Simply put, nanoelectronics refer to transistors, or the nanotechnology on electronic parts. With slightly more detail, nanotechnology can be described as the use of technology that is no greater than 100 nm (in size), while nanoelectronics in fact refers to transistors that are so small that even inter-atomic interactions need to be thoroughly studied and observed, as do the quantum mechanical properties involved. Therefore, following these definitions, current transistors are too big to qualify as nanoelectronics. So, what are nanoelectronics?
One example that is both tangible and extraordinary is the nanoradios that have been developed, structured using carbon nanotubes! Thank you, Alex Zettl, for these miraculously itty-bitty devices. The average consumer probably won’t have any current use for them, but they are, nonetheless, fabulous.
While the nanoradios are remarkable inventions, there is something even more remarkable and pragmatic for the average person to get out of the development of nanoelectronics: faster processor speeds. New, lightning-fast processors will be the result of computers utilizing nanotechnologies. The conventional system’s usage of semiconductor fabrication, rather than nanolithography, has limited it to a certain level of productivity that, hopefully, will soon be exceeded.
Want an even more relevant example of nanoelectronics in your life? Medical diagnoses will soon be aided by nanoelectronics, making a doctor’s diagnosis much more accurate and sound. These detectors will discover concentrated biomolecules, leading the way into a new profession for nanomedicine. Individual cells could be the basis for entire research projects within nanomedicine, making the need for controls irrelevant and the results more precise.
Whether you care about the nuances of nanoelectronics, or merely care about technological advances in a general way, these three listed examples should help you to grasp the depth scientists are reaching with electronics, technology, and medical prowess. As research in nanoelectronics progresses, who can tell what innovations will come next?