nanotech

Nanotechnology, or nanotech, is the manipulation of matter at the nanometer scale, roughly 1 to 100 nanometers, to create structures, devices, and systems with properties that differ markedly from bulk materials.

The field draws on advances in physics, chemistry, and materials science. Key milestones include Richard Feynman's 1959 vision of miniaturization, the 1981 invention of the scanning tunneling microscope, and the 1991 discovery of carbon nanotubes by Sumio Iijima, which highlighted unique nanoscale properties.

Nanotech employs top-down methods, such as lithography and etching, to carve nanoscale features from larger materials, and bottom-up approaches, including chemical synthesis and self-assembly, to build structures from atoms or molecules. Advanced characterization tools, such as electron and atomic force microscopes, enable imaging at the nanoscale.

Applications span medicine (drug delivery and diagnostics), electronics (transistors and sensors with higher performance), energy (batteries and photovoltaics), materials (stronger, lighter composites and coatings), and environmental technologies (pollution remediation and sensing).

Challenges include potential toxicity and environmental impact of nanomaterials, manufacturing costs and scalability, and the need for standards and regulatory frameworks. Ethical and safety considerations, along with public engagement, are integral to responsible development of nanotech.

The field remains multidisciplinary and rapidly evolving, with ongoing research aimed at translating laboratory advances into reliable, safe commercial products while addressing societal impacts.