Direct mechanosynthesis

From Wise Nano

Freitas and Merkle have recommended development of scanning-probe diamond deposition. The construction of a reliable deposition tooltip based on diamond matrix would lead to the ability to build larger parts, eventually enabling development of an enclosed sub-micron machine driven by digital inputs and capable of producing its mass in diamond in ~1 day given instructions and feedstock. From here, development of a kilogram-scale nanofactory would not require any more breakthroughs (though of course it would require substantial engineering work).