Publisher's Synopsis
One of the biggest scientific trends of the 21century has been focused on something-incredibly small: i.e. of the order of 10-9 meter the word nanotechnology means different things to different people. For some, it conjures up images of fabulous new materials, lighter and stronger than steel. Others envision microscopic robots that clean plaque from our arteries and tartar from our teeth. In the purest sense, nanotechnology is the science on small very small things measured in units called nanometers, which are one-billionth of a meter. In other words, a nanometer is so small that if one meter were stretched from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, each nanometer would still be the size of an aspirin. The foundations of nanotechnology have emerged over many decades of research in many different fields. The Handbook of Nanotechnology seeks to explain this complex field, and provide an understanding of what is happing now in the field, as well as what to expect in the short and long terms. The Handbook consists of following distinct sections. Section I: Nanotechnology Revolution delineates a number of alternative scenarios to develop our understanding nanotechnology. Section II: Nanostructured Materials details recent advances in the synthesis and investigation of functional materials, focusing on the novel size-dependent physics and chemistry that result when atoms and electrons are confined within nanoscale semiconductors and metal clusters. Section III: Nanocomposites provides a perfect insight into the latest technologies, emerging markets and commercial opportunities for nanocomposites. Section IV: Nanoelectronics and Nano-optics is a topic that is attracting a lot of interest in scientific and nonscientific corners alike. This enables readers to better understand drivers and demand patterns for nanoelectronics and nano-optical products, such as the trend in computing, communications, optical satellite telecommunications or sensor technology and IT. Section V: Nanorobotics describes SPM principles, surveys SPM uses in Nanomanipulation and looks at the SPM as a robot. Section VI: Nanomedicine touches upon some of the leading areas to which nanotechnology tools, materials, devices and intelligent materials and machines are currently applied in medical research. This handbook provides details of this technology and further prospects as the technology improves, we will be able to move hundreds, thousands and then millions of atoms at will, to precisely construct objects of virtually any size, shape and material.
