Science Talk

Guest

I have a design for a first-generation all-carbon nanofactory.

The basic structure is simple and could probably be built in the near-
term future using conventional nanoscale technology. The idea is quite
basically a two-dimensional array of perhaps millions of regularly-
spaced pits, shaped like the back-end of a DMS tooltip. These pits
could be constructed on a substrate wafer using e-beam lithography,
for example, or Patterned ALE techniques. If this wafer is then
immersed in a solution of DMS tooltips, the tooltips would presumably
self-assemble to nestle themselves inside these pits, creating an
array that can be used for mechanosynthesis. After being calibrated
for being parallel and uniform, this array would then accurately be
pushed down on a hydrogen-stripped diamond surface to place carbon
dimers, then retract, recharge, reposition, and continue the process.
The end result would be a large array of similar structures, detailed
down to the atomic level.

This system could obviously be used to build simple structures such as
nanostructured capacitors (NSC's), memory systems, and more. Most
importantly, it could be used to build the next generation nanofactory
- a true diamond mechanosynthesis system. How? By using it's massively
parallel properties to construct an array of nanotubes and such,
similar to a computer memory. However, instead of having each cell
filled with a memory unit, we fill it with a miniature electro-
statically controlled lever with 3 degrees of freedom and a DMS
tooltip on it. Voila - we have an array of perhaps millions of
independently-controllable carbon assemblers. By using external
control via a computer, and specially made initial materials, this
system could easily create relatively large structures of diamond that
are atomically-detailed. Nanocomputers and such would become possible
and practical - and perhaps more importantly, the nanofactory could be
made to replicate.

The process would be slow, of course, but it would again provide a
bridge to the next generation of nanotech - nanofactories involving
many kinds of tooltips, able to position many different kinds of
atoms.

I would enjoy any feedback on this idea.