The birthplace of nano

Where did the definition of "nanotechnology", as something that measures 100 nanometers (100 billionths of a meter), come from? An outdated paper, said Paolo Gargini, director of technology strategy at Intel and a transistor historian at the Semicon West Conference this week. In 1994, the National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, an annual document outlining the future of the industry, predicted that 100 nanometers represented a physical limit that would require wizardry to surpass. The industry actually blew past the mark in 2000 by producing semiconductors with features smaller than that, but the figure "has become a magic number."

The industry will likely continue to shrink its components a la Moore's Law for the next 15 to 20 years through a combination of new technology and hoary ideas (like dual gate transistors, first patented in 1928, according to Gargini.).

Gargini, however, said there was a more important nano figure to keep in mind. In 1970, transistors on a chip cost around $1 a piece. Now they will cost around 100 nanodollars (one ten-millionth of a dollar).

"This is the nano aspect you can rely on," he said.