Why is this length scale so important?

There are five reasons why this length scale is so important:

• The wavelike properties of electrons inside matter are influenced by variations on the nanometer scale. By patterning matter on the nanometer length scale, it is possible to vary fundamental properties of materials (for instance, melting temperature, magnetization, charge capacity) without changing the chemical composition.
• The systematic organization of matter on the nanometer length scale is a key feature of biological systems. Nanotechnology promises to allow us to place artificial components and assemblies inside cells, and to make new materials using the self-assembly methods of nature. This is a powerful new combination of materials science and biotechnology.
• Nanoscale components have very high surface areas, making them ideal for use in composite materials, reacting systems, drug delivery, and energy storage.
• The finite size of material entities, as compared to the molecular scale, determine an increase of the relative importance of surface tension and local electromagnetic effects, making nanostructured materials harder and less brittle.
• The interaction wavelength scales of various external wave phenomena become comparable to the material entity size, making materials suitable for various opto-electronic applications.

Nanotechnology is the creation of functional materials, devices, and systems through control of matter on the nanometer (1 to 100+ nm) length scale and the exploitation of novel properties and phenomena developed at that scale.

A scientific and technical revolution has begun that is based upon the ability to systematically organize and manipulate matter on the nanometer length scale.

Examples of nanotechnology applications:

• giant magnetoresistance in nanocrystalline materials
• nanolayers with selective optical barriers, hard coatings
• dispersions with optoelectronic properties, high reactivity
• chemical and bio-detectors
• advanced drug delivery systems
• chemical-mechanical polishing with nanoparticle slurries
• new generation of lasers
• nanostructured catalysts
• systems on a chip
• carbon nanotube products
• nanoparticle reinforced materials
• thermal barrier
• ink jet systems
• information recording layers
• molecular sieves
• high hardness cutting tools