|
DO NANO-TECHNOLOGIES HAVE FUTURE IN ARMENIA?
Today nano-technologies are coming to be the priority sphere of applied science. They are leading the world to a new technological revolution that may turn around not only the economy but the very human existence. Nano-technologies are called technologies of the future: they operate with values comparable with the size of an atom! This year the United States has made almost 1/3 of the global investing in the sphere, the European Union and Japan being the other key players in the field with 15% and 20% respectively. Active research is also carried out in the former USSR, Australia, Canada, China, South Korea, Israel, Singapore and Taiwan. If in 2000 the total spending on nano-research was $800 mln, in 2001 this index redoubled. Meanwhile experts say that to make nano-technologies a reality the world should spent on them $1 trl a year. National Nano-technology Initiative forecasts that in 10-15 years nano-technologies will shape into a new branch of economy with a yearly turnover of $15 bln and almost 2 mln jobs. Some nano-technologies are actively in practice already today - for example, in DVD production. To learn about the situation in Armenia an ARMINFO correspondent has taken an interview from the vice president of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, academician Eduard Kazaryan.
Q: What do you think about the role of information and high technologies in modern society?
A: Early XX saw the precipitous development of fundamental science and a consequent growth in production. The second half of the century marked the onset of practical approach in fundamental science, first of all, in applied mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. It was then that present-day computers and laser technologies came into life and genetic engineering opened up its treasures. In late XX one could already outline the key directions of science, engineering and industry development.
Today at the dawn of XXI in the vanguard are modern scientific, engineering and applied directions generally called high-tech. High-tech development has a number of components led by micro-electronics and optic electronics. In the past decades these spheres have been developed mostly to satisfy the gluttonous demand of information and computing systems and communications with their ever growing need for larger memory and higher signal speed. New tasks set new higher technical criteria for solid micro-electronic equipment by designing new devices based on new physical principles. With the sharply growing extent of element integration in chips, typical dimensions of electronic and optic electronic equipment are experiencing an exponential reduction - from micro- down to nano-electronics. This is not so much quantitative as qualitative transformation implying a switch from substance to molecular and even atomic manipulations.
Presently nano-technologies are developing in the following key directions: production of chips with active atom-sized elements; design and production of molecule-sized nano-robots opening up unprecedented prospects for humanity; "atomic assemblage" of miscellaneous materials. Certain types of nano-elements are applied by leading labs already today but the wider use is said to come later
in the century bringing about super-speed PCs, neuro-computers and equipment with record productivity. Medicine will see revolutionary changes: quickly developing genetic engineering will give rise to
high efficiency molecular testers and bio-synthesizers.
Q: For how long has NAS RA been engaged in nano-technology development?
A: Scientific priorities depend in great part on political and economic factors as well as on the general scientific-technical level and traditions of a country. In this light it is crucial for Armenia to be realistic and to clearly state its priorities in fundamental and applied science development. This problem has been in the focus of our attention since the 90s - it was then that many present-day priority projects were started.
NAS RA has proposed 18 projects to develop science and engineering on the basis of governmental decree #1302 Aug 15 2002 "On the Approval of Priorities of Science and Engineering Development in Armenia" Considering NAS RA's proposal on priority scientific and scientific-technical directions and introduction projects in 2002-2006, we have suggested key provisions on how to improve the research activities and to better target programs to develop the sphere's priorities. Jan 1 2004 the Government started budgetary financing of four target programs with a total budget of 130 mln AMD in the following directions: information technologies, nano-electronics, new materials (material authority) and Armenian
studies.
Q: Which directions of nano-technology are the most important for NAS RA and which institutes work in which directions here?
A: Both NAS RA and universities are engaged in nano-technological research. Radio-physics and Electronics Institute of NAS RA (REI) is presently testing quantum-sized films, semi-conductor super-lattices and their derivatives. Yerevan State University with its physical and radio-physical departments is also an active researcher in the sphere. State Engineering University is researching metallic layers in contact with laser rays.
Q: What results have Armenian scientists achieved in the sphere?
A: In the 70s we formed a scientific school for nano-research and engineering. It was a theoretical research into the electronic and optical characteristics of low dimension electronic gas in various
nano-structures (quantum films, quantum wells, super-lattice, quantum wire and quantum points, porous silicon). Tangible results have been achieved in calculating the energy spectrum of electronic and mixed
conditions, the coefficient of optical absorption and carrier mobility in nano-objects of different geometry. We have elaborated the theoretical principles of low value contacts, proposed porous
silicon structures for semi-conductor lasers, photo-detectors, optical filters, solar batteries and gas sensors. REI has designed a technology of laser precipitation allowing to receive complex
compounds from elementary matters in the form of mono-crystal films and multi-layer hetero-structures with quantum-sized layers.
Q: Could you please specify the key problems Armenian scientists are presently facing in the sphere?
A: Like in other spheres of fundamental research here too we are facing the problem of personnel. The shortage of post-graduate seats in universities can lead us to losing our achievements in the sphere.
Besides we should develop modern training courses for universities. But the key obstacle for nano-technologies is the lack of an experimental basis - expensive equipment and technological lines for
designing, testing and thoroughly researching nano-structures (MBE, MOCVD)
By Viacheslav Khachatryan, ARMINFO,
May 01. 2004
|
