Nanotechnology allows for smaller transistors, memory, and circuitry in electronics by building components at the nanoscale. Moore's Law describes how the number of transistors on a chip doubles every two years. Instead of assembling larger transistors, nanoscale transistors are grown together on silicon wafers. This has increased computer processing speed while decreasing costs. Nanotechnology also enables far smaller and cheaper computer memory storage. It could allow 1000GB of memory to fit on a pinhead. It is used in transparent electrodes for thin, clear displays. Electron microscopes are needed to view nanoscale circuits.

2. Electronics and Computers
Nanotechnology Makes:
 Smaller Transistors
 Smaller Memory
 Smaller Circuitry

3. Nanotechnology
in Computer Processing
Moore’s Law

4.  Moore’s Law describes a trend of technology. It
states that the number of transistors that can be
put on a single chip will double every two years

6.  Instead of making transistor components and
assembling them on a board, nanoscale transistors are
grown together on a silicon wafer. They look much
different from the traditional transistors
NANO TRANSISTOR
TRANSISTORS

7. The human brain has about 100
billion neurons.
Each neuron has thousands of
synapses.
The newest processors have only
two billion transistors.

8. Because of
nanotechnology,
the speed of
computers has
increased while
the price of
computing has
decreased

9. Nanotechnology
in Memory and Storage

10.  This is a 2 gigabyte hard drive. It weighs about 70
pounds. It was first used in the 1980s. Its cost at that
time ranged from $80,000 to $140,000.

11. 2 GB in 1980s
$80,000
2 GB in 1990s
$200
2 GB in 2010
$5

12. Current research
shows that by
using
nanotechnoloy
,1000GB of
memory
can fit on the
head of
this pin. 1000 GB
is
1 Terabyte.

13. Nanotechnology
in Displays

14. Nanotubes are small
enough that
they cannot
be seen,
so they can be
great
conductors
to be used as
transparent
contacts.
These layers contain transparent electrodes

15. Carbon nanotubes on
a glass or plastic
sheet allow
manufacturers to
make clear
conductive panels
for displays that are
extremely thin

17. Nanotechnology
in Circuitry
How do we see these circuits?

18. To see the
circuitry,
researchers use
an electron
microscope or an
atomic force
microscope.
This image shows
different levels of
a circuit.

19. In the Nano
Electronics
Activity,
you will
download
the virtual
microscope
from the
University
of Illinois
website.
It allows you to
explore samples
with an SEM
and AFM.

20. This is a
scanning
electron
Microscope
image of an
accelerometer.
You can use the
controls to
Zoom in, pan,
and take
measurements

21. Choose the
integrated
circuit.
Change the
color
scheme to HSV.
Use the scroll
wheel on the
mouse to zoom
in and out.
Toggle the AFM
and draw a box
on the chip to
show the 3D
view
of that part of
the
circuit

22. Drag the scale tool
in the locations on
the chip to record
the measurements.
Drag the height
tool between
locations on the
chip to record
the measurements.