Biosensors: surface structures and materials

Nanotechnology literally means any technology done on a nanoscale that has applications in the real world. Nanotechnology encompasses production and application of physical, chemical and biological systems at scales ranging from individual atoms or molecules to submicrometre 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 technology. Science and technology research in nanotechnology promises breakthroughs in areas such as materials and manufacturing, nanoelectronics, medicine and healthcare, energy, biotechnology, information technology and national security. It is widely felt that nanotechnology will be the next industrial revolution. There is an increasing need for a multi-disciplinary, system-oriented approach to design and manufacturing of micro/nanodevices that function reliably. This can only be achieved through the cross fertilization of ideas from different disciplines and the systematic flow of information and people among research groups.