Week 8: Nanotechnology and Art

Nanotechnology, the manipulation of matter on an atomic scale, has been revolutionizing the world of art and technology for decades.

Silicon

Silicon, a tetravalent metalliod, perhaps the most important element in the world of nanotechnology, is contained in virtually all electronic devices we use today.

The idea of “making things smaller” is powered by advances in nanotechnology leading to more appealing devices for consumers like you and I. Take for example the very first computer which was so large that it took over an entire room.

The first computer

Today, our computers are much much smaller.

This MacBook is a lot smaller than the first computer

Silicon Transitor

Silicon transitors are the secret behind all electronic devices. Today, we are able to “shrink” these silicon transitors to very small surface areas. Amazingly, silicon can be cut into millions and millions of tiny pieces and still contain the same anatomical functioning. One inch of a silicon chip can contain billions and billions of silicon transitors (measured in nanometers).

To make computers even smaller, developers are beginning to stack the silicon transitors on top of each other. They are unable to make the transitors any smaller than they are. Transitors that sit side by side in long rows will leak electricity; therefore, by stacking the transitors, developers can decrease the surface area while increases the number                                                            of transitors per chip.

The MacBook Air is an example of "stacking transitors" 

Nanotechnology is also transforming the medical world. Capsule endoscopies containing microscopic (at the nanometer level) components can take up to 80,000 flashed photographs of a patient’s digestive tract. These “camera pills” prevent patients from having to undergo an uncomfortable procedure and provide even more  accurate results than an endoscopic procedure.   

 

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References:

1. Capsule Endoscopy: http://www.uwhealth.org/healthfacts/B_EXTRANET_HEALTH_INFORMATION-FlexMember-Show_Public_HFFY_1126655482354.html

2. Nanotechnology; “Making Things Smaller”: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/making-stuff.html#making-stuff-smaller

3. The First Silicon Transistor: http://www.pbs.org/transistor/science/events/silicont1.html

4.  Transisor’s without semiconductors: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130621121015.htm

5. History of Computers (Big to Small): http://history.msu.edu/hst250/2012/05/23/computers-from-big-to-small-2/