• Download Invitation (PDF)

• Download Press Release (PDF)

• Katharina Mader

2002 Autumn Conference:
13.–14.9.2002, Bonn

“Nanotechnology Assessment” was the title of the annual Autumn Conference of the Europäische Akademie. It took place in Bonn from 13th to 14th September 2002. The scientific symposium focused on nanoelectronics and, more specifically, on nanocomputing. Three high-ranking American scientists, among them the winners of the Feynman Prize for Nanotechnology, Jim Heath and Stan Williams, reported on the state of the art developments in this field.

Professor Jim Heath from the University of California, Los Angeles, reported on the use of supra-molecular compounds, such as nano-switches in memory chips. Heath's group was able to demonstrate electronically-configurable, molecular-based logic circuitry which is a great stride towards concrete application for molecular electronics. Dr. Stan Williams from HP Laboratories, Palo Alto, focussed on concepts to integrate molecular electronics into computer systems. One main topic was the ability of these computer systems to identify and by-pass defective switch elements. Generally, it became obvious that the future potential of molecular electronics is not only due to a higher density of integration but also to substantially lower production costs. In her presentation “Proteins as Mechano-Chemical Nanoswitches”, Professor Viola Vogel (University of Washington, Seattle), asked what lessons we can learn from the study of biological systems. In a few examples, she illustrated how the mechanical stretching of adhesion proteins can produce a switch function. Moreover, Vogel presented motor proteins as nature's “crown jewels”, as they convert chemical energy into mechanical force under load. She showed how to use biological motors in man-made materials, for example, to engineer a monorail at the nanoscale, or to incorporate them into a new kind of motor-driven devices.
Dr. Gerd Bachmann (VDI-TZ Düsseldorf) mentioned the economic aspects of nanotechnology. It became obvious that the quantification of the added value of nanotechnology dramatically depends on the question of what is or should be taken to be nanotechnology. Finally, Professor Alfred Nordmann (University of South Carolina and TU Darmstadt) emphasised the need to clarify the epistemological status of nanotechnology and nanoscience in an attempt to provide a nanotechnology assessment. The presentations were complemented by comments given by Dr. Marcel Mayor (Research Centre Karlsruhe), Professor Dr. Ulrich Simon (RWTH Aachen) and Dr. Gerd Hanekamp (Europäische Akademie, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler). The results of the conference will be included in a future project of the Europäische Akademie on nanotechnology.