Simulation at the Nanoscale

摘要

When discussing nanotechnol-ogy and simulation, imagine Schrödinger's cat (or perhaps Alice's Cheshire version) is peering over your shoulder, pointing out that nanoscale simulation software could approach a problem from the top-down or from the bottom-up, with each way having its pros and cons. One could push current analytical limits down, by scaling existing technologies past those of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Or one could take an upward path, managing-atomic and molecular physics in ways that simulate practical, manufacturable devices. Either way, the cats point out, the task involves many factors and application-specific goals that must be carefully considered.