Future of Electronics: MetaNanoCircuits?

[swestrup]

Here's a fascinating look at what the future may hold for electronics: metananocircuits. The basic idea is that its theoretically possible to build nanoparticles that have optical properties directly analogous to those of modern electronic parts. Thus, in principal, one can design an electronic circuit and then directly implement it as an optical circuit and have it function.

There's a slight problem that some of the needed material properties of the nanoparticles are unknown in nature, but it seems likely that they can be fabricated using new metamaterial techniques. There's also the question of how this would ever interface to our modern electronic circuits. Its alright to say that a new 10th generation IPod (for example) will have optical control circuitry, but I think real electricity will be needed to power the speakers so you can hear anything...

Comments

[hendrikboom.livejournal.com]

It's perfectly possible to build an AM radio that's powered entirely by the radio waves it's picking up off the air. It's not loud enough for your dance party, but you can listen to the news in a quiet room.

[hendrikboom.livejournal.com]

And that was already possible with off-the-shelf tech in the 60's. built one for a science fair project.

Let's just say the energy is potentially there. The only question is how to harness it.