23 Nanoelectronics Landscape- Application, Technology, and Economy外文电子书籍.pdf

Chapter 23 Nanoelectronics Landscape: Application, Technology, and Economy G.Q. Zhang 23.1 Introduction The semiconductor industry and its suppliers are the cornerstones of today’s high-tech economy. Representing a worldwide sales value of $340 billion in 2005, the sector supported a global market of more than $1.3 trillion in terms of electronic systems and an estimated value of $6 trillion in services, with applications ranging from trans- portation to health care, and from general broadcasting to electronic banking. The shift from the past era of microelectronics where semiconductor devices were measured in microns (one millionth of a meter) to the new era of nanoelec- tronics where they shrink to dimensions measured in nanometers (one billionth of a meter) will make the semiconductor sector even more pervasive than it is today. It will allow much more intelligence and far greater interactivity to be built into many more everyday items around us, with the result that silicon chip technology will play a part in virtually every aspect of our lives, from personal health and traffic control to public security. This chapter will briefly summarize the current and potential application domains, highlight the major technology challenges and research agenda, and discuss the economic implications of micro/nanoelectronics. 23.2 Applications The society of the future expects environments that are sensitive and responsive to the presence and needs of people, characterized by many invisible devices distrib- uted and connected throughout the environment – devices that k