Molecular nanotechnology

Abstract

Molecular nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field combining the sciences of molecular chemistry and physics with the engineering principles of mechanical design, structural analysis, computer science, electrical engineering, and systems engineering. Molecular manufacturing is a method conceived for the processing and rearrangement of atoms to fabricate custom products. It relies on the use of a large number of molecular robotic subsystems working in parallel and using commonly available chemicals. Built to atomic specification, the products would exhibit order-of-magnitude improvements in strength, toughness, speed, and efficiency, and be of high quality and low cost. This article provides an overview of molecular nanotechnology, reviews progress in the field since its origins, and outlines the implications of its eventual emergence as the dominant manufacturing technique of the 21st century.