Atomic and Close-to-Atomic Scale Manufacturing: The Fundamental Technology of Manufacturing III

Atomic and close-to-atomic scale manufacturing (ACSM) aims to realize cost-effective, deterministic, and scalable manufacturing of next-generation products with atomic-level precision by addressing quantum uncertainty in atomic-level material manipulation (removal, migration, and addition). It is the fundamental technology for opening a new manufacturing paradigm—“Manufacturing III”. This essay introduces a research framework, including scientific issues and research content of ACSM, followed by the current status, scientific and technological challenges, and future research perspectives. Fundamental knowledge and theory, industrially viable processing technologies and equipment for atom manipulation, multiple chemical bonds/atoms interactions, and associated measurement and characterization approaches and systems are concluded as future key research focuses of ACSM.