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

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