Nanotechnology

GLOBAL INVESTOR FOCUS
Nanotechnology—21
Arthur Vayloyan, member of the Credit Suisse Executive Board and
Head Private Banking Switzerland: “It is one of our primary responsibilities to
provide timely, well-founded advice, identify investment trends and new
markets at an early stage, and to realistically evaluate opportunities and risks.”
Maria Custer, biochemist, Credit Suisse Equity Research: “Although its
potential is difficult to assess, the chances that nanotechnology will change
traditional industries and global economic structures are high.”
the 20th century – and before. However, Europe missed the three
major technology developments: microelectronics or microtechnology
as a whole, computers and informatics, and biotechnology. Let’s
hope for the best this time.
Viola Vogel: In terms of governmental investments in nanotechnology,
Europe, Asia and the US are shoulder to shoulder. The question
will be how well Europe is prepared to convert new discoveries
into competitive products.
Hans-Joachim Güntherodt: Let me focus on Switzerland,
where Heinrich Rohrer and Gerd Binning invented a major ingredient
of nanoscience, the scanning tunneling microscope, in 1981. This
triggered nationwide efforts in the field. Nearly every university and
other academic institutions are working in nanoscience. In the past
few years, the Technology Oriented Program (TOP) NANO 21, which
was created to ensure that Swiss businesses can make rapid use of
nanometer-based technologies, has tried to promote cooperation
between academia and industry. In addition, the Commission for
Technology and Innovation’s nano/micro branch, in collaboration with
the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW), established a
transfer college. The National Center of Competence in Research
“Nanoscale Science” has developed into a center of excellence, and
a nano curriculum has been started at the University of Basel, where
a new type of scientist will be educated. All this might further contribute
to the very good position of Switzerland in this emerging
field.
Arthur Vayloyan: What are the short-, medium-, and long-term
objectives and application areas of nanotechnology?
Viola Vogel: The availability of nanoprobes and instrumentation
to visualize and manipulate biological nanosystems will fundamentally
change our knowledge base in the biosciences, and will contribute
in a major way to transitioning biology from a descriptive to a
quantitative science. Beyond providing new insights into how cells
and organs work, the biggest pay-off for society might come from
utilizing these quantitative insights combined with advanced imaging
and analytical technologies for the early detection of diseases and
their more effective treatment.
Heinrich Rohrer: In the short term, we can expect nanotechnology
to be applied to instrumentation and analytics; imaging and
sensors are examples. Another rapidly growing area deals with nanostructured
materials. In the medium term, it will be applied to molecular
components, novel mechanical and chemical components (such as
holes as gates to count electrons and ions, nanochemistry laboratories
for in-situ synthesis), simple nanosystems (such as Millipede,
a novel type of storage device developed in the IBM Rüschlikon
Laboratory) ; in-situ growth and self-assembly of nanostructures and
simple components; and the study of complex nanoprocesses (such
as systems biology of cells ). In the long term, we might see remote
(wireless) control of autonomous nanosystems and nanorobots, and
self-assembly of whole nanosystems from nanocomponents (living
objects are such self-assemblies; however, they are not subject of
nanotech).
Arthur Vayloyan: Along with the benefits also come potential
and perceived risks. For example, there will certainly be public policy
and social issues, such as safety, health risks, fear of unemployment
(human labor made redundant by machines that produce better
machines ), and moral issues (genetic manipulation ) to be considered.
What are the true negative implications?
Heinrich Rohrer: Today, we should be better prepared than we
were when for example DDT and other pesticides, Freons, and dangerous
chemicals were produced and used. We also recognize that
it is not just a question of “what?” but also of “how much?” The true
negative implication of nanotech is – as with other technical
and social developments – the ever-growing separation of humankind
into those who can keep up with change and those who cannot and,