Research > Nanotechnology: Small science, big impact

There are spaces in the world too small to be seen with even the most powerful optical microscopes. Nanotechnology, sometimes referred to as the science of the very small, has far-reaching economic and quality-of-life implications. How small is small? A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. The human hair is approximately 80,000 nanometers wide, for example. A nanometer-sized particle also is smaller than a living cell and can be seen only with the most powerful microscopes available today. UC research and technologies for integrated nanosystems target areas such as biomedical, communication and networking technologies.

Numerous products featuring the unique properties of nanoscale materials – including computer equipment, drug delivery systems and medical diagnostic tools, burn and wound dressings in hospitals, car parts, protective coatings on eyeglasses, cosmetics and clothing – are available to consumers and industry today. And new uses in our homes, offices and on the road are being envisioned and developed.

The National Science Foundation estimates that two million workers will be needed to support nanotechnology industries worldwide within 15 years.

What is nanotechnology?

UC systemwide
UC Discovery Grant
UC Discovery Grants are awarded by the Industry- University Cooperative Research Program to stengthen and expand California's economy through UC-industry research partnerships in electronics manufacturing and new materials. They are state-funded matching grants for expanding industry participation in UC research and accelerating growth of California R&D firms. Grants are awarded for research in the manufacturing of semiconductors and other electronic materials used in semiconductors, antennas, data storage, flat panel displays, sensors, smart energy sources, MEMs and biomedical applications, for example. More than 300 California companies participate in this UC program.

Berkeley
Berkeley Nanosciences and Nanoengineering Institute
Nanoscience and Nanoengineering Initiative
Nanotech News from UC Berkeley
Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest
of Society (CITRIS)
California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research
(QB3)
Center of Integrated Nanomechanical Systems (COINS)
Nanotechnology Initiative Research Group
Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center - Develops sensors
and miniature moving mechanical elements (MEMS) using advanced integrated circuit technology.
Berkeley Nanotechnology Club / Forum
Selected Nanotechnology Papers
Center for Scalable and Integrated Nano-Manufacturing
Western Institute of Electronics

Davis
Nanomaterials in the Environment, Agriculture and
Technology (NEAT)
Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology
Northern California Nanotechnology Center
Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest
of Society (CITRIS)
Newswatch: "Nanoscience" (transcript and Realplayer video)
Nanotech research by department:
Engineering (Navrotsky group)
Physics (Kai Liu group)
Nanotech stories:
Davis receives DuPont nanotechnology patents
Aerogels - solid smoke may have many uses
Ceramics reinforced with nanotubes
Nanotech decoys for viruses

Irvine
Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility
INRF web forums
UC Irvine Nanotechnology Group

Los Angeles
California NanoSystems Institute
Center for Embedded Networked Sensing
Center for Nanoscience Innovation for Defense
Functional Engineered Nano Architectonics Focus Center
Center for Scalable and Integrated Nano-Manufacturing
Institute for Cell Mimetic Space Exploration
Nano-Art – At the forefront of the intersection of art and
science, two UCLA professors’ groundbreaking project,
" nano," now on view at the Los Angeles County Museum
of Art, presents the world of nanoscience through a
participatory aesthetic experience.
Western Institute of Electronics

Merced
Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS)
New lab to unlock multipurpose magic of nanotechnology
UC Merced’s collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will strengthen its programs in environmental sciences, advanced computing and biotechnology. A combination of nanotechnology emphasis in engineering and its Livermore connections suggests exciting prospects for collaborative research and academic programs on nano-scale issues in physical and inorganic chemistry, biochemistry and X-ray laser physics.

Riverside
Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering
Center for Nanoscience Innovation for Defense
Functional Engineered Nano Architectonics Focus Center

San Diego
Nanoscale Characterization and Devices Laboratory
Center of Nanotechnology for Treatment, Understanding, and Monitoring of Cancer (NANO-TUMOR)
Jacobs School of Engineering
California Institute for Telecommunications and Information
Technology - Cal-(IT)²
UCSD CONNECT
San Diego Supercomputer Center
Center for Scalable and Integrated Nano-Manufacturing

San Francisco
California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research
(QB3)
Nanotechnology brings promise to the field of medicine

Santa Barbara
California NanoSystems Institute
Santa Barbara Nanofabrication Facility
Center for Spintronics and Quantum Computation
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN)
Center for Nanotechnology in Society
Functional Engineered Nano Architectonics Focus Center
Western Institute of Electronics

Santa Cruz
Baskin School of Engineering - Nanotechnology
Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest
of Society (CITRIS)
California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research
(QB3)
Advanced Studies Laboratories
University Affiliated Research Center
Quantum Electronics Group

UC-Managed National Laboratories

Berkeley (LBNL)
Molecular Foundry
Nanotechnology and microtechnology research
A conveyor belt for the Nano-Age

Livermore (LLNL)
Center for Micro- and Nanotechnology
Chemistry, Materials and Life Sciences Directorate

Los Alamos (LANL)
Nanoscience research, facilities and programs
Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies - one of five U.S.
Department of Energy Nanoscale Science Research
Centers
LANL breaks ground for nanoscience building
Nanoscience and nanotechnology fact sheet
Softmatter Nanotechnology and Advanced Spectroscopy
Quantum Institute

Related links
U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative - A multi-agency R&D
program to coordinate efforts in nanoscale science,
engineering and technology. In addition to funding
research, NNI support provides crucial funds for the
creation of university and government nanoscale R&D
labs, and helps educate the future nanotechnology
workforce.
Nanotech news sites:
News.NanoApex.com
Smalltimes.com
Science Daily Nanotech News
NSTI Nanotech News