Transcript Faster And Lighter Conputers Possible With Nanotechnology

Faster And Lighter Computers
Possible With Nanotechnology
by
Sri Lakshmi Hasthi
02/16/2004
Overview
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Introduction
Argonne Research
IBM’s New Circuit Hails Nanocomputing
Nanorings
Smart Cards
Bending Light For Better Computers
Cheap Electronic Memory
Cooler Computers
More Advancements
Conclusions
References
Introduction
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The past three decades of computer revolution was built on
outstanding success of microtechnology.
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Now is the idea of a powerful computer in the size of a
watch or in a ring or just the size of the tip of a finger.
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The idea of smaller, faster and cheaper computers was on its
way with the help of Nano Technology.
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A whole computer could be shrunk no bigger than a single
electron Atom.
Argonne Research
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Smaller, lighter computers and an end to worries about electric
failures mark the potential result of Argonne research on tiny
ferroelectric crystals.
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RAM is fast, enabling your computer to make quick changes to
whatever is stored there, but its chief drawback is its volatility.
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Improved nano-engineered ferroelectric crystals could result in
creation of nonvolatile RAM.
Argonne Research
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Ferroelectric materials
consist of crystals whose low
low symmetry causes strong
electric polarization along
one or more of their axes.
The application of voltage
can change this polarity.
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A strong external electric
field can reverse the plus and
minus poles of ferroelectric
polarization.
Auciello uses this unique system,
at Argonne, to understand
ferroelectric thin film growth and
interface processes critical to
fabrication of smart cards based
on ferroelectric random access
memories. Individual atoms can be
detected as they land on a
substrate surface.
Argonne Research
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The crystals hold their orientation until forced by another
applied electric field.
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They can be coded as binary memory, representing “zero” in
one orientation and “one” in other.
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As the crystals do not revert spontaneously, RAM made with
them would not be erased should there be a power failure.
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The same machine could be configured like a Macintosh for
tasks that a Mac OS performs best and like a PC when Windows
OS is preferable
IBM’s New Circuit Hails Nanocomputing
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IBM developed logic performing computer circuit made from a
single molecule of carbon which could lead to a new class of
smaller and faster computers that consume less power.
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The IBM research team made the new circuit, called a “voltage
inverter,”-from a nanotube.
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Dr.Phadeon Avouris said "Carbon nanotubes are the top
candidate to replace silicon when current chip features just cant
be made any smaller. Such ‘silicon beyond’ nanotube electronics
may then lead to unimagined progress in computing
miniaturization and power”.
Design Of An Intra-molecular Logic Gate
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Researchers encoded the
entire inverter logic function
along the length of a
nanotube.
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In this circuit, the output
signal is stronger than the
input, which allows gates and
other circuit elements to be
assembled into
microprocessors.
The picture shows the design of an intra-molecular
logic gate. A single carbon nanotube (shaded in
blue) is positioned over gold electrodes to produce
two p-type carbon nanotube field-effect transistors
in series. The device is covered by an insulated
layer (PMMA) and a window is opened by e-beam
lithography to expose part of the nanotube.
Potassium is then evaporated through this window
to convert the exposed p-type nanotube transistor
into an n-type nanotube transistor, while the other
nanotube transistor remains p-type.
Nanorings
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Alexander Wei,a chemist at the Purdue University have come up
with a simple and cheap solution to shrinking data storage—tiny
magnetic rings from particles made of cobalt.
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The rings are much less than 100 nanometers across and can
store magnetic information at room temperature. Best of all,
these nanorings form all on their own, a process known as selfassembly
assembly.
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The cobalt nanoparticles which form these rings are tiny
magnets with north and south poles and they link up when they
are brought close together thus assembling into rings.
Nanorings
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The magnetic dipoles produce a collective magnetic state known
as flux closure. There is strong magnetic force within rings ,but
after particles form rings, the net magnetic force is zero outside.
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These rings are currently being considered as memory elements
and magnetic RAMs. Magnetic rings reduce crosstalk and errors
during data processing
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Wei said “ Nonvolatile memory based on nanorings could in
theory be developed. For the moment ,the nanorings are only a
promising development”.
Nanorings
PHOTO CAPTION:
Shown are cobalt nanoparticles that have self-assembled into bracelet-like "nanorings." The
rings' magnetic flux can be oriented in one of two directions – clockwise or
counterclockwise – a characteristic that could represent binary numbers in magnetic memory
devices. Because the flux direction remains even without a constant power supply, it is
possible these rings could lead to so-called "non-volatile" computer memory, which would
not be wiped out in the event of a system failure. (Graphic/VCH Publishers)
Smart Cards
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Smart cards have proven to be quite as useful as a
transaction/authorization medium in European countries and
indeed they are tiny computers.
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They will follow Moore’s law regarding processing power and
cost.
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They could become ultimate thin client eventually replacing all
of the things we carry in our wallets.
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These smart cards are size and shape of credit cards but contain
ferroelectric memory that can carry substantial information.
Smart Cards
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They hold information such as its bearer’s medical history
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Unlike credit cards ,these memories do not come in contact with
their readers and will not wear out.
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Current smart cards carry about 250 kilobytes of memory.
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Argonne researchers are collaborating with Colorado
Springs,Colo.,Symetrics corp.
Various Smart Cards
Bending Light For Better
Computers
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Dr.Brett and his collaborators are now using GLAD to design
new optical devices that could prove to be the route to better
and faster computers run on light rather than on electricity.
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We’ll have to shift to photons because of their advantageous
properties.
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We use optical fibers to guide light. But every time we bend light
we lose some of it because some radiates out of the fiber.
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Before photonic chips can be miniaturized, somebody has to
discover a new way to guide and bend light over very small
distances.
Cheap Electronic Memory
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Engineers at Princeton University and Hewlett-Packard have
invented a combination of materials that could lead to cheap
and compact electronic memory devices.
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The invention could result in a single-use memory card that
permanently stores data.
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This memory device combines the commonly used
conductive polymer, which is inexpensive and easy to
produce, with very thin-film, silicon based electronics.
Cheap Electronic Memory
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“We are making a device that is organic and inorganic at the
same time” said Stephen Forrest.
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This device would be like a CD as well as like a conventional
electronic memory chip.
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Moller made the basic discovery behind the device by
experimenting with polymer material called PEDOT.
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A PEDOT based memory device would have a grid of
circuits in which all the connections contain a PEDOT fuse.
Cheap Electronic Memory
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A high voltage applied to any of the contact points blows
that particular fuse .
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1 million bits of information could fit in a square millimeter
of paper thin material
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If formed as a block, the device could store more than one
giga byte of information in one cubic centimeter which is
about the size of a finger tip.
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Developing this invention into commercially viable product
might take at least 5 years
Cooler Computers
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Cool Chips plc(COLCF) is developing a solid state cooling
technology designed to solve thermal management problems
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Cool chips are compact electronic devices similar in appearance
to computer chips.
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Application of electric field to chip results in hot and cold sides
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This process of tunneling electrons through a one-way thermal
trap door is more efficient than conventional refrigeration
methods
What Makes Cool Chips Special?
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While electrons are used to
carry heat the material itself
returns most of the heat
through conduction.
In cool chips electrons move
across a gap which is an
excellent insulator.
With the addition of voltage
bias, heat is transferred from
one side to another and
because of gap, heat cannot
flow back.
Cool Chips
Really cool chips are on
their way shortly
More Advancements
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Better data storage using multiwalled carbon nanotubes whose
tips can write data onto polymer film.
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The development of smallest 4-gigabit Flash memory.
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An ADI (Analog Devices, Inc.) accelerometer can help prevent
information loss in new hard drive protection technology
Conclusions
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Disadvantages
Atom bomb could be the size of a tennis ball.
Over Population.
Men can have babies.
People can change themselves or reproduce another look.
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Advantages
Pollution free world.
No more world Hunger.
Safe, affordable and cheap space travel.
Extinct plants and animals can be bought back.
References
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http://www.albertaingenuity.ca/youth_education/cool_stories/bending_light.php
http://www.eurekalert.org/features/doe/2001-07/dnl-flc060602.php
http://www.sspsolutions.com/solutions/whitepapers/introduction_to_smartcards
http://nanotechwire.com/news_list.asp?ntid=123
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2002/11/prweb49252.htm
http://maxpages.com/nanotechnology/Description
http://www.azonano.com/details.asp?ArticleID=365
Questions???
Thank You !!!