Nanotechnology: A Very Short Introduction

About this book

What is Nanotechnology and how will it affect us? Nanobots, nanoprobes, nanoswarms, nanogenes the list goes on. Nanotechnology is a staple of science fiction and has a rather chequered history when it comes to public perception: will swarms of sentient nanomachines ultimately take over the world or will nanotech give us nothing more than improved sun creams? As this Very Short Introduction shows, the science underpinning nanotechnology is equally as fascinating as the best nano-inspired sci-fi.

In this book, Philip Moriarty introduces the key scientific themes and concepts underpinning the field, including interatomic and intermolecular forces, single-atom imaging, quantum confinement, self-assembly, molecular machinery, and nanomagnetism. Moriarty includes results from ground-breaking scientific studies, such as scanning probe microscope images of atomic and molecular "landscapes", providing visceral and intuitive insights into the nanoscopic world.

Contents

1. Welcome To NanoPut
2. The Quantum, Confined
3. Tearing It Down, Building It Up
4. It From Bit, Bit From It
5. Molecules in Motion.  Nanomachinery
6. Are The Nanobots Nigh?

Customer Reviews

Biography

Philip Moriarty's work comprises teaching, research, public engagement (both via online media such as YouTube and in more traditional settings), and popular science writing. His academic career has been based at the University of Nottingham, where he started as a postdoctoral researcher in 1994 and has been a professor since 2005. His work is focused on many topical themes in nanoscience, with a particular focus on single atom/molecule imaging, spectroscopy, and manipulation.