April 22-24, 1998
(This talk is on the web at http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/talks/asilomar980423/)
There’s Nothing Small about Nanotechnology http://nano.xerox.com/nano
See http://nano.xerox.com/nanotech/talks for an index of talks
The best technical introduction to molecular nanotechnology: Nanosystems by K. Eric Drexler, Wiley 1992
Sixth Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology November 12-15 Santa Clara, CA www.foresight.org/Conferences
Seventh Elba-Foresight Conference on Nanotechnology April, 1999 Rome, Italy www.foresight.org/Conferences
PPT Slide
Today’s manufacturing methods move atoms in great thundering statistical herds
The principles of physics, as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering things atom by atom. It is not an attempt to violate any laws; it is something, in principle, that can be done; but in practice, it has not been done because we are too big. Richard Feynman, 1959
Most interesting structures that are at least substantial local minima on a potential energy surface can probably be made one way or another. Richard Smalley Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1996
Nanotechnology (a.k.a. molecular manufacturing)
Terminological caution
Born-Oppenheimer approximation
Quantum positional uncertainty in the ground state
Quantum uncertainty in position
Molecular mechanics
Example: H2
Two more fundamental ideas
Illustration of an assembler
A C program that prints out an exact copy of itself
English translation:
How cheap?
How strong?
How long?
Developmental pathways
Self assembled DNA octahedron (Seeman)
DNA on an SPM tip (Lee et al.)
Buckytubes (Tough, well defined)
Bucky tube glued to SPM tip (Dai et al.)
Building the tools to build the tools
Diamond Physical Properties
A hydrocarbon bearing
A planetary gear
A proposal for a molecular positional device
Classical uncertainty
A numerical example of classical uncertainty
Molecular tools
Synthesis of diamond today: diamond CVD
Some other molecular tools
A synthetic strategy for the synthesis of diamondoid structures
The impact of molecular manufacturing depends on what’s being manufactured
How powerful?
Space
It costs less to launch less
A revolution in medicine
Clinical trials to evaluate cryonics
Today’s choice: would you rather join
Environmental impact depends on
Molecular nanotechnology and the environment
Nanotechnology and energy
Nanotechnology and the environment
Author: Ralph C. Merkle
Email: merkle@ralphmerkle.com
Home Page: http://www.ralphmerkle.com
The Power Point version of this talk is available.