2. REFERENCES I.F. Akyildiz, F. Brunetti, and C. Blazquez,
"NanoNetworking: A New Communication Paradigm",
Computer Networks Journal, (Elsevier), June 2008.
F. Akyildiz and J. M. Jornet,
“Electromagnetic Wireless Nanosensor Networks”,
Nano Communication Networks Journal (Elsevier), May 2010. 2 2

3. Nanotechnology Study of the control of matter on an atomic
and molecular scale.
Enabling the miniaturization and fabrication
of devices in a scale ranging from one to a
few hundreds nanometers 3

4. Nanotechnology Diameter of human hair 20-200 µm Typical cell diameter
DNA double-helix diameter
2 nm
Carbon atoms bond length
0.145 nm 4

5. NANOMATERIALS: GRAPHENE, NANOTUBES & NANORIBBONS
Graphene: A one-atom-thick planar sheet of bonded carbon
atoms in a honeycomb crystal lattice.
* Carbon Nanotubes (CNT): A folded nano-ribbon (1991)
* Graphene Nanoribbons (GNR): A thin strip of graphene (2004) 5

6. NANOMATERIALS: GRAPHENE, NANOTUBES & NANORIBBONS
A graphene material sample used for testing its properties.
Ten graphene nanoribbons between a pair of electrodes
Courtesy of the Exploratory Nanoelectronics and Technology (ENT) Group, School of ECE, GaTech.

7. Nanomaterials: Graphene, Carbon Nanotubes & Nanoribbons
Their electrical and optical properties, analyzed in light of Quantum
Mechanics, offer:
* High current capacity + High thermal conductivity  Energy efficiency
* Extremely high mechanical strength  Robustness
* Very high sensitivity (all atoms are exposed)  Sensing capabilities
New opportunities for device-technology:
Nano-batteries, nano-memories, nano-processors,
nano-antennas, nano-tx, nano-rx.

8. Design of Nano-Devices8

9. Design of Nano-Machines
Bottom-Up
Top-Down
Bio-Hybrid
Main Challenge:
* Controlling the assembly
process
* Obtaining complex
structures.
Examples:
* Molecular self-assembly
* Molecular recognition.
Main Challenge: Achieve molecular
and atomic precision
Examples:
* Photolithography,
* Micro-contact
printing.
Main Challenge:
* Isolation of
biological
nano-machines
* Hybridization.
Examples:
Bacteria transport 9

10. DESIGN OF NANO-MACHINES
Nano-Material based Nano-Machines
Biologically Inspired Nano-Machines 10

11. POWER UNIT (NANO-BATTERIES)
Zinc Oxide Nano Wires
Improved power density, lifetime, and charge/discharge rates.
High density nano-wires
used for nano-batteries.

12. NANO-PROCESSOR * 45 nm transistor technology is already on the market
* 32 nm technology is around the corner
* World’s smallest transistor (2008) is based on a
thin strip of graphene just 1 atom x 10 atoms
(1 nm transistor)
World smallest transistor
Courtesy of Mesoscopic Physics group at the University of Manchester. 12

13. Graphene EM Nano-Transmitter
Signal Generator
Modulator
Power Amplifier
Antenna
Information
Can we develop an EM transmitter in the nano-scale in
light of molecular electronics?
Yes, we can do that consistently with physics laws!
It may take us some time !!

14. Graphene EM Nano-Receiver
Demodulator
LNA
Antenna
Information

15. NANO-MEMORY
Graphene-based micro-scale memories offer high density storage systems (e.g., 64 Gbits/cm2) 15

16. NANO-ANTENNAS Graphene can also be used to build antennas:
Using a single Carbon Nanotube (or a set of them):
a nano-dipole
Using a single Graphene Nanoribbon: a nano-patch
Atom-precise antennas

17. Propose, model and analyze a novel nano-antenna
A GRAPHENE-BASED NANO-ANTENNA J. M. Jornet and I.F. Akyildiz, “Graphene-based Nano-antennas for Electromagnetic Nanocommunications in the Terahertz Band”, in Proc. of 4th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, (EUCAP), April 2010.
Propose, model and analyze a novel nano-antenna
design based on a metallic multi-conducting band
Graphene Nanoribbon (GNR) and resembling a nano-
patch antenna.

18. OUR CONTRIBUTIONS
Developed a quantum mechanical framework to model the
transmission line properties of GrapheneNanoRibbons:
Contact resistance
Quantum capacitance
Kinetic inductance
as a function of different design variables
Ribbon dimensions
System temperature
System energy

19. WHAT DID WE LEARN?
Graphene can be used to manufacture nano-antennas with atomic precision.
Using nano-antennas, EM waves will be radiated
in the Terahertz Band ( THz):
New opportunities for electromagnetic nano-scale communications
New opportunities for Terahertz technology.

20. DESIGN OF NANO-MACHINES
Nano-Material based Nano- Machines
Biologically Inspired Nano-Machines 20 20

21. BIOLOGICAL NANO-MACHINES
I.F. Akyildiz, F. Brunetti, and C. Blazquez,
"NanoNetworking: A New Communication Paradigm",
Computer Networks Journal, (Elsevier), June 2008.
A CELL
The most sophisticated existing
nano-machine:
Efficient energy consumption +
Harvesting Mechanisms
Multi-task computing + DNA processing
Multi-sensing + Actuation

22. BIOLOGICAL NANO-MACHINES: POWER
CELLULAR RESPIRATION
Cell gains useful energy.
By combining
Glucose
Amino Acids
Fatty Acids
Oxygen
The cell obtains energy which is used to
synthesize Adenosine TriPhosphate or ATP 22

23. HOW ABOUT AN ATP BATTERY?
Mitochondria: a membrane enclosed
organelle found in most eukaryotic cells.
** They generate most of the ATP per
cell.
** Only present in eukaryotic cells.

24. BIOLOGICAL NANO-MACHINE: PROCESSOR/MEMORY
Cells pose a good example of multi-tasking processors.
In each cell, the “instructions” are contained in the
genes, which are portions of DNA.
Enzymes are bio-molecules that catalyze (trigger) the
expression of a gene -> DNA processors.

25. BIOLOGICAL NANO-MACHINE PROCESSOR/MEMORY
DNA: A nucleic acid that contains the instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms.
The manipulation of DNA or
Hybridization will allow us to
obtain user-defined biological
Nano-machines

26. BIOLOGICAL NANO-MACHINE: TRANSCEIVER: EMISSION PROCESS
A cell (the transmitter) synthesizes and releases in the medium
molecules (proteins), as a result of the expression of a DNA sequence.

27. BIOLOGICAL NANO-MACHINE: RECEIVER: RECEPTION PROCESS
Another cell (the receiver) captures those molecules and creates an internal
chemical pathway that triggers the expression of other DNA sequences.

28. BIOLOGICAL NANO-MACHINE: RECEIVER: RECEPTION PROCESS

29. BIOLOGICAL NANO-MACHINE: RECEIVER: RECEPTION PROCESS
Receptor-ligand binding:
A ligand is a substance that is able to
bind to and form a complex with a
bio-molecule to serve a biological
purpose
A receptor is a protein molecule,
embedded in either the plasma membrane or the cytoplasm of a cell.

30. BIOLOGICAL NANO-MACHINE: PHEROMONE ANTENNA
Ll. Parcerisa and I.F. Akyildiz, "Molecular Communication Options for Long Range Nanonetworks“, Computer Networks (Elsevier) Journal, Fall 2009.
Pheromones are bigger molecules externally released by plants, insects and other animals that trigger specific behaviors among the receptor members of the same species.

31. Molecular Communication for Biological Nano-Networks
NANO-COMMUNICATION PARADIGMS
EM Based Communication for Nano-Material Based Nano-Networks
Molecular Communication for Biological
Nano-Networks 31

32. TERAHERTZ BAND FOR EM BASED NANO-NETWORKS
J.M. Jornet and I.F. Akyildiz,
“Channel Capacity of Electromagnetic Nanonetworks in the
Terahertz Band”, in Proc. of IEEE ICC, Cape Town, South Africa, 2010.
Developed an Attenuation and Noise model for EM communications in the Terahertz Band ( THz)
Uniqueness of the Terahertz band:
* Terahertz channel is seriously affected by the
presence of different molecules present in the medium
* High molecular absorption attenuates the travelling
wave and introduces noise into the channel

33. PATH-LOSS Determined by:
Spreading Loss: accounts for the attenuation due to the expansion of the wave as it propagates through the medium.
Absorption Loss: accounts for the attenuation due to molecular absorption.

34. SPREADING LOSS
Depends on the frequency of the wave f and the total path length d:
A dominant term in the total path loss computation !!

35. ABSORPTION LOSS Molecular composition of the channel:
where τ is the transmittance of the medium and accounts
for the molecular absorption of the channel;
i.e., measures the amount of radiation that is able to pass through the medium. 35

36. MOLECULAR ABSORPTION
Using Beer-Lambert law we obtain the transmittance of the medium τ as:
where f is the wave frequency
d is the path length
P0 is the output power
Pi isthe input power, and
k is the medium absorption coefficient.

37. MOLECULAR ABSORPTION
Medium absorption coefficient k depends on the particular mixture of particles found along the channel:
where f is frequency
ki,g is absorption coefficient of each isotopologue i of a gas g.
e.g., Air in an office is mainly composed of
* Nitrogen (78.1%)
* Oxygen (20.9%) and
* Water vapor (0.1-10%). 37

38. MOLECULAR ABSORPTION
Absorption coefficient of a specific isotopologue i of a gas g
where

39. MOLECULAR ABSORPTION
For a given gas mixture, the volumetric water density can be obtained from the ideal gas laws equation as:
where
For example, with a 10% of water vapor, one molecule of H2O is found every 1 µm3

40. MOLECULAR ABSORPTION
Absorption cross section can be further decomposed in * the absorption line intensity Si,g and * the absorption line shape Gi,g:
Si,g depends on the type of molecules.
We obtain this value from the HITRAN database. 40

41. MOLECULAR ABSORPTION
The continuum absorption is obtained from Van Vleck-Weisskopf assymetric line shape
where h is the Planck Constant
c is the speed of light in vacuum
kb ithe Boltzmann constant and
αLi,g is the broadening coefficient. 41

42. NOISE
The total noise at the receiver will be mainly contributed by:
Electronic noise: predictably low due to large Mean Free Path of electrons in graphene, more accurate models are needed.
Molecular noise: which also appears due to molecular absorption.

43. WHAT DID WE LEARN? * the transmission distance
Terahertz communication channel has a strong dependence on
* the transmission distance
* medium molecular composition.
Main factor affecting the performance of the Terahertz band
 the presence of water vapor molecules.
Terahertz frequency band offers incredibly huge bandwidths for short range (less than 1m) deployed nano-networks

44. Total Path Loss We can certainly not go further
For the middle range, there are several windows TENTHS OF GIGAHERTZS WIDE. Can we exploit this? Maybe not nano… but micro?
The almost absence of molecules in short distance does simplify everything in the short range.

45. MOLECULAR NOISE TEMPERATURE IN THE TERAHERTZ BAND
NUMERICAL RESULTS
MOLECULAR NOISE TEMPERATURE IN THE TERAHERTZ BAND

46. TERAHERTZ COMMUNICATIONS
Some novel properties:
Extreme large bandwidths
The noise in the terahertz band is neither additive nor white.

47. RESEARCH CHALLENGES IN TERAHERTZ COMMUNICATIONS
Accurate channel models accounting for molecular absorption, molecular noise, multi-path, etc.
New communication techniques
(e.g., sub-picosecond or femtosecond long pulses, multicarrier modulations, MIMO boosted with large integration of nano-antennas?).
This band is still not regulated, we can contribute to the development of future communication standards in THz band.

48. RESEARCH CHALLENGES IN TERAHERTZ COMMUNICATIONS
New information encoding techniques, definition of new codes tailored to the channel characteristics (time varying channel, non white noise).
Frame and packet size, synchronization issues, transceivers architectures, etc. need to be defined.
Network topology issues, network connectivity, network capacity, how are they affected by the channel?

49. RESEARCH CHALLENGES IN TERAHERTZ COMMUNICATIONS
New MACs exploiting the properties of the THz band
(e.g., collisions among femtosecond pulses may be negligible,
OFDMA may be useful in such big bandwidths).
New routing protocols and transport layer solutions for reliable transport in terahertz networks. Cross-layer solutions?
What are the applications enabled by this huge bandwidth? 49

50. COMMUNICATION PARADIGMS FOR NANO-NETWORKS
EM Based
Communication for
Nano-Machines
Molecular Communication for Nano-Machines 50

51. A Possible Solution: Molecular Communication
Defined as the transmission and reception of
information encoded in molecules
A new and interdisciplinary field that spans nano, ece, cs, bio, physics, chemistry, medicine, and information technologies 51

52. Nanonetworks vs Traditional Communication Networks
Molecular Communication 52

53. Molecular Communication
Short Range (nm to µm)
Medium Range (µm to mm)
Long Range (mm to m)
Wired
Wireless
Wireless
Wired
Wireless
Ion
Signaling
(e.g., calcium, sodium, potassium, chlorine)
Pheromones Light transduction Pollen/Spores
Molecular Motors
Flagellated
Bacteria Catalytic
Nanomotors
Axons
Capillaries 53

54. Short-Range Communication
Molecular Motors
(Wired)
Calcium Ions
(Wireless) 54

55. Short-Range Communication using Molecular Motors
What is a Molecular Motor?
Is a protein or a protein complex that transforms chemical energy into mechanical work at a molecular scale
Has the ability to move molecules 55

56. Short-Range Communication using Molecular Motors
* Found in eukaryotic cells in living organisms
* Molecular motors travel or move along molecular
rails called microtubules
* Movement created by molecular motors can be
used to transport information molecules 56

57. Short-Range Communication using Molecular Motors57

58. Short-Range Communication using Molecular Motors
Encapsulation of information:
Information can be encapsulated in vesicles.
A vesicle is a fluid or an air-filled cavity that can store or digest cell products. 58

59. Short-Range Communication using Molecular Motors
Encoding
Transmission
Propagation
Reception
Decoding
Select the right molecules that represent information
Attach the information packet to the molecular motor
Information molecules
are detached from molecular motors
Receiver nano-machine invokes the desired reaction according to the received information
Microtubules (molecular rails) restrict the movement to themselves 59

60. Short-Range Communication using Calcium Signaling
Two Different Deployment Scenarios
Direct Access
Indirect Access
Exchange of information among
cells located next to each other
Cells deployed separately
without any physical contact 60

61. Short-Range Communication using Calcium Signaling
Direct Access: Ca2+signal travel through gates 61

62. Short-Range Communication using Calcium Signaling
Gap Junctions: Biological gates that allow different molecules and
ions to pass freely between cells (membranes). 62

63. Short-Range Communication using Calcium Signaling
Indirect Access:
Transmitter nano-machine release information molecules to the the medium.
Generate a Ca2+ at the receiver nano-machine. 63

64. Short-Range Communication using Calcium Signaling
Encoding
Transmission
Signal Propagation
Reception
Decoding
Information is
encoded in Ca2+
Involves the signaling initiation
Propagation of the Ca2+ waves
Receiver perceives the Ca2+ concentration
Receiver nano-machine reacts to the Ca2+ concentration 64 64

65. Problems of Short Range Molecular Communication
Molecular Motors:
Molecular motors velocity is 500 nm/s
They detach of the microtubule and diffuse away when they
have moved distances in the order of 1 µm
Development of a proper network infrastructure of microtubules
is required
Molecular motors move in a unidirectional way through the
microtubules
 very long communication delays ! 65

66. Problems of Short Range Molecular Communication
Calcium Signaling
Very high delays for longer (more than few µm) distances 66

67. Medium Range Molecular Communication M. Gregori and I. F
Medium Range Molecular Communication M. Gregori and I. F. Akyildiz, "A New NanoNetwork Architecture using Flagellated Bacteria and Catalytic Nanomotors," IEEE JSAC (Journal of Selected Areas in Communications), May 2010
Flagellated
bacteria
Catalytic
nanomotors
Pheromones
Pollen & Spores
Ion Signaling
Molecular Motors 67

68. Medium Range Molecular Communication: Flagellated Bacteria
Bacteria are microorganisms composed only by one prokaryotic cell.
Flagellum allows them to convert chemical energy into motion.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) has between 4 and 10 flagella, which are moved by rotary motors, fuelled by chemical compounds.
E. coli bacteria is approximately 2 µm long and 1 µm in diameter. 68 68

69. Medium-Range Communication using Flagellated Bacteria
Information is expressed as a set of DNA base pairs, the DNA packet, which is inserted in a plasmid.
Encoding
Transmission
Propagation
Reception
Decoding
DNA packet is
introduced inside the
bacteria’s cytoplasm,
using:
Plasmids
Bacteriophages
Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs)
Bacteria sense gradients of
attractant particles.
They move towards the direction and
finds more attractants (chemotaxis).
The receiver releases attractants so the bacteria can reach it.
DNA packet is extracted from the plasmid using:
Restriction endonucleases enzymes 69 69

70. Why Bacterial Communication?
Spans medium range to long range (μm to tens of cm)
No need of infrastructure
Better than molecular motors
Reliable transfer of huge amount of information
Up to 100Kbyte per bacteria (400K base pairs) using a plasmid.

71. Objective
Analyze the communications aspects of flagellated bacteria-based information transport
Delay and range
And relation with other parameters (receiver size, bacteria speed, bacteria run period)
How? Simulation!!
Others: routing, coding

72. Why Simulation? Bacteria perform BIASED RANDOM WALK
Moves more or less randomly, but tends to climb concentration gradients of attractants
We simulate a bacteria that
Starts swimming in a random direction
Starts at given distance from spherical receptor of certain size
Delay  time to reach the receptor
Range  maximum distance

73. Simulation Model
acterium RUNS or TUMBLES

74. Medium Range Molecular Communication: Catalytic Nanomotors (Nanorods)
Au/Ni/Au/Ni/Pt striped nanorods are catalytic nanomotors,
1.3 µm long and 400 nm on diameter,
can be externally directed by applying magnetic fields.
We propose to use them as a carrier to transport the DNA
information among nano-sensors 74 74

75. Medium-Range Communication using Catalytic Nanomotors
Information is expressed as a set of DNA base pairs, the DNA packet, which is inserted in a plasmid.
Encoding
Transmission
Propagation
Reception
Decoding
Nanorods are introduced in a solution of AEDP
AEDP binds with the Nickel segments
DNA packets (plasmids) are attached to nanorods
CaCl2 solution is used in order to compress and immobilize the plasmid
Magnetic Fields guide the nanorod to the receiver
DNA packet is extracted from the plasmid using:
Restriction endonucleases enzymes 75 75

76. Long-Range Communication using Pheromones L. Parcerisa and I. F
Long-Range Communication using Pheromones L. Parcerisa and I.F. Akyildiz, "Molecular Communication Options for Long Range Nanonetworks“, Computer Networks (Elsevier) Journal, Fall 2009
Features:
Communication Range
mm - m
Medium
Wet and dry
Carrier
Pheromones
Pollen & Spores 76 76

77. Long-Range Communication using Pheromones
Communication Features: 77 77

78. Long-Range Communication using Pheromones
Encoding
Transmission
Signal Propagation
Reception
Decoding
Pheremones are diffused into the medium
Selection of the specific pheromones to transmit the information and produce the reaction at the intended receiver
Releasing the pheromones through liquids or gases
Pheremones bind to the Receptor
Interpretation of the information
(Different pheremones trigger different reactions) 78 78

79. Research Challenges in Nano-Networks
Development of nano-machines, testbeds and simulation tools
Information Theoretical Approach
Architectures and Communication Protocols 79

80. MOLECULE DIFFUSION CHANNEL MODEL M. Pierobon, and I. F
MOLECULE DIFFUSION CHANNEL MODEL M. Pierobon, and I. F. Akyildiz, ``A Physical Channel Model for Molecular Communication in Nanonetworks,’’
IEEE JSAC (Journal of Selected Areas in Communications), May 2010.
Molecule Diffusion Communication: Exchange of information
encoded in the concentration variations of molecules. RN TN
Emission process
Diffusion process
Reception process 80

81. END-TO-END

82. Derivation of DELAY and ATTENUATION
OBJECTIVE OF THE PHYSICAL CHANNEL MODEL
Derivation of DELAY and ATTENUATION
as functions of the frequency and the transmission range
Non-linear attenuation with respect to the frequency
Distortion due to delay dispersion 82

83. Transmitter MODELING CHALLENGES FOR THE PHYSICAL CHANNEL
How chemical reactions allow the modulation of molecule concentrations as
transmission signals ?
Propagation
How the “particle diffusion” controls the propagation of modulated
concentrations ?
Receiver
How chemical reactions allow to sense the modulated molecule concentrations
from the environment and translate them into received signals ? 83

84. Transmitter Model MOLECULE DIFFUSION CHANNEL MODEL
Design of a chemical actuator scheme (chemical
transmitting antenna)
Analytical modeling of the chemical reactions involved in
an actuator
Signal to be transmitted  Modulated concentration 84

85. Propagation Model MOLECULE DIFFUSION CHANNEL MODEL
Solution of the diffusion physical laws (FICK’s First and Second
Laws (1855)) in the presence of an external concentration
modulation
Modulated concentration  Space-time concentration evolution 85

86. Receiver Model MOLECULE DIFFUSION CHANNEL MODEL
Design of a chemical receptor scheme (chemical receiving antenna)
Analytical modeling of the chemical reactions involved in a
receptor
Propagated modulated concentration  Received signal 86

87. Capacity Throughput FURTHER RESEARCH CHALLENGES FOR CHANNEL MODEL
Noise
Capacity
Throughput 87

88. FINAL GOAL OF MOLECULAR COMMUNICATION RESEARCH
Physical Channel Model
How information is transmitted, propagated and received
when a molecular carrier is used
Noise Representation
How can be physically and mathematically expressed the
noise affected information transmitted through molecular
communication
Information Encoding/Decoding
Concentration
Chemical structure
Encapsulation
Molecular Channel Capacity 88