Whatever the case, this shift will also some detail, as well photovoltaic solar

Ob’edkov, R. K. Janev in Vth ICPEAC, Abstracts

change the knowledge required to de- cells and quantum information devices.
of Papers, 1967, 342 – 345.
2
[8] The correct equation is ECM ¼ Ee1=2  Eþ1=2 . velop working devices and compete in All this affords a nice overview of this
[9] R. Johnsen, Int. J. Mass Spec. Ion Phys. 1987, electronics and related areas. At least lively and rapidly evolving technological
81, 67. basic notions of quantum mechanics scenario. It can be an interesting and
[10] S. L. Guberman, J. Chem. Phys. 2004, 120,
and how it can be used for practical pur- stimulating read to anybody who,
9509.
[11] M. Larson, A. E. Orel, Phys. Rev. A 2001, 64, poses will be needed at both R&D and having a higher education, wants to
062701. decision-making levels, for the develop- have an idea of how nanotechnology
[12] S. L. Guberman, Phys. Rev. A 1994, 49, R4277. ment of new devices and the concomi- can alter the way we perceive and
[13] All six rate constants should be referenced
tant managing activity. design electronic devices. In particular
as Guberman 2003cf in Table 6.2.
[14] B. R. Rowe, F. Valle, J. L. Queffelec, J. C. While this is common knowledge for there is a motivating attention to what
Gomet, M. Morlais, J. Chem. Phys. 1988, 88, physicists, and the transition has already does not work or still remains to be
845. begun at the fundamental level, there done. The reader will promptly discover
[15] A. Petrignani, P. U. Andersson, J. B. C. Petters-
will be soon the need to teach the that, far from the hype of journalists and
son, R. D. Thomas, F. Hellberg, A. Ehlerding,
M. Larsson, Wim J. van der Zande, J. Chem. basics of quantum electronics to a wider fiction writers, the nanoworld is promis-
Phys. 2005, 123, 194306 – 1–11. audience, with a more applicative and ing, but suffers from a still limited con-
[16] A. I. Florescu-Mitchell, J. B. A. Mitchell, Phys. entrepreneurial approach. And this trol and understanding of what we can
Rep. 2006, 430, 277.
knowledge will soon need to reach syn- do.
thetic chemists too, whose role is be- And here, come the drawbacks of this
coming increasingly important, as the book layout. As the reader is not intend-
size of the devices shrinks. ed to have a strong scientific back-
This is where the book “Quantum ground in the fundamentals of physics
Nanoelectronics” by E. L. Wolf comes and chemistry, the book also offers limit-
Quantum Nanoelectronics— into play. Indeed, as stated by the ed tools to go beyond what is explained.
An Introduction to Electronic author, the book presumes only elemen- Given the large collection of examples
Nanotechnology and tary college physics and should be ac- afforded, several important details (and
Quantum Computing cessible to most readers with a very ge- sometimes not-so-details) are necessarily
By E. L. Wolf. neric formation in scientific or technical skipped, referencing the interested
disciplines. This choice of readership is, reader to the original papers. Only a few
Wiley-VCH Verlag, 2009. XV + 456 pp., soft- of course, both a point of strength and a introductory articles are cited at the end
cover E 49.00.— ISBN 978-3-527-40749-1
limit of the book. of each chapter, even when excellent
First of all it confers a pretty unique ones exist. This strategy could prove
Moore’s law states that the number of layout to the text, with about 40% of stimulating for a good student, a scien-
transistors that can be placed on a cir- the book devoted to an introductory tist or a very committed reader, but I
cuit doubles every two years, but this is, part about basic quantum mechanics somewhat feel the original papers will
in fact, an empiri- and solid-state physics. All these con- likely be inaccessibly complicated for a
cal observation of cepts are approached with simplicity reader with a thin fundamental back-
industrial rele- and an applicative mindset, illustrating ground. As the devil often is in the
vance, not a law the fundamental results more than the detail, this might prove an important
of nature. And, in conceptual background of the quantum drawback.
its essence, it is world. Examples of applications of the Moreover the discussion on some ad-
quite an optimis- concepts to devices are often provided, vanced subjects, like quantum computa-
tic observation, sometimes with their commercial suc- tion and graphene, necessarily becomes
with the size of cess or expected performance. The so vague that the reader will likely fail to
electronic devices second part of the book provides an grasp the true fundamental importance
shrinking quickly, overview of the tools of the trade of a of such topics. Thus, as a side effect, the
we are coming nanoscientist, covering the most book contents can sometime appear like
closer and closer to the point where common building blocks of nanodevices a collection of technological possibilities,
quantum effects will rule their function- and the applicable fabrication methods while a feeling of the fundamental scien-
ing. Quantum physics can be staggering- of nanoelectronic systems. The practical tific importance of the subjects treated is
ly different from its classical version, and explanation of how all this becomes very not fully conveyed.
some known concepts will have to be relevant for industrial and technological Eventually chemists and materials sci-
dropped, while new ones can be intro- purposes is contained in the third part, entists should notice that the fabrication
duced. Whether this will be a smooth which covers a broad spectrum of sys- part mostly covers physical methods.
transition or whether we “will face an tems of current interest in nanotechnolo- Chemical bottom-up fabrication meth-
abrupt collision with the future”, to cite gy. In particular, the nano-equivalents of ods, which are acquiring more and more
A. Toffler, remains to be seen. diodes and transistors are discussed in importance in the field, are largely over-

1316 www.chemphyschem.org  2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim ChemPhysChem 2010, 11, 1313 – 1317
looked, as well as the chemical design of approach will definitely appeal to profes- ic importance, and which will likely con-
the devices, which is often a fundamen- sionals interested in changing field and stitute one of the first areas where quan-
tal point. This is a non-minor shortcom- certainly helps in conveying a sense of tum physics is fully used for technologi-
ing in a strongly interdisciplinary field solidity of the field as well as a perspec- cal applications. In its ambition of
like nanotechnology. A few interesting tive that is not easily available in any making all this available to a wider audi-
examples are provided, and this will not other book on the subject. The target ence, this is a courageous book, which
cause chemists and material scientists to students, likely with an engineering or will likely see a following. Let us hope
lose their interest in the subjects cov- technical background, will certainly find that it will help softening some near-
ered. an appealing textbook with more ad- future impacts, maybe with the help of a
This said, such shortcomings are likely vanced ideas than what generally avail- pinch of chemical ingenuity.
intrinsic in a book aiming at such a vast able, and the feeling of a still-open thriv-
readership. Moreover they are likely not ing field. This book, likely the first with Dr. Lapo Bogani
an obstacle for the reader with some ex- this attitude, is probably the proof that Physikalisches Institut
perience in the field or a genuine inter- the field of nanoelectronics is really be- Universitt Stuttgart (Germany)
est in the subject. The entrepreneurial coming a subject of public and econom- DOI: 10.1002/cphc.200900864

ChemPhysChem 2010, 11, 1313 – 1317  2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.chemphyschem.org 1317