Nanotechnology is composed by several techniques used to manipulate matter at the atoms and molecules scale. Nano is a measuring method: a millionth of a millimeter is a nanometer.

The key to understand the technology’s potential is to know that principles of operation at the nano scale differ from the properties known to that matter at the bulk-materials scale. The long term goal is for scientists to achieve the molecular self-assembly to create materials, devices and systems with unique and novel properties.