Updated September 2011 Applications of Nanotechnology in Electronics

Updated September 2011 Electronics and Computers Nanotechnology Makes: Smaller Transistors Smaller Memory Smaller Circuitry

Updated September 2011 Nanotechnology in Computer Processing Moore’s Law

Updated September 2011 Moore’s Law describes a trend of technology. It states that the number of transistors that can be put on a single chip will double every two years. Wgsimon cc by WGSimon

Updated September 2011 A schematic diagram of the NIST nanowire transistor. Image from National Institutes of Standards and Technology

Updated September 2011 Instead of making transistor components and assembling them on a board, nanoscale transistors are grown together on a silicon wafer. They look much different from the traditional transistors. cc by Ângelo Antônio Leithold Photo by Intel Nano Transistor Transistors

Updated September 2011 The human brain has about 100 billion neurons. Each neuron has thousands of synapses. The newest processors have only two billion transistors.

Updated September 2011 Because of nanotechnology, the speed of computers has increased while the price of computing has decreased. cc by Ray Kurzweil

Updated September 2011 Nanotechnology in Memory and Storage

Updated September 2011 This is a 2 gigabyte hard drive. It weighs about 70 pounds. It was first used in the 1980s. Its cost at that time ranged from $80,000 to $140,000. Image by HighPoint Learning

Updated September GB in 1980s $80,000 2 GB in 1990s $200 2 GB in 2010 $5 Image by HighPoint Learning

Updated September 2011 Current research shows that by using nanotechnology, 1000 GB of memory can fit on the head of this pin GB is 1 Terabyte. Image by HighPoint Learning

Updated September 2011 Nanotechnology in Displays

Updated September 2011 Nanotubes are small enough that they cannot be seen, so they can be great conductors to be used as transparent contacts. cc by Georg Wiora These layers contain transparent electrodes

Updated September 2011 Carbon nanotubes on a glass or plastic sheet allow manufacturers to make clear conductive panels for displays that are extremely thin. Image ©LG

Updated September 2011 Image courtesy of Universal Display Corporation

Updated September 2011 Nanotechnology in Circuitry How do we see these circuits?

Updated September 2011 To see the circuitry, researchers use an electron microscope or an atomic force microscope. This image shows different levels of a circuit. Image courtesy Lucent Technologies.

Updated September 2011 Screen Capture image of In the Nano Electronics Activity, you will download the virtual microscope from the University of Illinois website. It allows you to explore samples with an SEM and AFM.

Updated September 2011 This is a scanning electron Microscope image of an accelerometer. You can use the controls to zoom in, pan, and take measurements. Screen Capture image of Virtual Microscope Software

Updated September 2011 Choose the integrated circuit. Change the color scheme to HSV. Use the scroll wheel on the mouse to zoom in and out. Toggle the AFM and draw a box on the chip to show the 3D view of that part of the circuit. Screen Capture image of Virtual Microscope Software

Updated September 2011 Drag the scale tool in the locations on the chip to record the measurements. Drag the height tool between locations on the chip to record the measurements. Screen Capture image of Virtual Microscope Software

Updated September 2011 This module is one of a series designed to introduce faculty and high school students to the basic concepts of nanotechnology. Each module includes a PowerPoint presentation, discussion questions, and hands-on activities, when applicable. The series was funded in part by: The National Science Foundation Grant DUE and the Oklahoma Nanotechnology Education Initiative Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the Oklahoma Nanotechnology Education Initiative.

Updated September 2011 Image Credits Flexible organic light emitting display (FOLED TM ) developed by Universal Display Corporation (UDC). Image courtesy of Universal Display Corporation. Retrieved from Kurzweil, Ray (Designer). Moore's Law, The Fifth Paradigm. [Diagram]. Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org) Leithold, Ângelo Antônio (Photographer). Transistor.jpg [ditigal image} Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org) Wiora, Georg (Designer). LCD-Layers.svg [Digital Image] Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org) WGSimon (Designer), Transistor Count and Moore's Law svg [Digital Image], Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org)

Updated September 2011 References New Design Developed for Silicon Nanowire Transistors. (2005) NIST Tech Beat. Retrieved from Nelson, Max, and Shipbaugh, Calvin. (1995) The Potential of Nanotechnology for Molecular Manufacturing. [Kindle Edition]. Retrieved from The Transistor Turns 60. (2007) CNET News. Retrieved from html?tag=mncol Wilson, Michael, Kanangara, Kamali, Smith, Geoff, Simmons, Michelle, & Raguse, Burkhard. Nanotechnology: Basic Science and Emerging Technologies. (2004). [Kindle Edition] Retrieved from