Nanotechnology

thumb|300px|Fullerene nanogears

thought experiment

Nanomedicine is the medical application of nanotechnology, translating historic nanoscience insights and inventions into practical application. Nanomedicine ranges from the medical applications of nanomaterials and biological devices, to nanoelectronic biosensors, and even possible future applications of molecular nanotechnology such as biological machines. Current problems for nanomedicine involve understanding the issues related to toxicity and environmental impact of nanoscale materials (materials whose structure is on the scale of nanometers, i.e. billionths of a meter). thumb|300px| A rib

term in molecular nanotechnology

Microtechnology is technology whose features have dimensions of the order of one micrometre (one millionth of a metre, or 10−6 metre, or 1μm). It focuses on physical and chemical processes as well as the production or manipulation of structures with one-micrometre magnitude.

self-cleaning properties that are a result of ultrahydrophobicity as exhibited by the leaves of Nelumbo or "lotus flower"

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) is a device that integrates one or several laboratory functions on a single integrated circuit (commonly called a "chip") of only millimeters to a few square centimeters to achieve automation and high-throughput screening. LOCs can handle extremely small fluid volumes down to less than pico-liters. Lab-on-a-chip devices are a subset of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices and sometimes called "micro total analysis systems" (μTAS). LOCs may use microfluidics, the physics, manipulation and study of minute amounts of fluids. However, strictly regarded "lab-on-a-chip

thumb|NIST researchers have combined a glass slide, plastic sheets and double-sided tape to create an inexpensive and simple-to-build microfluidic device for exposing an array of cells to different concentrations of a chemical

a layer of material ranging from fractions of a nanometer to several micrometers in thickness

hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario

proposed nanotechnological device

thumb|300px| A ribosome is a [[biological machine. Protein domain dynamics can now be seen by neutron spin echo spectroscopy.]]

device

production of colour by microscopically structured surfaces, both as a natural phenomenon and in technology

Nanochemistry is an emerging sub-discipline of the chemical and material sciences that deals with the development of new methods for creating nanoscale materials. The term "nanochemistry" was first used by Ozin in 1992 as 'the uses of chemical synthesis to reproducibly afford nanomaterials from the atom "up", contrary to the nanoengineering and nanophysics approach that operates from the bulk "down"'. Nanochemistry focuses on solid-state chemistry that emphasizes synthesis of building blocks that are dependent on size, surface, shape, and defect properties, rather than the actual production of

thumb|336x336px|Taylor cone formation and the main forces acting on the solution, adapted from .

NanoPutians are a series of organic molecules whose structural formulae resemble human forms. James Tour's research group designed and synthesized these compounds in 2003 as a part of a sequence on chemical education for young students. The compounds consist of two benzene rings connected via a few carbon atoms as the body, four acetylene units each carrying an alkyl group at their ends which represents the hands and legs, and a 1,3-dioxolane ring as the head. Tour and his team at Rice University used the NanoPutians in their NanoKids educational outreach program. The goal of this program was

thumb|upright=1.2|Self-assembly of lipids (a), [[proteins (b), and (c) SDS-cyclodextrin complexes. SDS is a surfactant with a hydrocarbon tail (yellow) and a SO4 head (blue and red), while cyclodextrin is a saccharide ring (green C and red O atoms).]] thumb|upright=1.2|Transmission electron microscopy image of an iron oxide [[nanoparticle. Regularly arranged dots within the dashed border are columns of Fe atoms. Left inset is the corresponding electron diffraction pattern. Scale bar: 10 nm.]] upright=1.2|thumb|Iron oxide nanoparticles can be dispersed in an organic solvent (toluene). Upon its

Nanobiotechnology, bionanotechnology, and nanobiology are terms that refer to the intersection of nanotechnology and biology. Given that the subject is one that has only emerged very recently, bionanotechnology and nanobiotechnology serve as blanket terms for various related technologies.

stop-motion film directed by Nico Casavecchia

physical phenomenon of electron resonance

polymeric allotrope of carbon

Nanosensors are nanoscale devices that measure physical quantities and convert these to signals that can be detected and analyzed. There are several ways proposed today to make nanosensors; these include top-down lithography, bottom-up assembly, and molecular self-assembly. There are different types of nanosensors in the market and in development for various applications, most notably in defense, environmental, and healthcare industries. These sensors share the same basic workflow: a selective binding of an analyte, signal generation from the interaction of the nanosensor with the bio-element,

thumb|Process diagram nanofiltration Nanofiltration is a membrane filtration process that uses nanometer sized pores through which particles smaller than about 1–10 nanometers pass through the membrane. Nanofiltration membranes have pore sizes of about 1–10 nanometers, smaller than those used in microfiltration and ultrafiltration, but a slightly bigger than those in reverse osmosis. Membranes used are predominantly polymer thin films. It is used to soften, disinfect, and remove impurities from water, and to purify or separate chemicals such as pharmaceuticals.

An organ-on-a-chip (OOC) is a multi-channel 3D microfluidic cell culture, integrated circuit (chip) that simulates the activities, mechanics and physiological response of an entire organ or an organ system. It constitutes the subject matter of significant biomedical engineering research, more precisely in bio-MEMS. The convergence of labs-on-chips (LOCs) and cell biology has permitted the study of human physiology in an organ-specific context. By acting as a more sophisticated in vitro approximation of complex tissues than standard cell culture, they provide the potential as an alternative to

oscillating electric and/or magnetic field that does not propagate as an electromagnetic wave but whose energy is spatially concentrated in the vicinity of the source

thumb|320px|alt="dielectrophoresis of cancer cells"|Dielectrophoresis assembling cancer cells in a 3D microfluidic model.

thought experiment and instance of a perpetual motion machine of the second kind

field of study in molecular properties

systems of biologically derived molecules that perform computational processes

hypothetical collection of tiny robots that can replicate a physical structure

technology based on the ability to build structures to complex, atomic specifications by means of mechanosynthesis

The nanocar is a molecule designed in 2005 at Rice University by a group headed by Professor James Tour. Despite the name, the original nanocar does not contain a molecular motor, hence, it is not really a car. Rather, it was designed to answer the question of how fullerenes move about on metal surfaces; specifically, whether they roll or slide (they roll).

right|thumb|Synthetic detail of a micromanufactured integrated circuit through four layers of planarized copper interconnect, down to the polysilicon (pink), wells (greyish) and substrate (green) Microfabrication is the process of fabricating miniature structures of micrometre scales and smaller. Historically, the earliest microfabrication processes were used for integrated circuit fabrication, also known as "semiconductor manufacturing" or "semiconductor device fabrication". In the last two decades, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microsystems (European usage), micromachines (Japanese

The term picotechnology is a portmanteau of picometre and technology, intended to parallel the term nanotechnology. It is a hypothetical future level of technological manipulation of matter, on the scale of trillionths of a metre or picoscale (10−12). This is three orders of magnitude smaller than a nanometre (and thus most nanotechnology) and two orders of magnitude smaller than most chemistry transformations and measurements. Picotechnology would involve the manipulation of matter at the atomic level. A further hypothetical development, femtotechnology, would involve working with matte

DNA / RNA sequencing technique

Nanoengineering is the practice of engineering on the nanoscale. It derives its name from the nanometre, a unit of measurement equalling one billionth of a meter.

Data storage format

thin film obtained by depositing multiple monolayers onto a surface

non-volatile computer memory stored on nanoscopic pits burned into the surface of a thin polymer layer, read and written by a MEMS-based probe

thumb|NIST Next-Generation Nanometrology research. Nanometrology is a subfield of metrology, concerned with the science of measurement at the nanoscale level. Nanometrology has a crucial role in order to produce nanomaterials and devices with a high degree of accuracy and reliability in nanomanufacturing.

overview about the impact of nanotechnology

analytical method used to track the interactions and activities of proteins

A nanonetwork or nanoscale network is a set of interconnected nanomachines (devices a few hundred nanometers or a few micrometers at most in size) which are able to perform only very simple tasks such as computing, data storing, sensing and actuation. Nanonetworks are expected to expand the capabilities of single nanomachines both in terms of complexity and range of operation by allowing them to coordinate, share and fuse information. Nanonetworks enable new applications of nanotechnology in the biomedical field, environmental research, military technology and industrial and consumer goods app

thumb|260px|A Hybrid plasmonic waveguide|plasmonic waveguide design to facilitate [[negative refraction in visible spectrum]] Plasmonics or nanoplasmonics refers to the generation, detection, and manipulation of signals at optical frequencies along metal-dielectric interfaces in the nanometer scale. Inspired by photonics, plasmonics follows the trend of miniaturizing optical devices (see also nanophotonics), and finds applications in sensing, microscopy, optical communications, and bio-photonics.

organised layer of amphiphilic molecules

Mechanosynthesis is a term for hypothetical chemical syntheses in which reaction outcomes are determined by the use of mechanical constraints to direct reactive molecules to specific molecular sites. There are presently no non-biological chemical syntheses which achieve this aim. Some atomic placement has been achieved with scanning tunnelling microscopes.

Femtotechnology is a term used in reference to the hypothetical manipulation of matter on the scale of a femtometer, or 10−15 m. This is three orders of magnitude lower than picotechnology, at the scale of 10−12 m, and six orders of magnitude lower than nanotechnology, at the scale of 10−9 m.

award for advancements in nanotechnology research

process of decomposing gaseous molecules by an electron beam

thumb|A spider mite next to a MEMS gear train. thumb|A micromachine by Sandia National Laboratories|Sandia is moved by a lit [[LED at Miraikan in Tokyo]] thumb|A circuit diagram for a Sandia National Laboratories|Sandia micromachine

thumb|upright=1.2|Colorized scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of [[pollen from a variety of common plants: sunflower, morning glory, hollyhock, lily, primrose and castor bean]] thumb|upright=1.2|Colorized SEM image of a Aceria anthocoptes|rust mite

nanomotors

thumb|Transmission electron micrograph of lead citrate stained microvesicles. Black bar is 100 nanometers

Nanomechanics is a branch of nanoscience studying fundamental mechanical (elastic, thermal and kinetic) properties of physical systems at the nanometer scale. Nanomechanics has emerged on the crossroads of biophysics, classical mechanics, solid-state physics, statistical mechanics, materials science, and quantum chemistry. As an area of nanoscience, nanomechanics provides a scientific foundation of nanotechnology. thumb|300px|left| A ribosome is a [[biological machine that utilizes protein dynamics on nanoscales]] Nanomechanics is that branch of nanoscience which deals with the study and app

Nanotribology is the branch of tribology that studies friction, wear, adhesion and lubrication phenomena at the nanoscale, where atomic interactions and quantum effects are not negligible. The aim of this discipline is characterizing and modifying surfaces for both scientific and technological purposes.

field ion microscope coupled with a mass spectrometer

Nanoscale machine