A synthetic, three-dimensional
macromolecule formed using a
nanoscale fabrication process. A dendrimer is built up from a
monomer, with new branches added in steps until a tree-like structure is created (
dendrimer comes from the Greek
dendra, meaning
tree). A dendrimer is technically a
polymer.
In computer applications, early research suggests that dendrimers can be used to create ultra-low dielectric constant materials, which can lead to breakthroughs in semiconductor performance.
