![]() |
|
|
|
|
||
| Contents | Previous page | Next page |
Nanotechnology deals with the study, development and practical application of structures and devices at molecular scale (between 1 and 100 nanometers, one nanometer is equivalent to 1 in 10-9 meters). "Nano" is a Greek prefix, which signifies a "billionth" (one billionth of a meter is the unit of measure in the field of nanotechnology). An atom is smaller than a nanometer, but a molecule can be larger.
A) Top-Down (larger to smaller size): Here, the mechanisms and structures are miniaturized to a nanometric scale. This approach is widely following in the miniaturization of electronic products, and electronic components manufacturing processes.
B)
Bottom-Up (Smaller to larger size): Here, we begin with a nanometric
structure such as a molecule, and through a process of molecular level
assembly, a bigger product is generated. The ultimate step for
Bottom-Up Nanotechnology is called "molecular nanotechnology", or
"molecular manufacturing".
|