Nanosciences and nanotechnology are at the interface between physics, chemistry, engineering and biology. The fundamental processes of living matter occur on the nanometre scale. This book is based on local probes (STM, AFM, SNOM) and related supreme technological acheivements. Topics are covered extensively, covering issues such as: clusters, nanocontacts, photonic bad gap materials, atom manipulation by light, atom optics with Bose-Einstein condensates, and quantum computing.

This important book provides a vivid introduction to the procedures, techniques, problems and difficulties of computational nano-engineering and design. The reader is given step by step the scientific background information, for an easy reconstruction of the explanations. The focus is laid on the molecular dynamics method, which is well suited for explaining the topic to the reader with just a basic knowledge of physics. Results and conclusions of detailed nano-engineering studies are presented in an instructive style. In summary, the book puts readers immediately in a position to take their first steps in the field of computational nano-engineering and design.

From the reviews: "...A class in nanoscale science and technology is daunting for the educator, who must organize a large collection of materials to cover the field, and for the student, who must absorb all the new concepts. This textbook is an excellent resource that allows students from any engineering background to quickly understand the foundations and exciting advances of the field. The example problems with answers and the long list of references in each chapter are a big plus for course tutors. The book is organized into seven sections. The first, nanoscale fabrication and characterization, covers nanolithography, self-assembly, and scanning probe microscopy. Of these, we enjoyed the section on nanolithography most, as it includes many interesting details from industrial manufacturing processes. The chapter on self-assembly also provides an excellent overview by introducing six types of intermolecular interactions and the ways these can be employed to fabricate nanostructures. The second section covers nanomaterials and nanostructures. Out of its 110 pages, 45 are devoted to carbon nanotubes. Fullerenes and quantum dots each have their own chapter that focuses on the properties and applications of these nanostructures. Nanolayer, nanowire, and nanoparticle composites of metals and semiconductors are briefly covered (just 12 pages), with slightly more discussion of specific applications. The section on nanoscale electronics begins with a history of microelectronics before discussing the difficulties in shrinking transistor size further. The discussion of problems (leakage current, hot electrons, doping fluctuations, etc.) and possible solutions (high- k dielectrics, double-gate devices) could easily motivate deeper discussions of nanoscale electrical transport. A chapter on molecular electronics considers transport through alkanes, molecular transistors, and DNA in a simple, qualitative manner we found highly instructive. Nanoscale magnetic systems are examined in the fourth section. The concept of quantum computation is nicely presented, although the discussion of how this can be achieved with controlled spin states is (perhaps necessarily) not clear. We found the chapter on magnetic storage to be one of the most lucid in the book. The giant magnetoresistive effect, operation of spin valves, and issues in magnetic scaling are easier to understand when placed in the context of the modern magnetic hard disk drive. Micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems are covered with an emphasis on the integration of sensing, computation, and communication. Here, the student can see advanced applications of lithography. The sixth section, nanoscale optoelectronics, describes quantum dots, organic optoelectronics, and photonic crystals. The chapter on organic optoelectronics is especially clear in its discussion of the fundamentals of this complicated field. The book concludes with an overview of nanobiotechnology that covers biomimetics, biomolecular motors, and nanofluidics. Because so many authors have contributed to this textbook, it suffers a bit from repetition. However, this also allows sections to be omitted without any adverse effect on student comprehension. We would have liked to see more technology to balance the science; apart from the chapters on lithography and magnetic storage, little more than an acknowledgment is given to commercial applications. Overall, this book serves as an excellent starting point for the study of nanoscale science and technology, and we recommend it to anyone with a modest scientific background. It is also a great vehicle to motivate the study of science at a time when interest is waning. Nanotechnology educators should look no further." (MATERIALS TODAY, June 2005)

Nanotechnology is a vital new area of research and development addressing the control, modification and fabrication of materials, structures and devices with nanometre precision and the synthesis of such structures into systems of micro- and macroscopic dimensions. Future applications of nanoscale science and technology include motors smaller than the diameter of a human hair and single-celled organisms programmed to fabricate materials with nanometer precision. Miniaturisation has revolutionised the semiconductor industry by making possible inexpensive integrated electronic circuits comprised of devices and wires with sub-micrometer dimensions. These integrated circuits are now ubiquitous, controlling everything from cars to toasters. The next level of miniaturisation, beyond sub-micrometer dimensions into nanoscale dimensions (invisible to the unaided human eye) is a booming area of research and development. This is a very hot area of research with large amounts of venture capital and government funding being invested worldwide, as such Nanoscale Science and Technology has a broad appeal based upon an interdisciplinary approach, covering aspects of physics, chemistry, biology, materials science and electronic engineering. Kelsall et al present a coherent approach to nanoscale sciences, which will be invaluable to graduate level students and researchers and practising engineers and product designers.

A survey of the machinery and science of the nanometer scale. Its twenty-two contributing authors, drawn from many different disciplines including atomic physics, microelectronics, polymer chemistry, and biophysics, delineate the course of current research and articulate a vision for the development of the nanometer frontiers in electronics, mechanics, chemistry, magnetics, materials, and biology. They reveal a world thirty years hence where motors are smaller than the diameter of a human hair; where single-celled organisms are programmed to fabricate materials with nanometer precision; where single atoms are used for computation, and where quantum chaos is the norm. Aimed at the level of at least a junior- or senior- level undergraduate in biology, chemistry, physics, or engineering.

The intersection of nanostructured materials with photonics and electronics shows great potential for clinical diagnostics, sensors, ultrafast telecommunication devices, and a new generation of compact and fast computers. Nanophotonics draws upon cross-disciplinary expertise from physics, materials science, chemistry, electrical engineering, biology, and medicine to create novel technologies to meet a variety of challenges. This is the first book to focus on novel materials and techniques relevant to the burgeoning area of nanoscale photonics and optoelectronics, including novel-hybrid materials with multifunctional capabilities and recent advancements in the understanding of optical interactions in nanoscale materials and quantum-confined objects. Leading experts provide a fundamental understanding of photonics and the related science and technology of plasmonics, polaritons, quantum dots for nanophotonics, nanoscale field emitters, near-field optics, nanophotonic architecture, and nanobiophotonic materials.