UK – Japan Young Scientist Workshop 2006
UK-Japan Young Scientist Workshop 2006
Nanotechnology Team
Introduction to Nanotechnology: “Exploring the Nanoworld”
Timetable
NB: your base will be the CAD laboratory, 04DJ01, for the week.
Monday 2-4:30
 Talks - JA, RK
 Tour of facilities - Steve Lyth, Yoji
 Introduction of CAD and internet facilities
Tuesday 10-12
 design structures to be FIB'd.
 Place - CAD room (Yoji)
Tuesday 2-4:30
 Nanostructures written by FIB (David Cox) - we need three groups!
 Place - FIB / microscopy room
 Waiting students perform internet research in CAD room
Thursday 10-4:30
 AFM and SEM on the structures. (Yann Tison, Steve Lyth)
 same groups as before
 Place - FIB / microscopy room
 We have a number of other secret structures to look at!
 Other students perform internet research in CAD room
Friday morning
 preparation for presentation
 Place - CAD room
 Assistance - Yoji
Friday afternoon
presentations!
If you get lost, talk to Julie Maplethorpe in room 14DJ01 or phone extension 9859
(dial 68 9859 from a public phone or 01483 68 9859 from a mobile).
If you have any problems, talk to:
Jeremy Allam in 13DJ01 on extension 6799 or email j.allam@surrey.ac.uk
Riz Khan in 31DJ02 on extension 6062 or email r.khan@surrey.ac.uk
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Nanotechnology Questionnaire
This questionnaire is designed to help you get a general understanding of nanotechnology, as well as to
prepare you for the experimental research you will carry out. It will help you in preparing your presentation at
the end of the week, so try to answer as many of the following questions as you can.
You can collaborate to find the answers – perhaps you want to decide in advance who should research the
different questions. Everyone should fill in their own questionnaire, and you can then report to each other
and discuss what you have found out.
We will use your answers to write a webpage on “introducing nanotechnology”, so please make sure we get
a copy of your questionnaire on Friday morning.
You should look at the “Essential Questions” at the beginning of Part 2 before you start designing your
structures tomorrow!
Ask one of the facilitators for help if you get stuck!
Student’s Name:
Institution:
Here’s a reminder of some sources of information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/mech-tech/nanotechnology
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/landing.asp?id=1210
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/antenna/nano/
http://www.foresight.org/
http://www.nanotechnology.surrey.ac.uk/
If you find some other good websites (especially Japanese ones) please list their addresses here:
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Part 1: General questions on nanotechnology
Find a good definition of nanotechnology.
In his famous article “There’s plenty of room at the bottom”, what were the two $1000 challenges that
Feynman made, and when were they met?
First challenge:
Second challenge:
When met (and by who)?
When met (and by who)?
What do the terms “top down” and “bottom up” mean?
Top down:
Bottom up:
How much is spent on Nanotechnology research in the UK? In Japan? In the USA?
UK spending on nanotechnology:
Japan spending:
USA spending:
Who has won a Nobel prize related to Nanotechnology?
UK – Japan Young Scientist Workshop 2006
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology:
What are some of the disciplines (subjects) which are important in research nanotechnology?
Nanophysics:
On length scales of a few nanometers, which forces become weak and which become strong?
What is the size (the ‘de Broglie wavelength’) of an electron in a typical solid?
Give an example of a material which looks one-dimensional (like a wire) to an electron:
Give an example of a material which looks zero-dimensional (like a dot) to an electron:
Nanochemistry:
Why do small particles make good catalysts (why are they strongly chemically reactive)?
Nanomaterials:
Who discovered Carbon-60 (also know as fullerene, buckminster-fullerene, buckyballs…)? Where?
Who discovered Carbon nanotubes? Where?
Nanobiology:
What is the size of a typical bacteria? A virus? A strand of DNA (length and width)? Why is nanotechnology
useful in biology?
Size of bacteria:
Size of virus:
Length of DNA strand:
Width of DNA strand:
The link between nanotechnology and biology:
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UK – Japan Young Scientist Workshop 2006
Nanoelectronics:
What is the smallest features size (or the “gate length”) on the latest Intel microprocessor chips?
What is the length scale at which quantum mechanical tunnelling becomes important in silicon electronic
devices?
What nanomaterials are being investigated for future generations of microprocessor chips?
Nanophotonics:
What is the wavelength of visible light in a typical solid (e.g. green light in glass)?
What are some of the applications of “photonic crystals” (or “photonic bandgap materials”)?
What are some examples of photonic crystals in nature?
What nanomaterial was used in ancient times for stained glass windows and pottery glazes to give deep
colours? What is the name of the effect that causes the colours?
Nanotechnology:
What tools can be used to pattern on manipulate on nanometer scale?
What tools can be used to measure (or form images of) structures on the nanometer scale?
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Applications of nanotechnology:
Find 5 applications (uses) of nanotechnology, and describe them in a few lines. Say what stage the
application is at, whether it is a new scientific discovery, a prototype, or already in use or commercially
available. Say where you found the information. Find one application in yet another area, and one application
that has been reported in the last 3 months.
One related to new materials with improved mechanical properties (strength, flexibility, etc):
One related to microelectronic devices (‘computer chips’):
One related to medicine (e.g. treatment of cancer):
On e related to biology (e.g. fluorescent [light-emitting] markers):
One related to improving the environment (e.g. water desalinization - making sea water drinkable):
One related to future energy needs (e.g. storage of hydrogen for fuel cells):
One other application:
One very new application (within the last 3 months):
UK – Japan Young Scientist Workshop 2006
Nanotechnology, safety and the environment:
What is the name of Drexler’s book in which he first mentioned “grey goo”?
What is “grey goo”?
What is “green goo”?
What are the Japanese words for grey goo and green goo??
What did Drexler say about grey goo in his later retraction?
What are some more realistic risks associated with nanotechnology?
A risk affecting human health:
A risk affecting the environment:
A risk affecting society (e.g. the distribution of economic benefits):
Should potentially dangerous technologies be banned if the risks are not yet known? Who should decide?
Look up the summary of the joint workshop of the Royal Society (UK) and the Science Council of Japan
workshop on the potential health, environmental and societal impacts of nanotechnologies. What is the
conclusion on ecotoxicology of nanomaterials?
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UK – Japan Young Scientist Workshop 2006
Part 2: Questions related to the experimental work you will be doing.
Some essential questions to think about before designing your patterns:
What is the smallest feature (line) you will be able to write using the focussed ion beam?
What is the largest feature you will be able to write? Why?
What is the smallest feature you will be able to see with an optical microscope?
What is the smallest feature you will be able to see with an electron microscope?
What is the smallest feature you will be able to see with an atomic force microscope?
Can you design a pattern which will test out the “resolution” (the smallest visible size) of
the pattern you write, and the methods you use to view it?
If you write patterns a few nanometers across on a piece of material a few millimetres in
size, how will you find them?!
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Focussed Ion Beams (FIB)
What kinds of ions are used in the FIB? …………………………………………...
What energies are the ions that bombard the sample? ………………………….
What pressure is FIB milling performed at?........................................................
What is the speed of the ions?............................................................................
How deep can you etch with a FIB? ............................................ .....................
What are the resolutions achievable with a FIB?................................................
What are the drawbacks?...................................................................................
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Scanning Electron Microscopy
What are the typical electron sources used with a SEM?...................................
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What are the typical electron energies?..............................................................
What is the meaning of secondary and backscattered electrons?......................
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What are energy dispersive x-rays used for?.....................................................
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Why are conductive samples often used?..........................................................
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What limits the overall resolution of a SEM? .....................................................
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Atomic Force Microscopy
What is the cantilever usually made from?............................ ............................
Name some good materials for the tip, and list some advantages and
disadvantages of each……………………………………………………………....
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Compare and contrast contact and non-contact mode AFM. Which provides
the better resolution and why?............................................................................
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Why is AFM sometimes performed in vacuum? ................................................
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What is the ultimate resolution of an AFM?........................................................
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