IBM finds out exact force required to move single atom

International Business Machines Corporation (abbreviated IBM, nicknamed "Big Blue"; NYSE: IBM) has conducted an interesting research in order to advance in atomic scale computing and other nanotechnology applications.

Photo: IBM finds out exact force required to move single atom

IBM finds out exact force required to move single atom

The multinational computer technology and consulting corporation managed to find out the exact force required to move a single atom. A sensitive atomic force microscope showed that moving an atom across a copper surface requires 17 piconewtons. A copper penny requires about 30 billion piconewtons, 2 billion times greater.

The discovery provides ground for further research and implementation of the results in the field of nanoscale computing. It can also help chipmakers to manufacture high-speed processors that will keep Moore 's Law - the number of transistors that can be inexpensively placed on an integrated circuit is increasing exponentially, doubling approximately every two years.

Photo: physics.uwstout.edu