Nano circuits and sensors on the way

Researchers at Seoul National University said yesterday that they have succeeded in commercially mass-producing nanotechnology, including carbon nano tubes, using existing semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Carbon nano tubes will be important in the development of next-generation semiconductor chips, as they conduct electricity as well as copper and transmit heat as well as diamonds. They are also 100 times stronger than steel. Carbon nano tubes could be used in developing semiconductors, batteries and even extremely strong fabrics. Though long considered an alternative to silicon in building semiconductors, nano tubes and nano strains were difficult to commercialize due to production limitations caused by the components’ minute size. The initial conjecture that led to the breakthrough was made by the team, led by Hong Seung-hoon, in 2003, and the new process will allow integrated circuits and biosensors to be built using nano tubes. The research team said it would likely be possible to use the new technology to develop extremely small medical sensors that could examine emergency room patients suffering from conditions such as heart attacks or food poisoning. by Shim Jae-woo, Kwon Geun-young