🚀 go-pugleaf

A primary concern in cryptography is to avoid underestimating future
computational capabilities.  The security of a system against future attack
depends on both improvements in cryptanalytic algorithms and on improvements
in computing hardware.  Predicting improvements in cryptanalytic algorithms
is often quite difficult but the problem of forecasting future advances in hardware
is more tractable, at least if we assume that computers continue to be made from
atoms.  In this case it is possible to make at least some estimates of future
computing capability.

I strongly recommend Drexler's new technical book as the best summary of the
fundamental issues involved in building complex structures (such as computers)
from atoms.  Anyone trying to estimate the capabilities of future computing
hardware should have a copy.

The ability to inexpensively fabricate large structures with atomic precision
has implications for other areas, as well.


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"Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation"
by K. Eric Drexler, published by John Wiley & Sons, 1992 ($24.95),
is now available.  It can be ordered directly from Wiley by
calling (800) 225-5945 ext 2497.  They take major credit cards.


"With this book, Drexler has established the field of molecular
nanotechnology.  The detailed analyses show quantum chemists and
synthetic chemists how to build upon their knowledge of bonds
and molecules to develop the manufacturing systems of nanotechnology,
and show physicists and engineers how to scale down their concepts
of macroscopic systems to the level of molecules."
    William A. Goddard III, Professor of Chemistry and Applied Physics,
    Director, Materials and Molecular Simulation Center,
    California Institute of Technology


"Devices enormously smaller than before will remodel engineering,
chemistry, medicine, and computer technology.  How can we understand
machines that are so small?  NANOSYSTEMS covers it all:  power and
strength, friction and wear, thermal noise and quantum uncertainty.
This is THE book for starting the next century of engineering."
    Marvin Minsky, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
    Toshiba Professor of Media Arts and Sciences,
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology


"Manufactured products are made from atoms, and their properties depend
on how those atoms are arranged.  This volume summarizes 15 years of
research in molecular manufacturing, the use of nanoscale mechanical
systems to guide the placement of reactive molecules, building complex
structures with atom-by-atom control.  This degree of control is a
natural goal for technology:  Microtechnology strives to build smaller
devices; materials science strives to make more useful solids; chemistry
strives to synthesize more complex molecules; manufacturing strives
to make better products.  Each of these fields requires precise,
molecular control of complex structures to reach its natural limit,
a goal that has been termed molecular nanotechnology."

"It has become clear that this degree of control can be achieved.  The
present volume assembles the conceptual and analytical tools needed
to understand molecular machinery and manufacturing, presents an
analysis of their core capabilities and explores how present laboratory
techniques can be extended, stage by stage, to implement molecular
manufacturing systems."
    K. Eric Drexler, from the preface



From the table of contents:

1.  Introduction and Overview
  1.1  Why molecular manufacturing?
  1.2  What is molecular manufacturing?
  1.3  Comparisons
  1.4  The approach in this volume
  1.5  Objectives of following chapters

Part I
2.  Classical Magnitudes and Scaling Laws
  2.1  Overview
  2.2  Approximation and classical continuum models
  2.3  Scaling of classical mechanical systems
  2.4  Scaling of electromagnetic systems
  2.5  Scaling of classical thermal systems
  2.6  Beyond classical continuum models
  2.7  Conclusions
3.  Potential Energy Surfaces
  3.1  Overview
  3.2  Quantum theory and approximations
  3.3  Molecular Mechanics
  3.4  Potentials for chemical reactions
  3.5  Continuum representations of surfaces
  3.6  Conclusions
  3.7  Further readings
4.  Molecular Dynamics
  4.1  Overview
  4.2  Nonstatistical mechanics
  4.3  Statistical mechanics
  4.4  PES revisited:  accuracy requirements
  4.5  Conclusions
  4.6  Further Reading
5.  Positional Uncertainty
  5.1  Overview
  5.2  Positional uncertainty in engineering
  5.3  Thermally excited harmonic oscillators
  5.4  Elastic extension of thermally excited rods
  5.5  Elastic bending of thermally excited rods
  5.6  Piston displacement in a gas-filled cylinder
  5.7  Longitudinal variance from transverse deformation
  5.8  Elasticity, entropy, and vibrational modes
  5.9  Conclusions
6.  Transistions, Errors, and Damage
  6.1  Overview
  6.2  Transitions between potential wells
  6.3  Placement errors
  6.4  Thermomechanical damage
  6.5  Photochemical damage
  6.6  Radiation damage
  6.7  Component and system lifetimes
  6.8  Conclusions
7.  Energy Dissipation
  7.1  Overview
  7.2  Radiation from forced oscillations
  7.3  Phonons and phonon scattering
  7.4  Thermoelastic damping and phonon viscosity
  7.5  Compression of potential wells
  7.6  Transitions among time-dependent wells
  7.7  Conclusions
8.  Mechanosynthesis
  8.1  Overview
  8.2  Perspectives on solution-phase organic synthesis
  8.3  Solution-phase synthesis and mechanosynthesis
  8.4  Reactive species
  8.5  Forcible mechanochemical processes
  8.6  Mechanosynthesis of diamondoid structures
  8.7  Conclusions

Part II
9.  Nanoscale Structural Components
  9.1  Overview
  9.2  Components in context
  9.3  Materials and models for nanoscale components
  9.4  Surface effects on component properties
  9.5  Shape control in irregular structures
  9.6  Components of high rotational symmetry
  9.7  Adhesive interfaces
  9.8  Conclusions
10. Mobile Interfaces and Moving Parts
  10.1  Overview
  10.2  Spatial Fourier transforms of nonbonded potentials
  10.3  Sliding of irregular objects over regular surfaces
  10.4  Symmetrical sleeve bearings
  10.5  Further applications of sliding-interface bearings
  10.6  Atomic-axle bearings
  10.7  Gears, rollers, belts, and cams
  10.8  Barriers in extended systems
  10.9  Dampers, detents, clutches, and ratchets
  10.10 Perspective: nanomachines and macromachines
  10.11 Bounded continuum models revisited
  10.12 Conclusions
11.  Intermediate Subsystems
  11.1  Overview
  11.2  Mechanical measurment devices
  11.3  Stiff, high gear-ratio mechanisms
  11.4  Fluids, seals, and pumps
  11.5  Convective cooling systems
  11.6  Electromechanical devices
  11.7  DC motors and generators
  11.8  Conclusions
12.  Nanomechanical Computational Systems
  12.1  Overview
  12.2  Digital signal transmission with mechanical rods
  12.3  Gates and logic rods
  12.4  Registers
  12.5  Combinational logic and finite-state machines
  12.6  Survey of other devices and subsystems
  12.7  CPU-scale systems:  clocking and power supply
  12.8  Cooling and computational capacity
  12.9  Conclusion
13.  Molecular Sorting, Processing, and Assembly
  13.1  Overview
  13.2  Sorting and ordering molecules
  13.3  Transformation and assembly with molecular mills
  13.4  Assembly operations using molecular manipulators
  13.5  Conclusions
14.  Molecular Manufacturing Systems
  14.1  Overview
  14.2  Assembly operations at intermediate scales
  14.3  Architectural issues
  14.4  An examplar manufacturing-system architecture
  14.5  Comparisons to conventional manufacturing
  14.6  Design and complexity
  14.7  Conclusions

Part III
15.  Macromolecular Engineering
  15.1  Overview
  15.2  Macromolecular objects via biotechnology
  15.3  Macromolecular objects via solution synthesis
  15.4  Macromolecular objects via mechanosynthesis
  15.5  Conclusions
16.  Paths to Molecular Manufacturing
  16.1  Overview
  16.2  Backward chaining to identify strategies
  16.3  Smaller, simpler systems (stages 3-4)
  16.4  Softer, smaller, solution-phase systems (stages 2-3)
  16.5  Development time: some considerations
  16.6  Conclusions

Appendix A.  Methodological Issues in Theoretical and Applied Science
  A.1  The role of theoretical applied science
  A.2  Basic issues
  A.3  Science, engineering, and theoretical applied science
  A.4  Issues in theoretical applied science
  A.5  A sketch of some epistemological issues
  A.6  Theoretical applied science as intellectual scaffolding
  A.7  Conclusions
Appendix B.  Related Research
  B.1  Overview
  B.2  How related fields have been divided
  B.3  Mechanical engineering and microtechnology
  B.4  Chemistry
  B.5  Molecular biology
  B.6  Protein engineering
  B.7  Proximal probe technologies
  B.8  Feynman's 1959 talk
  B.9  Conclusions

Afterword
Symbols, Units, and Constants
Glossary
References
Index

556 pages in length.