Slashdot Mirror
Low-Cost Micromachine Writes Calligraphy With Atoms
ckwu writes "Scientists at Boston University have put together an inexpensive microelectromechanical machine that can direct atoms onto a surface in a controlled manner (abstract). The device—which acts as a moving stencil—can lay down such precise, complex patterns that the technique is akin to writing with atoms, the researchers say. They've used the machine to draw rings and infinity symbols out of gold atoms, but the technique should be compatible with almost any material."
That sounds so much cooler than the Star Wars Micromachines I had when I was a kid...
what impact has this on lithography and semiconductors industry?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dip-pen_nanolithography
Was pioneered by a Northwestern professor years ago. He is the world's foremost expert on nanotechnology and the most cited living scientist (also one of the most cited scientists, dead or alive)
First implication comes to my mind is data storage. Since we can move atoms the way we want we can shape them to store info. That means we can have DNA/Brain efficiency or more to store data.
It's only a matter of time and effort until we have a live-action nano-scale version of Minecraft.
To the ability of rearranging protons and neutrons on a nucleus.
And so it begins.
Printing 3D structures on an atomic (or even molecular) will make current 3D printing tech look like play-dough. Scale this up, and even printing food isn't too inconceivable.
Why OpalCalc is the best Windows calc
Instead of waiting 5 hours to print your Yoda head, you can print it in mere decades.
The upside, you won't have layer lines, and you can choose materials other than PLA and ABS.
"Lame" - Galaxar
I own a ballpoint pen that writes with a mixture of ions and molecules. It's made by Bic. The same company also makes tiny portable plasma generators called lighters.
Since this is low cost, can it replace some of the calligraphers that the White House hires (at over $270K per year)?
Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
This is old news? http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/drive_to_discover&id=6755677
It's an interesting machine, with it's shutter. Here's a direct link to the paper: http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1304/1304.1334.pdf I hate exaggeration in sci news, (50 nm)^3 is a minimum spot size of about 10,000,000 atoms, or 50,000 of atoms if they do a single atom thick deposition. Also, Standard FIBs can already deposit gold and other things using a deposition gas injector, with similar resolution and speed, and no aperture to clog. A Russian group drew images of characters in a similar way in 2006, with apertures, with the same resolution. ("Atom 'Pinhole Camera' with Nanometer Resolution" [Russian translation: actually a pinhole lithographic projector], V.I.Balykin et al, link: www.researchgate.net/publication/226645891_Atom_pinhole_camera_with_nanometer_resolution/file/d912f50a8a891ad5e2.pdf)
We come back full circle to punch cards.
Really?
The first thing I thought of was "this will be HUGE for 3d printing."
Now that you mention it, I would love to print out my own USB sticks at whatever size I want!
And 10 years later, Slashdot will report that the Boston University is suing, again.
Well it is, as long as you've got (free) access to a Focused Ion Beam... Problem his that kind of hardware costs something like a million euro...