ULTIMATE COMPUTING - Quantum Consciousness Studies

206 NanoTechnology
Arrays of nanoscale electrodes or STM tips comprising sub-micron scale
assemblies may be extremely useful if their position can be precisely and rapidly
regulated. Schneiker (1987) has suggested that optimal utilization of piezoceramic
materials may be used for parallel scanning of nanoscale arrays. The
piezo-ceramic “biomorph-bender” described by Dieter Pohl and colleagues
(1986) ‘may be used to manipulate such arrays for fast parallel reading and
writing of nanoscale array chips for mass storage and processing of information
(Figures 10.14 and 10.15, Schneiker, 1987).
STM/FMs could be used for more conventional ultraprecise circuit or
component trimming and repair operations. The extremely accurate positioning
systems of STM/FM could be exploited for minimal scale wirebonding systems.
Other STM derived applications could include inspection of, and electrical and
mechanical interfacing to, superlattice quantum well devices or “quantum dot”
devices on the scale of cubic nanomenters. In 1959 Feynman noted that using his
strategy it should eventually be possible to make what are now called
superlattices and that they would probably have some very interesting properties
(Feynman, 1961). Even though STM/FMs may not ultimately be used to mass
produce such devices, they could be used to construct prototypes, help
characterize test devices, and be used to optimize them. STM tip induced
sputtering (Binnig, Gerber, Rohrer and Weibel, 1985) might be used to etch or
mill ultrafine conductors for such devices. The availability of even small numbers
of such extremely high performance devices would have great instrumentation
value as interfaces and transducers (Figures 10.16 thru 10.19).
Computing components each consisting of a few atoms might use quantized
energy levels or spin effects (Feynman, 1960); if such devices could be designed
and assembled, they could be thousands of times faster than conventional devices
used in today’s computers. Other aspects of quantum computers are discussed in
Maddox (1985), and other interesting references may be found in Schneiker
(1986). Efficiently interfacing these and other such devices to the outside world in
a manner that can effectively utilize their potential computing bandwidth presents
some interesting problems in clocking, input/output, and other areas. Schneiker
claims that the optical electronics technology suggested by Javan (1985, 1986)
might be useful in these and other nanoapplications as well. Using micro and
nano-antennas coupled to laser radiation, intense, localized high frequency
electric fields modulated by the laser beam’s intensity, phase, and polarization
could control and power arrays of STM/FM constructed nanoscale devices. This
same idea could be used to control, power, and communicate with swarms of
mobile nanorobots.