Nanotechnology is technology which takes place at the nanometer scale. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter, about ten thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair, or the size of a few atoms or small molecules. Nanotechnology exploits the unique properties of matter at dimensions of between one and 100 nanometers.

At this size matter may have different electromagnetic and optical properties and a lower melting point. Nanotechnology is dominated by various effects which are only present at this scale. These may be advantageous or disadvantageous.

What is nanotechnology for?

Understanding how to manipulate matter at atomic level is opening up possibilities for practical applications in a range of industries – telecoms, medicine, biochemistry. As such, nanoscience is of interest to scientists in a number of different areas: materials science, life sciences, information and communications technology.

The general public is gradually becoming more aware of the impact of nanotechnology. Among the readily visible consumer benefits that have already appeared or are likely to do so soon, are far larger stores on the memory chips in digital cameras, smaller mobile phones or lighter and stronger tennis rackets, racing bikes and other sports equipment strengthened with carbon nano-tubes.