There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom An Invitation to Enter a New Field of Physics Richard Feynman 1959

2 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

3 Introduction In 1959, Feynman observed: Nobody studied applied physics of the very small No theoretical knowledge seemed likely to result. Practical applications seemed enormous.

4 Introduction … “Why cannot we write the entire 24 volumes of the Encyclopedia Brittanica on the head of a pin?” –A pin’s diameter = 1/16 inch. –Magnify by 25,000: 25,000 / 16 = feet. It’s area = 13,314 square feet This is enough to fit the Brittanica. It thus suffices to shrink it to 1/25,000. –At that scale, 1 half-tone dot = 32*32 atoms. –This is big enough to work.

5 Introduction … Such a miniaturization is readable. Make a temporary copy of mold 1.Press the pin’s head into plastic; peel off plastic; Construct a copy of mold 1.Evaporate silica into the plastic 2.Evaporate gold at an angle (only raised parts coated); 3.Dissolve plastic, leaving only silica & gold. Read the copy 1.Look thru this “cloth” with an electron microscope. Original mold (pin) is reusable.

6 Gold deposition Angle of deposition

7 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

8 How do we write small? Use lenses in reverse: Pass light thru focusing on a small spot. Focused light is intense. Use material that can be etched by this focused energy.

9 How do we write small? … Entire LOC fits in area of a 35-page magazine.  there is room at the bottom. Feynman then demonstrates: –There is plenty of room at the bottom. –Using physics known in 1959(!).

10 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

11 Information on a small scale Encode information as bits: 1 char = 7 bits. Using volumes instead of surfaces –5 X 5 X 5 = 125 atoms of 1 metal for 1 –125 atoms of another metal for 0 –The Brittanica = bits –All of mankind’s books fit in 1/200 inch cubed. (Reading inside the cube is not discussed.) Nature uses approximately 50 atoms/bit in DNA.

12 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

13 Better electron microscopes A 100-fold improvement in electron microscopy goes a long way. It is possible: –1959 microscopes resolve to 10 angstroms. –Wave length of electron is 1/20 angstrom –100-fold improvement thus is possible. (been done?) Applications to scientific problems: –See DNA, RNA, the cell at work. –See chemical reactions at work. Is there a physical way to synthesize chemicals?

14 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

15 The marvelous biological system Cells don’t just write information, they are active. –Replicating parts (e.g., proteins) –Replicating themselves (mitosis) –Replicating an entire organism. Some cells move; all have moving parts. Can we make small: –Computers –Other maneuverable devices?

16 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

17 Miniaturizing the computer Make wires 10 – 100 atoms in diameter. (In 1959, computers filled entire rooms.) Feynman speculates: 10 6 bigger computers could perform qualitatively harder tasks. –E.g., face recognition, at which the brain excels (occupies an enormous % of the human brain).

18 Miniaturizing the computer … Brain’s microscopic elements >> computers. What if we made sub-microscopic elements? Feynman: faster computers ultimately must have smaller elements (Speed of light lower bound on latency)

19 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

20 Miniaturization by evaporation Make small elements using evaporation: –Evaporate: a metal layer; an insulation layer; repeat until have all the elements you want. ICs, “invented” much later, (still!) made this way.

21 Miniaturization by evaporation … Make small machines (not just computers) using small tools? What are the problems? –Resolution of the material. A flywheel of diameter 10 atoms won’t be round. –Weight/inertia do not dominate at smaller scale. –Electrical parts (e.g., magnetic fields) must be redesigned (but can be done).

22 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

23 Problems of lubrication Heat dissipates rapidly at that scale. Don’t lubricate! Feynman’s friend, Hibbs: nanoscale machines as medical agents, running around inside our bodies. How to make small things: –With existing tools, make smaller tools. –With smaller tools, make yet smaller tools. –Iterate. What about needed increases in precision?

24 Problems of lubrication … Increasing precision: an example. 1.Make smaller flat surfaces. 2.Take 3 such smaller surfaces. Rub them together until they are flat enough at that scale. At each level, perform precision-improving actions, at that scale. Use simultaneous replication to increase manufacturing efficiency.

25 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

tiny hands Fractal branching ultra-dexterous robots (Bush robots) H. Moravec, J. Easudes, and F. Dellaert NASA Advanced Concepts Research Project, December, Each level is a hand. The tip of each finger has a Smaller hand. We get an exponential number of small fingers

tiny hands … Feynamn notes, at this scale: –Gravity is almost imperceptible compared to Van der Waals molecular attraction. –Van der Waals attractions make things at this scale attract (stick). –Designs must take account for these forces.

28 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

29 Rearranging the atoms Constructing materials atom by atom gives “materials science” enormously more potential. E.g., make arrays of tiny circuits that emit light at the same wavelength in the same direction. (This is being done now in laboratories.) Resistance problems increase at that scale. Suggests using superconductivity, as 1 approach.

30 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

31 Atoms in a small world Atoms on a small scale satisfy laws of quantum mechanics. –Nothing acts like this at a large scale. –We can exploit: quantized energy levels Interactions of quantized spins, etc. Manufacturing perfection: –If resolution is less than 1 atom, then each copy is exact, atom for atom.

32 Atoms in a small world … Replace chemistry with physical manufacture. Proposed a competition: Who can build the smallest motor, for example.

33 Outline Introduction How do we write small? Information on a small scale Better electron microscopes The marvelous biological system Miniaturizing the computer Miniaturization by evaporation Problems of lubrication 100 tiny hands Rearranging the atoms Atoms in a small world Feynman Prizes

34 Feynman Prizes Information on the Feynman Prizes: Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology, Theory Ralph Merkle (Xerox PARC) Stephen Walch (ELORET at NASA Ames) For computational model of molecular tools for atomically-precise chemical reactions.