INTRODUCTION

Nanotechnology, shortened to "nanotech", is the study of the controlling of matter on

an atomic and molecular scale. Generally nanotechnology deals with structures sized
between 1 to 100 nanometer in at least one dimension, and involve developing materials or
devices within that size.
Nanotechnology is rapidly becoming an interdisciplinary field. Biologists, chemists,
physicists and engineers are all involved in the study of substances at the nanoscale.
Nanotechnology is so new, no one is really sure what will come of it. Even so, predictions
range from the ability to reproduce things like diamonds and food to the world being
devoured by self-replicating nanorobots.
Nanotechnology is very diverse, ranging from extensions of conventional device
physics to completely new approaches based upon molecular self-assembly, from
developing new materials with dimensions on the nanoscale to investigating whether we can
directly control matter on the atomic scale.
There has been much debate on the future implications of nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology may be able to create many new materials and devices with a vast range of
applications, such as in medicine, electronics, biomaterials and energy production. On the
other hand, nanotechnology raises many of the same issues as with any introduction of new
technology, including concerns about the toxicity and environmental impact of
nanomaterials,[1] and their potential effects on global economics.
In order to understand the unusual world of nanotechnology, we need to get an idea
of the units of measure involved. A centimeter is one-hundredth of a meter, a millimeter is
one-thousandth of a meter, and a micrometer is one-millionth of a meter, but all of these are
still huge compared to the nanoscale. A nanometer (nm) is one-billionth of a meter, smaller
than the wavelength of visible light and a hundred-thousandth the width of a human hair
Right now, scientists are experimenting with substances at the nanoscale to learn
about their properties and how we might be able to take advantage of them in various
applications. Engineers are trying to use nano-size wires to create smaller, more powerful
microprocessors. Doctors are searching for ways to use nanoparticles in medical
applications. Still, we've got a long way to go before nanotechnology dominates the
technology and medical markets.