Nanotech could be big force in economy- Boise forum to focus on possibilities

It´s like comparing an ant to the state of Texas, and it has the potential to change the world.

Welcome to the world of nanotechnology, an emerging technology so small that it can´t be viewed by human eyes. The ultra-tiny technology with a huge impact will be the subject of a Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce forum Wednesday.

Ken Dey
The Idaho Statesman

Nanotechnology is defined as the research, testing, measuring and manufacturing at the molecular and atomic level or the ability to more precisely manipulate molecules in the manufacturing process to build products that are cleaner, stronger, lighter, more precise and, of course, very small.

“Nanotechnology can really be a great economic force to drive the economy forward and a great force to improve the standard of living,” said Mark Durcan, chief technical officer and vice president of research & development at Micron Technology Inc. and one of the featured speakers at the chamber forum.

Grasping the concept of nanotechnology isn´t easy, given its size. Nano-engineered objects are so small they are only visible through a microscope. They´re measured on the scale of a nanometer, or billionth of a meter, hence the ant analogy.

“It´s a new way of approaching how we go about building things, and for society that can have long- and far-reaching implications,” Durcan said. “We´ll be doing computing at the quantum level, as opposed to the bit level.”

Nanotechnology is an emerging industry, and Micron is already experimenting with nanotechnology and what effect it will have on its industry, but Durcan is quick to point out that the new technology does not mean a quick end for the silicon chip.

“I think it´s inevitable that with silicon we´ll reach a time when we´ve done as much as we can, but that´s still probably 20 years out,” Durcan said.

Nanotechnology has wide-reaching impacts beyond the computer field. Across the country, researchers are busy in labs and universities exploring the potential of nanotechnology.

In May, German scientists used nanotechnology to develop an artificial muscle. The scientists described making tiny fibers of vanadium oxide that measure up to 10,000 nanometers long and 10 nanometers wide. They clump together in sheets, creating a tangle like a nano-sized plate of spaghetti.

When an electrical current is applied to the nanofiber sheets, they curl up in unison. Turning off the electrical current allows them to relax. The process can be repeated many times, mimicking flexing and unflexing of a muscle.

Other researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have been successful at growing multi-pronged nanocrystals with four arms of roughly the same length. The crystals made of cadmium telluride almost always land with one end up, suggesting they could naturally self-align as connectors for miniature wiring.

Durcan said with so many potential applications, it´s hard to judge what industry will take the early lead in nanotechnology.

“I think you´ll see the whole thing work out over decades,” he said. “We´re kind of at the phase right now where we´re doing the fundamental research.”

Whatever the direction nanotechnology takes, those in the Boise business community see a potential for the birth of another industry in the community.

Ray Stark, with the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, said chamber leaders realized how important the technology could be for Boise when they started hearing about the applications for the technology and its expected growth.

“It blew our socks away,” Stark said. “It´s like going back to Boise´s economy 30 years ago. At that time, who would have thought that Hewlett Packard and Micron Technology would be so important to our regional and state economy?” Stark said the chamber´s forum is designed to expose other business leaders to the technology. “Thirty years from now, we may be looking back on how nanotechnology research and manufacturing began in Boise, Idaho,” Stark said.

To offer story ideas or comments, contact Ken Dey
[email protected] or 377-6428

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