Nanotechnology

This is the HTML version of the slides from a talk given at Xerox PARC on March 12 1998.

The audio of the talk is available as a RealAudio file, so you can simultaneously view the slides on your web browser while listening to the talk.

The Power Point 97 version of the talk is also available


Click here to start


Table of Contents

Nanotechnology

See http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/talks for an index of talks

Sixth Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology November 12-15 Santa Clara, CA www.foresight.org/Conferences

PPT Slide

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

PPT Slide

PPT Slide

PPT Slide

PPT Slide

We’ll start a major project to develop nanotechnology when we answer “yes” to three questions:

PPT Slide

Two more fundamental ideas

PPT Slide

PPT Slide

Illustration of an assembler

PPT Slide

A C program that prints out an exact copy of itself

PPT Slide

How cheap?

How strong?

How long?

Developmental pathways

PPT Slide

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

Molecular tools

Synthesis of diamond today: diamond CVD

PPT Slide

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

PPT Slide

PPT Slide

A revolution in medicine

PPT Slide

Clinical trials to evaluate cryonics

Today’s choice: would you rather join

PPT Slide

Nanotechnology and energy

Nanotechnology and the environment

PPT Slide

Author: Ralph C. Merkle

Email: merkle@xerox.com

Home Page: www.ralphmerkle.com