| Summary: |
Making predictions in an emergent field is difficult. By its nature, no forecast can reflect all the views of all the experts in the field; it can try, at best, to reflect a consensus of most of their views. In order to arrive at a “common view” on nanotechnology, the editor has relied on information from many sources, in particular, the discussions of the six monthly MELARI/NID workshops whose participants are drawn from more than sixty distinct Europe research groups working in different areas of nanoelectronics. The first technology roadmap for nanoelectronics was published by L. Molenkamp, D. Paul and R. Compañó in April 1999 and this new edition follows the same format, with several new chapters to reflect new advances. Many top nanotechnology experts contributed to this document, but predictions can never be guaranteed. This roadmap should be understood as a document that monitors progress and discusses tendencies in the hope that it may help the reader to appreciate strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of different technologies. Although breakthroughs are not usually predicted, they very often occur as unexpected results when working towards predicted targets. |