01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page iii Nanotechnololgy FOR DUMmIES ‰ by Richard Booker and Earl Boysen 01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page ii 01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page i Nanotechnololgy FOR DUMmIES ‰ 01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page ii 01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page iii Nanotechnololgy FOR DUMmIES ‰ by Richard Booker and Earl Boysen 01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page iv Nanotechnology For Dummies® Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River Street Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permit- ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. 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Library of Congress Control Number: 2005924596 ISBN-13: 978-0-7645-8368-1 ISBN-10: 0-7645-8368-9 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1O/RY/QX/QV/IN 01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page v About the Authors Richard Booker is a doctoral student at Rice University working under Dr. Richard Smalley, discoverer of the buckyball. He was lucky enough to get an outstanding education, starting with four intense years at Boston University earning a computer-engineering degree. After college, he joined the Air Force, where he managed weapon systems and researched battlespace networks while simultaneously working on his master’s degree in computer engineering. After four years, Captain Booker left the wild blue yonder to pursue his Ph.D. in applied physics at Rice and delve into the “new” world of nanotechnology. Rich’s next ambitious adventure will be developing the armchair quantum wire (see Chapters 4 and 5 of this book) and helping to bring other nano- applications to market. His interests include flying, skydiving, scuba diving, music, art, movies and, in his spare time, working on being humble. Earl Boysen is an engineer who, after 20 years in the computer-chip industry, decided to “slow down” and move to a quiet town in Washington. Earl is the co-author of Electronics For Dummies,and holds degrees in chemistry and physics. He lives in a house he designed and built himself, and keeps as busy as ever writing, acting, teaching math and science, dancing, and walking. 01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page vi 01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page vii Dedication For Him who gave us wisdom and heart to help each other. For my fantastically supportive parents, Richard and Lorraine: Dad, whose insatiable appetite for knowledge, tenacity, and hard work ethic led me by example; and Mom, whose great teaching, organizational skills, and love kept me sane during my writing. — R.B. To my wonderful lady, Nancy, who (as well as providing support during the writing of this book) is the best thing that ever happened to me. — E.B. 01_583689 ffirs.qxd 6/27/05 9:09 PM Page viii