Nanotechnology, one of the most extensive research-based
topic is the manipulation of matter, on an Atomic, molecular and subatomic
scale. As defined by size, it is naturally very broad including fields of
science so diverse such as surface science, organic chemistry, molecular
biology, semiconductor, microfabrication etc.

The timeline in Nanotechnology is as follows-

1857: Michael Faraday discovered colloidal “ruby” gold,
demonstrating that nanostructured gold under certain lighting conditions
produces different-coloured solutions

1936: Erwin Müller, working at Siemens Research Laboratory,
invented the field emission microscope, allowing near-atomic-resolution images
of materials.

1947: John Bardeen, William Shockley, and Walter Brattain at
Bell Labs discovered the semiconductor transistor and greatly expanded
scientific knowledge of semiconductor interfaces, laying the foundation for
electronic devices and the Information Age.

1950: Victor La Mer and Robert Dinegar developed the theory
and a process for growing monodisperse colloidal materials. Controlled ability
to fabricate colloids enables myriad industrial uses such as specialized
papers, paints, and thin films, even dialysis treatments.

1951: Erwin Müller pioneered the field ion microscope, a
means to image the arrangement of atoms at the surface of a sharp metal tip; he
first imaged tungsten atoms.

1956: Arthur von Hippel at MIT introduced many concepts
of—and coined the term—“molecular engineering” as applied to dielectrics,
ferroelectrics, and piezoelectrics

1958: Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments originated the concept
of, designed, and built the first integrated circuit, for which he received the
Nobel Prize in 2000.

1965: Intel co-founder Gordon Moore described in Electronics
magazine several trends he foresaw in the field of electronics. One trend now
known as “Moore’s Law,” described the density of transistors on an integrated
chip (IC) doubling every 12 months (later amended to every 2 years). Moore also
saw chip sizes and costs shrinking with their growing functionality—with a
transformational effect on the ways people live and work. That the basic trend
Moore envisioned has continued for 50 years is to a large extent due to the
semiconductor industry’s increasing reliance on nanotechnology as ICs and
transistors have approached atomic dimensions.

1985:  Rice University
researchers Harold Kroto, Sean O’Brien, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley
discovered the Buckminsterfullerene (C60), more commonly known as the Bucky
ball, which is a molecule resembling a soccerball in shape and composed
entirely of carbon, as are graphite and diamond. The team was awarded the 1996
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their roles in this discovery and that of the
fullerene class of molecules more generally.

1998:  The Interagency
Working Group on Nanotechnology (IWGN) was formed under the National Science
and Technology Council to investigate the state of the art in nanoscale science
and technology and to forecast possible future developments. The IWGN’s study
and report, Nanotechnology Research Directions: Vision for the Next Decade
(1999) defined the vision for and led directly to formation of the U.S.
National Nanotechnology Initiative in 2000.

2010: IBM used a silicon tip measuring only a few nanometers
at its apex (similar to the tips used in atomic force microscopes) to chisel
away material from a substrate to create a complete nanoscale 3D relief map of
the world one-one-thousandth the size of a grain of salt—in 2 minutes and 23
seconds. This activity demonstrated a powerful patterning methodology for
generating nanoscale patterns and structures as small as 15 nanometers at
greatly reduced cost and complexity, opening up new prospects for fields such
as electronics, optoelectronics, and medicine.

KARTHIK NATARAJAN

https://www.dcccd.edu/CD/DCC/Mech/Nanotech/more/Pages/terms.aspx

When particle sizes of solid matter in the visible scale are compared to what can be seen in a regular optical microscope, there is little difference in the properties of the particles. But when particles are created with dimensions of about 1–100 nanometers (where the particles can be “seen” only with powerful specialized microscopes), the materials’ properties change significantly from those at larger scales. This is the size scale where so-called quantum effects rule the behavior and properties of particles. Properties of materials are size-dependent in this scale range. Thus, when particle size is made to be nanoscale, properties such as melting point, fluorescence, electrical conductivity, magnetic permeability, and chemical reactivity change as a function of the size of the particle.

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• size,
• shape,
• chemical composition,
• stability, etc.

This allows the researchers to develop predictive models to determine which nanomaterials may pose a higher probability of risk and those expected to have little impact.

Due to the rapid and diverse growth of engineered nanomaterials, it is a challenge for regulators and risk assessors to understand the potential for exposure and whether methods used for assessing conventional chemicals can be used for nanomaterials. EPA researchers are identifying and characterizing the unique chemical and physical features of nanomaterials, such as

• size,
• shape,
• chemical composition,
• stability, etc.

This allows the researchers to develop predictive models to determine which nanomaterials may pose a higher probability of risk and those expected to have little impact.

1)AFM- a high-resolution type of scanning probe microscope with a demonstrated resolution of fractions of a nanometer

2)buckyball-Buckminsterfullerene C60, also known as the “buckyball,” is the simplest of the carbon structures known as fullerenes.

3)electron beam lithography- itis the practice of using a beam of electrons to generate patterns on a surface.

4)molecular manufacturing-the process of building complex machines with atomic precision

2)Pharmacists

3)Farmers

4)Scientists

2)do you think it is harmful??

3)have you experimented with a product which contains nanoparticles?

4)what is your view on nanotechnology?