Thirty Essential Nanotechnology Studies - #7
Overview of all studies: Because of the largely
unexpected transformational power of molecular manufacturing, it is urgent to
understand the issues raised. To date, there has not been anything approaching
an adequate study of these issues. CRN's recommended series of
thirty essential studies
is organized into five sections, covering fundamental theory, possible
technological capabilities, bootstrapping potential, product capabilities, and
policy questions. Several preliminary conclusions are stated, and because our
understanding points to a crisis, a parallel process of conducting the studies
is urged.
CRN is actively looking for researchers interested in
performing or assisting with this work. Please contact CRN Research Director
Chris Phoenix if you would like more information or if you have comments on
the proposed studies.
| Study #7 |
What
applicable sensing, manipulation, and fabrication tools exist? |
| |
Development
efforts will be aided by the ability to directly interact with the
nanoscale, to manipulate nanoscale objects and to sense nanoscale
structures. In particular, a combination of sensing and manipulation in the
same platform will be very helpful. |
| Subquestion |
What
nanometer or angstrom-level sensing modalities exist or can be developed for
off-the-shelf use? In particular, can sub-wavelength nanometer-scale optical
non-proximal video imaging be developed? |
| Preliminary answer |
Sensing at the
nanoscale has been difficult, because traditional optics can't 'see' smaller
than a few hundred nanometers. However, a variety of sub-wavelength
technologies do exist. For example, two-part fluorescent systems can detect
nanometer displacements. Electron microscopes can image down to angstrom
levels. Scanning proximal near-field technologies can bypass the diffraction
limit. Other scanning technologies can reach atomic resolution (AFM, STM,
even MFM). Most interestingly, it appears that near-field effects can be
extracted and detected, allowing parallel (video-like) 3D non-proximal
imaging of nanometer-scale features. AngstroVision claims to have
developed a system that can detect 12x12x4 nm at 1-3 frames per second.
NASA has also
published theoretical work leading to a sub-wavelength non-proximal
imaging system using incoherent light. |
| Subquestion |
What
manipulation technologies exist or can be developed for off-the-shelf use? |
| Preliminary answer |
For positioning:
piezo-driven probes; optical tweezers. For gripping: antibodies; recent work
on engineering RNA to grip arbitrary shape; perhaps EBD-fabricated tweezers. |
| Subquestion |
What
combinations of sensing and manipulation can be integrated? |
| Preliminary answer |
Piezo probes have
been placed inside a SEM and integrated with EBD in Denmark. AngstroVision
claims
their system will work in a shirtsleeve environment; possibly in
conjunction with optical tweezers. |
| Subquestion |
What
environments can be supported by the various techniques and combinations?
High temperature, room temperature, low/cryogenic temperature? High vacuum?
Solvated? Micro environments (e.g. droplets)? |
| Preliminary answer |
Detailed
engineering studies are needed here. |
| Subquestion |
What
nano-fabrication technologies exist or can be developed for off-the-shelf
use? (Special attention should be given to technologies that produce rapid
and low-cost results.) |
| Preliminary answer |
Direct-write
lithography: laser, e-beam, dip-pen nanolithography (DPN). Gel deposition,
possibly with glass precursor coating/baking for further miniaturization. 3D
Inkjet? Chemistry plus self-assembly: a very large field with lots of
possibilities. Nanotube welding. Electron beam deposition (EBD). Et cetera. |
| Subquestion |
What are
compatible combinations of nano-fabrication and real-time sensing? What
nano-fabrication technologies are well enough modeled for reliable
CAD-to-product workflow? |
| Preliminary answer |
EBD and nanotube
welding with SEM. Chemistry with fluorescence and maybe with non-proximal
near-field imaging as described above. DPN with scanning tactile
probe. Unknown what technologies are compatible with CAD-to-product; to some
extent this depends on the required product characteristics. But note that a
major DPN manufacturer is now selling text-writing software. |
| Subquestion |
What
handling technologies exist for moving samples between environments and/or
locations efficiently? |
| Preliminary answer |
Unknown. |
| Subquestion |
Which of
these technologies is compatible with automation and/or high throughput? |
| Preliminary answer |
Unknown. Probably
most are compatible with automation. Chemistry plus self-assembly is
generally compatible with high throughput. |
| Conclusion |
Many relevant fabrication and sensing tools exist off-the-shelf.
Single-nanometer optical open-air video imaging is a strong possibility.
Chemistry and lithography (bottom-up and top-down) have already met in the
middle.
|
| Other studies |
1.
Is
mechanically guided chemistry a viable basis for a manufacturing technology?
2. To what extent is molecular manufacturing counterintuitive and
underappreciated in a way that causes underestimation of its importance?
3. What is
the performance and potential of diamondoid machine-phase chemical
manufacturing and products?
4. What is the performance and potential of biological programmable
manufacturing and products?
5. What is the performance and potential of nucleic acid
manufacturing and products?
6. What other chemistries and options should be studied?
8. What will be required to develop diamondoid machine-phase chemical
manufacturing and products?
9. What will be required to develop biological programmable
manufacturing and products?
10. What will be required to develop nucleic acid manufacturing and
products?
11. How rapidly will the cost of development decrease?
12. How could an effective development program be structured?
13. What is
the probable capability of the manufacturing system?
14. How capable will the products be?
15. What will the products cost?
16. How rapidly could products be designed?
17. Which
of today's products will the system make more accessible or cheaper?
18. What new products will the system make accessible?
19. What impact will the system have on production and distribution?
20. What effect will molecular manufacturing have on military and
government capability and planning, considering the implications of arms
races and unbalanced development?
21. What effect will this have on macro- and microeconomics?
22. How can proliferation and use of nanofactories and their products
be limited?
23. What effect will this have on policing?
24. What beneficial or desirable effects could this have?
25. What effect could this have on civil rights and liberties?
26. What are the disaster/disruption scenarios?
27. What effect could this have on geopolitics?
28. What policies toward development of molecular manufacturing does
all this suggest?
29. What policies toward administration of
molecular manufacturing does all this suggest?
30. How can appropriate policy be made and implemented?
|
| Studies should begin
immediately. |
The situation is
extremely urgent. The stakes are unprecedented, and the world is unprepared.
The basic findings of these studies should be verified as rapidly as
possible (months, not years). Policy preparation and planning for
implementation, likely including a crash development program, should begin
immediately. |
