physical sciences respectively underpinning nanotechnology.

The dramatic impact that nanoscale science and technology has already made in the last few years is evident in diverse areas such as surface science, information technology, pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, energy, environmental and health science in general.

The challenges, issues and opportunities arising from working with individual building blocks at the nanoscale level are in the areas such as tolerance, interfacing, signal/noise ratio and quantum phenomena.

Considering the nature of the field, nanoscale science and nanotechnology requires first class scientists, long-term sustained funding at the government and private level, facilities, interdisciplinary efforts and international collaborations.

 

Key questions:

 

lWhat are the major breakthroughs in the last years (scientific and technological)

lWhat are the central problems?

lWhat are the challenges?

 

 

NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY

 

1. What are major scientific breakthroughs

 

• Structure/function/property determination of biomolecules relevant to molecular nanotechnology ; 3D crystal structures of proteins  at the atomic resolution (e.g. photosynthetic center, ATPase, ribosomes, aHL, metalloproteins)
• Controlled  Crystallization (e.g., template control)
• Assembly of molecules at surfaces and interfaces

• Modification (genetic or chemical) of biological materials
• Monitoring of single molecule operations
• Chemical synthesis of complex macromolecules
• Genomics and proteomics (e.g. , single nucleotide polymophism)

 

 

• Real time PCR

 

• Scanning probe microscopy

 

• Cryoelectronmicroscopy

 

• SEM (e.g. environmental chamber)
• Thin Biofilm Technology
• DNA Chips
• Development of molecular construction kits, including conductive polymers

 

3. What are the central problems?

 

• Hard matter –Soft matter interface and interactions (bottom up, top down)
• How can we optimize liquid-solid interface?
• How does a surface work?

–Catalytic processes

–Information transfer

–Biocompatibiliy

• Controlled assembly of complex supramolecular structures
• Exploiting of transmembrane functions (e.g. stabilized lipid membrain)
• Biomimetics (e.g. artificial bacteria and viruses)
• Optimizing of drug targeting and drug delivery
• Nanochemical methods
• Bioinformatics and multiparameters

 

 

 

4. What can we offer to industry?

 

• Lotus effect shark skin (commercialized)
• Exploiting functions of modified bacteriorodopsin
• Biosensors and diagnostic tools
• Nanoparticles (solid phases for separation processes)
• Nanoparticles for inhaling medications

 

• Ultafiltration membranes
• Biomineralization (e.g. bone healing)
• Vaccines
• Drug targeting/Drug deliverydelivery, gene therapy

 

 

 

NANOMECHANICS AND NANOELECTRONICS

 

 

GENERAL ISSUES AND PROBLEM AREAS OF WORKING ON THE NANOSCALE

 

 

1. Tolerance and fidelity of properties and functions

 

Issues:

Fluctuation in properties and functions due to:

• Statistical distributions, e.g.

 

E.g.: Dopants DN/N » 1/N^1/2, resulting in tolerance = 5% (semiconductors doping, Si cube 10nm lenght)

Size of Nanoparticles (e.g. microcombastion)

·         Geometrical tolerance

• Thermal and other excitations

 

Solutions:

·         Molecular functional building blocks

·         Chance for 2 teminal devices

 

 

2. Interfacing (nano-nano, nano-micro, nano-macro)

 

Issues:

·         Interfacing is invasive

·         Interface itself has functionality

 

Solution:

·         Protection of functional part (e.g. like for bio-functions: protein folding, hydration shell)

·         Exploit interface functioality

 

 

3. Signal and intensities

 

Issues:

·         High intensity, e.g.

- Small distance ® high electric fields

- Thin wires ® high current densities

 

 

• Signal/ noise ratio e.g.

-          Small volume ® small energy ® small signal

-          Current fluctuations, e.g.           DI/I » 1/n_e^1/2 ® 10mA, 1ps  ® DI/I = 10%

 

Solutions:

·         Help: properties and functions become discrete ® "Discretising": dedicated sensor for each particular property and function

·         In situ amplification

·         SET (single electron transistor), SIT (single ion transfer)

 

 

4. Energy & power

 

Issues:

·         Processing requires energy consumption and dissipation

·         Signal means energy transfer

 

Solutions:

·         Distributed energy sources

- Reservoirs (e.g. photosystetic reaction centres, chemical energy storage)

- Energy bath (e.g. acoustic, photons, magnetic)

·         In situ processing (mechnical, chemical, electrical)

 

 

5. Communication

 

Issues:

·         Wiring - Straight forward (but also the problems are at right forward - see above)

·         Nanorobotic communication

 

Solution:

·         Get inspired by nature (e.g. pheremones, stygmergy, touch) ® significance of sensor/actuator

 

 

 

CHALLENGES

 

·         Soutions for the general issues above

·         Distributed, autonomous sensors requiring integration of different functionality

·         Exploit "interfacing" functions (e.g. transistor emerged from an contact problem)

·         Internal information transfer ( mechanical, chemical, electrical)

·         Materials processing beyond Si

·         3D-architecture

·         Explore novel nanoelectronic, nanochemical and nanomechanical components (e.g. controllable holes)

·         Discrete molecular based devices

·         Numerical approaches

·         Understand brain

 

 

 

RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS IN NANOMECHANICS

(Accomplished / Under way)

 

·         Cantilever systems (arrays: e.g. millipede)

·         Atomic resolution with non-contact AFM

·         ATP synthase

·         Nanotube circuits (molecular wires)

 

ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES  IN NANOELECTRONICS

 

Tremendous growth in IS industry due to:

Silicon

            Gate dielectrics

            Silicon on Insulator

            Copper on Silicon

Nano-porous dielectrics

 

Disk Storage

            MR Head

            GMR head

            GMR head with monolayer

            Anti Ferro-magnetically Couples AFC Media

            Disk Lube

 

Challenges for Nanoscience for IS

            Reliable and cost effective nano-structuring

Nanoprobes to measure all physical properties with required spatial, spectral and temporal resolution.

Understanding predictive modeling of nano-properties

Understand and take advantage of QM

Nano-materials with Designed Material Properties

Utilize 3^rd and 4^th dimension (spatial and temporal) i.e. neural networks

 

Grand Challenges

Emulate selected functions of the human brain and it sensory apparatus in an efficient manner.