X-Message-Number: 12781
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: Re: CryoNet #12776 - #12780
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 23:57:12 +1100 (EST)

Now that Damien Broderick has given some sources, the events that George
Smith is excited over become clear. The 16 July issue of SCIENCE does
in fact contain an article by CP Collier and others, p. 391, titled
"Electronically configurable molecular-based logic gates". No, this is
not the first attempt to work out circuits based on different chemicals
etc than silicon. When such things happen I report them in PERIASTRON.
This article is not the first to think about nanoswitches. (For all
such things, I will only print actual accomplishments, not theory).

In 15 October issue of SCIENCE, there is a nice article about making 
circuits with a method for nanowriting, rather than the usual way chips
are made. It may well go into the next PERIASTRON. 

I'm not sure what is meant by optimism here. I will say that we're 
certain to have nanoscale circuits (and very likely to have quantum
devices too), but that as someone who has actually watched some of
these things happen, I must say that often they just don't happen
as fast as their supporters believe. I see no reason why that speed
has changed.
 
			Best wishes,

				Thomas Donaldson

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