The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is a U.S. federal research and development (R&D) program focused on the advancement of science, engineering, and technology at the nanoscale. The initiative was established in 2000 and is coordinated by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). The NNI is the primary mechanism through which the United States coordinates … Read more
A replicator is a machine that can create copies of itself from raw materials. This is different from a 3D printer, which can only create objects from a digital file. Replicators are a key part of many futuristic scenarios, especially in the field of nanotechnology. One type of replicator that has been proposed is a … Read more
Gray goo (or grey goo) is a hypothetical form of self-replicating nanotechnology that could theoretically transform the entire surface of the Earth into a mass of identical copies of itself, engulfing all other forms of life in the process. The term was first coined by Eric Drexler in his 1986 book Engines of Creation. While … Read more
A nanomachine is a very small machine that has been designed to operate at the nanometer scale. Nanomachines are also sometimes referred to as nanites. Nanomachines are typically designed to perform a specific function, and they are often used in a wide range of applications, including medical diagnosis and treatment, manufacturing, and environmental cleanup. While … Read more
A quantum dot is a nanometer-scale semiconductor device that confines electrons or holes in all three spatial dimensions. Due to the quantum confinement of carriers in all three dimensions, quantum dots have properties that differ significantly from those of bulk semiconductors. For example, the electronic band structure of a quantum dot can be tuned by … Read more
Saser is an acronym for sound amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. This technology is based on the principle of amplifying sound waves using lasers. The laser light is used to stimulate the emission of sound waves from a material, which amplifies the sound. This technology has a number of potential applications, including sound reinforcement, … Read more
A nano-emissive display (NED) is a display technology that uses nanoscale emitters to create images. The technology is similar to other display technologies such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), but the emitters in a NED are much smaller, typically just a few nanometers in size. NEDs are still in the … Read more
Nanoanalysis is the study of the physical and chemical properties of matter on the nanometer scale. This includes the use of various analytical methods to characterize nanomaterials, as well as the study of their behavior in biological and environmental systems. What do Oxford Instruments do? Oxford Instruments designs, manufactures and supplies world-leading technology solutions for … Read more
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is the term given to the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It includes cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things, cloud computing and cognitive computing. This revolution represents a fundamental change in the way we live, work and relate to one another. It is a transformation that … Read more
A nanocrystal is a particle of matter that measures just a few nanometers (nm) in at least one dimension. In other words, a nanocrystal is a very small particle. Nanocrystals are also sometimes called nanoclusters, nanocrystallites, or nanosized crystals. Nanocrystals can be found in a variety of materials, including metals, semiconductors, and even some types … Read more
