He originally began investigating thin films a few molecules thick in order to construct solar sails.
Books by Eric Drexler Engines of Creation (1986) Available online at Engines of Creation - K. Eric Drexler Unbounding the Future (1991; with Chris Peterson and Gayle Pergamit) Available online at Unbounding the Future: the Nanotechnology Revolution Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing and Computation (1992) Books and Articles about Eric Drexler Nano: The Emerging Science of Nanotechnology by Ed Regis "The Creator": Interview with Eric Drexler by Michael Berry "The Incredible Shrinking World of Eric Drexler": Red Herring Interview by Anthony B. Perkins