ABSTRACT
Understanding the nanoworld makes up one of the frontiers of modern science. One reason for this is that technology based on nanostructures promises to be hugely important economically [1-3]. Nanotechnology literally means any technology on a nanoscale that has applications in the real world. It includes the production and application of physical, chemical, and biological systems at scales ranging from individual atoms or molecules to submicron dimensions, as well as the integration of the resulting nanostructures into larger systems. Nanotechnology is likely to have a profound impact on our economy and society in the early twenty-first century, comparable with that of semiconductor technology, information technology, or cellular and molecular biology. Science and technology research in nanotechnology promises breakthroughs in areas such as materials and manufacturing [4], nanoelectronics [5], medicine and healthcare [6], energy [7], biotechnology [8], information technology [9], and national security [10]. It is widely felt that nanotechnology will be the next Industrial Revolution [9].
