Nanocomputation describes computing that uses extremely small devices or nanoscale (one nanometer [nm] is one millionth of a meter). In 2001, the latest generation electronic devices could be as small as about 100 nm, which is about the same size as a virus. The integrated circuit (IC) industry, however, looks to the future to determine the smallest electronic devices possible within the limits of computer technology.
Until the mid-1990s, the term "nanoscale" generally denoted circuit characteristics less than 100 nm. As the IC industry began to build commercial devices at such size scales since the early 2000s, the term "nanocomputing" has been reserved for device features well below 50 nm and even for the size of individual molecules, which are only a few nm. Scientists and engineers are just beginning to come up with new ways of approaching computing using extremely small devices and individual molecules.
All computers must operate by basic physical processes. Contemporary digital computers use currents and voltages on tens of millions of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors covering a few square centimeters of silicon. If the dimensions of the device can be reduced by a factor of 10 or even 100, the functionality of the circuit will increase from 100 to 10,000 times.
In addition, if a new device or computer architecture were developed, this could lead to a million increases in the power of computing. Such circuits would consume much less energy per function, which would increase the life of the battery and reduce the boxes and fans needed to cool the circuits. In addition, they would be remarkably fast and could perform calculations that are not yet possible on any computer. Significantly faster computer benefits include more precision in predicting weather patterns, recognizing complex figures in images, and developing artificial intelligence (AI). Potentially, single-chip memories will be developed containing thousands of gigabytes of data, capable of containing complete libraries of books, music or movies.