Nanoscience and nanotechnology initiatives in India

Abstract

The prefix ‘Nano’ in the words nanoscience and nanotechnology means a billionth1 (1 × 10–9) and is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘Dwarf’ or extremely small. A nanometer (nm) is a billionth1 of a metre or one-millionth of a millimetre. It is nearly 100 000th the diameter of a human hair and a single human hair is around 800 000 nm in width. The realm of nanotechnology, in general, lies between 1 and 100 nm. Nanotechnology literally means any technology performed on the nanoscale that has applications in the real world. There is no single definition of nanotechnology acceptable to everybody. Nanotechnology is based on the concept that particles less than about 100 nanometres (nm) impart to materials new and novel properties and behaviour. Particles of any material like metal, semiconductor or ceramic having a diameter below 100 nm constitute nanoscale clusters.