NANO TECHNOLOGY IN FUTURE MOBILE DEVICES Course: Management Information System

Instructor: Dr. Prithwis Mukerjee

Darru R K Chaitanya

Vinod Gupta School Of Management

ABSTRACT:

Our lives have become more comfortable, machines substitute human works, we are

smarter and better, more things can be invented, which were impossible in the past are mostly possible

now. The face of the mobile devices is already changed a lot. The kind of mobiles we saw decade back

are not present now. And the present kind of mobile devices won’t exist after few decades. Thanks to the

Touch Screen Technology, due to which the keypads may extinct on the mobile devices in few years. The

3G technology has already changed the perception that mobile is not only for calls but also for the data

transmission. Imagine mobile phones that are multi-foldable, stretchable, invisible to human eye, water

repellant, dust repellant and with lots more of new features. All these features can be possible in the

future with the help of nanotechnology, OLED and TRRAM. The objective of this term paper is to collate

and analyze possibilities about how the future mobile devices are going to change. Economic impact is

foreseen to be comparable to information technology and telecom industries.

1. INTRODUCTION

What is going to happen with mobile phones in the future? What types of mobile phones are

we going to have? What will they look like and what will they be capable of doing? Although we can

guess some of the future mobile technology, the truth is that we’re not going to know what mobile phones

will be like in future.

The number of mobile devices in the world today is 5 billion and growing. It is the time for the

evolution and the radical redesign of the mobile devices we use to communicate. A mix of devices,

creating one super capable, portable widget that handles computing, communications, scheduling and

finances is required.

Mobile devices together with the intelligence that will be embedded in human environments –

home, office, public places – will create a new platform that enables sensing, computing, and

communication. A main requirement for this kind of intelligence is that the devices should be autonomous

and robust.

The devices in the future have to become more efficient, and easier to use. Our increasing

dependence on mobile devices means that we can't have them running out of batteries at the wrong time,

getting lost or crapping out on us in any way. There is no shortage of thought being put to all of these

challenges, and here we take a look at communications advances that are both far out and coming soon.

All these requirements cannot be resolved with current technologies. Nanotechnology could

provide solutions for sensing, actuation, embedding intelligence into the environment, power efficient

computing, memory, energy sources, human–machine interaction, materials, mechanics, manufacturing,

and environmental issues. New discoveries of materials in nanometer- length scale are expected to play

an important role in addressing ongoing and future challenges in the field of communication. Devices of

ultra-high-speed, long-range communication links, portable and power-efficient computing devices, high-

density memory and logics and robust energy devices can be manufactured with the help of

nanotechnology.

2. NANO TECHNOLOGY

Nano means small but of high potential, and emerging with large applications piercing

through all the discipline of knowledge, leading to industrial and technological growth. In other words

nano-sized structure needs to be magnified over 10 million times to appreciate its fine detail with the

naked eye.

Nanotechnology, a catch-all phrase for materials and devices that operate at the molecular

level. In the metric system of measurement, "Nano" equals a billionth and hence a nanometer is one-

billionth of a meter. To appreciate the size of nano, a human red blood cell is over 2,000 nanometers

long!

Nanotechnology allows control of physical properties of nano structures and devices with

molecular precision. Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary science that has its roots in various fields.

Nanotechnology is a fundamental, enabling technology, allowing us to do new things in almost every

technological discipline. In this section we would deal with the features of the nano technology that could

be used in the future mobile devices that are multi foldable, invisible to human eye, water repellent, dust

repellant, stretchable and lots more features.

2.1) Nanosensors

Nano sensors are the chemical points that are used to convey information about

macroscopic world to the nano particles and also to detect microscopic variations. Nanosensors would

facilitate users to examine the environment around them in completely new ways, from analyzing air

pollution, to gaining insight into bio-chemical traces and processes. New potentials might be as complex

as helping us monitor evolving conditions in the quality of our surroundings, or as simple as knowing if the

fruit we are about to enjoy should be washed before we eat it. Our competence to tune into our

environment in these ways can help us make key decisions that guide our daily actions and ultimately can

enhance our health.

2.2 Haptic Surfaces

Responsive and Touch sensitive surface’s can be provided by large area sensing surfaces

using piezoelectric nanowire arrays. Piezoelectric nanowire arrays are produced by ZnO nanowires. Zinc

oxide is non-toxic, and compatible with skin, making it a suitable additive for surfaces that come in contact

with humans. ZnO nanowires have also antibacterial and antifungal properties. This could provide the

users a 3D Graphical User Interface in the coming future.

2.3 Self-Cleaning

Nanotechnology can be used to create self-cleaning surfaces on mobile devices thereby

reducing corrosion, wear and improving longevity. Superhydrophobic materials have already enabled

many applications in biotechnology and further progress in fabrication of Superhydrophobic materials

depends on the availability of precise measurement tools capable of interrogating Superhydrophobic

features at the nano-scale level where Superhydrophobic properties originate. Integration of this

technology could help the future mobile devices both water and dust repellant.

2.4 Power sources

Nanotechnology can be used such that the surface of a device will become a natural source

of energy via a covering of “Nanograss” structures that harvest solar power. At the same time new high

energy density storage materials that are transparent allow batteries to become smaller and thinner, while

also quicker to recharge and able to endure more charging cycles. Polymer Carbon Nano Tubes

containing controlled conduction, nanotube enhanced supercapacitors and nano composite solar cells etc

could act as the power sources.

2.5 Nanomesh of fibres

The nanoscale structures of the electronics can be used to enable stretching. It would be as

strong as spider silk. A nano scale mesh of fibres controls stretching when the device is folded, this

property even can make the device multifoldable. Even integrated electronics, from interconnects to

sensors, could share these flexible properties.

3. OLED

OLEDs are devices composed of thin films of organic molecules that create light with

the application of electricity. OLEDs provide brighter, crisper displays on electronic devices and use

less power than conventional light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or liquid crystal displays (LCDs) used today.

The organic layers of an OLED are thinner, lighter and more flexible than the crystalline layers in an

LED or LCD. OLEDs provide bright light than LEDs. As the organic layers of an OLED are much

thinner than the corresponding inorganic crystal layers of an LED, the conductive and emissive layers

of an OLED can be multi-layered. Also, LEDs and LCDs require glass for support and glass absorbs

some light but OLEDs do not require glass.. LCDs work by selectively blocking areas of the backlight

to make the images that you see but OLEDs generate light themselves. As OLEDs do not require

backlighting like LCDs they consume much less power than LCDs. This property is especially

important for battery-operated devices such as cell phones.

3.1 Transparent OLED

Transparent OLEDs have only transparent components and when turned off, are up to 85

percent as transparent as their substrate. When the transparent OLED display is turned on, it allows light

to pass in both directions.

.

3.2 Foldable OLED

Foldable OLEDs have substrates made of flexible metallic foils or plastics. Foldable OLEDs are

very and durable and lightweight. These can be used in devices such as cell phones and PDAs and they

can reduce breakage, a major cause for return or repair. Foldable OLED displays can be used attached

to fabrics to create "smart" clothing, such as outdoor survival clothing with an integrated computer chip,

cell phone, GPS receiver and OLED display sewn into it. By combining the transparent and foldable

OLED’s with nanotechnology could provide foldable and transparent mobiles.

Foldable & Transparent OLED

4. Recent Developments

TRRAM

Transparent Resistive Random Access Memory (TRRAM) is developed by Korean Advanced

Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) which now became as the major platform for the transparent

electronics. By integrating TRRAM device with other transparent electronic components a transparent

embedded electronic system could be developed. TRRAM records data by altering the resistance of a

metal oxide film known as Resistive Ram.

TRRAM

TRRAM could make the future mobile devices as a high capacity storage and

transparent devices which would give the mobile devices a new perspective even in data storage.

Although it has a high level of transparency, the newtransparent chip is similar to CMOS chips, thus it can

store non-volatile memory and it can be used in manufacturing various devices like cell phones. The

Korean Institute is working on combining flexible materials with the new TRRAM technology to bring a

radical change in the devices. TRRAM devices are easy to fabricate and they may be commercially

available in just 3-4 years.

The new transparent devices will configure the manufacturing of electronics in new

directions. TRRAM will become one of alternative devices to current CMOS-based flash memory in the

near future after its reliability is proven and once any manufacturing issues are solved. New devices have

the possibility to be manufactured cheaply because any transparent materials can be utilized as substrate

and electrode. They also may not require incorporating rare elements such as Indium etc.

5. CURRENT PLAYERS

NOKIA

Nokia has some high hopes for what the company will be able to do in terms of the future of

manufacturing handset design. They want to implement nanotechnology to create impressive mobile

phones in future that can do everything from tapping directly into your brain to capture your memories to

serving as a second pair of eyes.

Datoos (DNA-based tattoos).

This is an idea that a company called Frog Design came up about what is going to happen

to computer technology in the future. The idea is that humans wouldn’t need to carry around a laptop or a

mobile phone anymore because they would be able to connect to the World Wide Web using their body

alone. Recyclable materials would be implanted into humans and human body would actually become the

computer interface. Humans could place their calls and surf the web just by using their own body. It’s not

likely to happen soon but news about the idea even point out that there was a time not all that long ago

when the idea of mobile phones sounded as far-fetched to people as this idea does to us today.

6. ECONOMIC POTENTIAL

The U.S. National Science Foundation has predicted that the global market for

nanotechnologies will reach $1 trillion or more within 20 years. The research community is actively

pursuing hundreds of applications in Nano materials and Nano electronics

Nanotechnology affects all industries: ceramics, metals, polymers, and biomaterials. New

materials are the foundation of major technological researches. In the coming decades nanotechnology

will have an enormous effect. Future research could change our approaches to manufacturing,

electronics, IT and communications technology making previous technology redundant and leading to

applications which could not have been developed or even thought about, without this new approach.

Considering the importance of research and development of nanotechnology, the

Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, has been encouraging tremendous thrust on

Nanomaterial. The Indo-US joint forum on Science and Technology has identified nanotechnology area of

research for intense cooperation to Government of India's Nanomaterials Science and Technology

Initiative (NSTI).Thus powerful combination of materials science and nanotechnology will create entirely

new processes and industries and put India among the world leaders thus leads to a nanotechnological

revolution.

When nanotechnology will be in its mature form it is sure it will have its impact upon every

industry almost every area of society from communication to medicine, from agriculture to transportation

and also in smarter living at home also. And because of these implications nanotechnology is also called

as general purpose technology.

Nanotechnology is creating a possibility of new materials and manufacturing, which in turn

will profoundly impact our economy and our environment. Using nanotechnology, researchers and

manufacturers can fabricate materials molecule-by-molecule. Also by the new and enhanced businesses

and industries using nanotechnology, the economic growth and new jobs increases.

7. CHALLENGES

The initial manufacturing cost could be very high because of the much research still that

have to be done. Nanotechnology is an upcoming and rapidly growing field whose dynamics and

prospects pose many great challenges not only to scientists and engineers but also to society at large.

Although many hopeful scientific results have emerged from nanotechnology, the real challenge for

many nanotechnology topics is up-scaling from laboratory work to industrial scale manufacturing. On the

other hand, manufacturing and fabrication methods related to nanotechnology may be key enablers for

future electronics manufacturing. The introduction of new materials and manufacturing solutions always

has some risks. During the last five years understanding and knowledge about the risks of nanoscale

particles and nanotechnologies have increased significantly.

The introduction of nanotechnologies requires dedicated research of biological risks of

nanomaterials, policies for risk management in research, production, and recycling, and objective

information sharing with the public arena. Size of the particles is shown to be the key factor determining

the rate of biological uptake of particles on the surface of the living cells. Instead of concentrating only on

the potential hazards, we can also think about the use of nanotechnologies in a positive way.

Nanotechnologies can be the key solution towards sustainable future.

Electronics materials that are easier to recycle and/or decomposable in biological processes,

and optimize and minimize the energy consumption in the manufacturing of future materials and products

are to be developed

8. CONCLUSION

Nanotechnology has the capability to change every part of our lives. Nanotechnologies can

be the key solution towards sustainable future. At present there are currently more than 370 products on

the market utilizing nanotechnology. These range from car tires and sports equipment to electronics,

clothing and cosmetics. Nanoscale technologies will potentially create a world of different devices that

open up an entirely new spectrum of possibilities. In addition to the advances, the integrated electronics

could cost less and include more functionality in a much smaller space, even as interfaces are simplified

and usability is enhanced. All of these new capabilities will unleash new applications and services that will

allow us to communicate and interact in unprecedented ways.

Current researches looks to provide detailed understanding of unique properties that

materials exhibit at the NanoScale. Current focus of the researches is positioned to create and use

structures and devices that have unique properties as well as enhanced functions because of their small

or intermediate size. NanoTechnology research includes control at the NanoScale and integration of

NanoScale structures into larger material components, systems, and architectures as well as automated

systems for the production of NanoMaterials and the automatic assembly of structures and systems.

By the combination of Nanotechnology, Organic Light Emitting diodes and TRRAM a new

perspective could be given to the mobile which would deal not only with calls and data transfers but also

would become an important part in everyday life activities. But this thing to become reality it still take

years because the research is in the initial stages

References

1) Nano grass: http://nanoindia.blogspot.com/2007/03/nanograss.html

2) Characteristics of ZnO nanowires:http://www.nnin.org/doc/2004NNINreuNicole.pdf

3) Nanotech could make solar energy as easy and cheap as growing grass http://www.physorg.com/news109253445.html

4) Biomechanics at micro and nano scale levels Vol-4 by Hiroshi Wada

5) http://www.nanoscience.cam.ac.uk/

6) http://www.arstechnica.com

7) http://www.howstuffworks.com

8) http://www.azonano.com

9) http://www.sciencedirect.com

10) http://www.nanotech-now.com

11) http://www.worldscibook.com

12) http://www.unwiredview.com