I.B.M. Researchers Advancing Computer Processing Ability

The New York Times ^ | August 31, 2007 | JOHN MARKOFF

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

An illustration of I.B.M.'s technique for storing data on a single atom. An iron atom on a copper surface could store a single bit of binary data, with "0" or "1" indicated by the orientation of the atom's magnetic field.

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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 30 — Researchers at I.B.M. laboratories say they have made progress toward storing information and computing at the level of individual atoms.

The scientists documented their work in two papers appearing on Friday in the journal Science. Both papers are focused on new understanding of the behavior of magnetism at the tiny scale of nanotechnology, where scientists hope to develop electronics made from components that are far smaller than today’s transistors and wires.

In one paper the researchers describe a technique for reading and writing digital ones and zeroes onto a handful of atoms, or even individual atoms. The second paper describes the ability to use a single molecule as a switch, replicating the behavior of today’s transistors.

The papers are the latest indication that computing technology is beginning to emerge that could replace today’s microelectronics materials in the next decade.

R. Stanley Williams, a Hewlett-Packard physicist, said this week that his group had begun manufacturing prototypes of a silicon chip that combines both conventional microelectronics and molecular scale components. Their first hybrid device is a circuit called a field programmable gate array, or F.P.G.A., using molecular-scale components as the configuration circuitry, an approach that will save tremendous space in the chip design.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[ShadowAce]

[postaldave]

the new york times? don’t make people read cool news from that rag.

you can read it here.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136665-c,futuretechnology/article.html

[Golden Eagle]

R. Stanley Williams, a Hewlett-Packard physicist, said this week that his group had begun manufacturing prototypes of a silicon chip that combines both conventional microelectronics and molecular scale components.

So this is another one of those articles where IBM got the headlines but HP is actually ahead on the technology?

[neverdem]

Thanks for posting the pic & links!

[neverdem]

Current-Induced Hydrogen Tautomerization and Conductance Switching of Naphthalocyanine Molecules

I believe this is the second abstract that they wanted to link.

[amchugh]

Good question. R. Stanley Williams is a HP fellow, and if you look at his research page I think (not that I'm a molecular physicist) that he's talking about nanoscale molecular structures rather than atomic level switches. Still impressive, but a different scale all together. If he was building the devices that the IBM researchers are talking about he'd probably be ten or fifteen years ahead on technology.

What's interesting about his research and IBM's research (and the reason he's using an FPGA) is that both technologies will require highly defect tolerant architectures. The initial few years at least of self-assembling nanomolecular components will involve several percent defects. This would cripple one of today's conventional chips, but an FPGA could be programmed to route around defects (given a sophisticated enough algorithm?)

[SunkenCiv]

I’ve done this, but hell, I couldn’t find the damned right atom.

[MarkL]

Does a single atom of iron have a magnetic field? Which brings up another question: Does the individual atom have this property, or is it a property of collections on atoms? And if that's the case, why is it that some elements are capable of magnetic attraction, like Fe, while others aren't, like Cu?

It's been far too long since I've had any chemistry or physics classes.

Mark

[amchugh]

I'm unclear on it myself, but this Wikipedia article on ferromagnetism explains it fairly well.