Re: Moore's Law and DNA



Dirk Bruere at NeoPax wrote:
http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=219400214&cid=NL_eet

PORTLAND, Ore. � IBM Corp. researchers say they have harnessed DNA to
position nanoscale components like carbon nanotubes and silicon
nanowires into circuits 10 times smaller than can be achieved with
current lithographic techniques.

The new technique was invented by professor Paul "W. K." Rothemund, a
senior research associate at the California Institute of Technology
(CalTech, Pasedena). It was perfected by a team of 10 IBM scientists led
by Greg Wallraff, an IBM research scientist based in San Jose, Calif.

"The assembled DNA structures are relatively large--a hundred to 150
nanometers on an edge--but they are composed of strips of DNA that are
only about 2 nanometers tall," said Wallraff. "Once we put these
relatively large nanostructures down, then we can use them for component
assembly of, for example, silicon nanowires, carbon nanotubes and
quantum dots."

For their demonstration, IBM researchers used e-beam lithography to
create triangular-shaped patches on a relatively large substrate, about
130 nanometers on an edge. The patches matched the size of DNA
structures, each of which incorporated a pattern of hooks that could be
customized to hold future nanoscale components of the circuit.

"In principle, we can use 130-nanometer lithography to get down to
feature sizes that are much, much smaller," Wallraff claimed.

The DNA strands were customized by Rothemund to create a pattern of
chemical hooks to which nanoscale components will self-assemble into a
circuit. The sticky patches created by IBM on the substrate then
attracted the preassembled circuits, which automatically attached
themselves in the correct orientation.

By self-assembling the circuits atop the DNA strands in a solution, it
could eventually be possible to merely bath the substrate in the
solution, prompting circuits to automatically attach themselves.

"In a single drop of water, we assembled more than 100 billion copies of
the desired shape with a pattern on top to which components could be
attached," said Rothemund. "The spacing between the components can be as
small as 6 nanometers, giving you a resolution today that is about 10
times higher than the lithographic resolution we use today to make
computer chips."

So far, the team has demonstrated alignment of circuit assemblies onto
the sticky patches with an orientation accuracy of less than 10 degrees.
Remaining technical hurdles include attaching the components to the
hooks on DNA, interconnecting components on DNA strands and connecting
pre-assembled circuits.

"Alignment, registration and overlay is extremely critical, so we are
currently trying to understand what the tolerances are--how well we can
position these and realign them if they get a little off," said Wallraff.

The remaining engineering hurdles will take at least five years to
perfect into a process that could be commercialized, according to
Rothemund.
--
Dirk

Looks like a clever technique. Seems they have a means of
simulating the way natural processes evolve in building organic
structures.
With existing 100-60nm silicon etching tasting the laws of physics
with it's quantum leakage problems (a la the need for 2/4/8/16 core
micros) then there doesn't seem much payback to come with even smaller
structures.
Anyway, our damned technology is far too small and far too complex as
it is.
.

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