They hope the technique will someday allow them to make the world's tiniest integrated circuits. We use the lightest possible touch, deflecting atoms with the force exerted by light as we deposit the atoms onto a substrate. The basic physics behind the idea hinges on the recognition that a particle of light, or photon, carries momentum. If an atom is moving slowly enough, a collision with a photon can be used to deflect it. The novel technique raises the possibility of developing a fundamentally new type of lithography with various potential ap- plications, including making microchips.
Technological progress is measured by the number and size of components on a chip.
More components mean more circuit func- tions. Smaller components and shorter distances between them mean faster, more reliable circuits. Progress in lithography means ever-finer lines and patterns. In devices that small, the position of every atom matters. We're taking the first, small steps in this direction.