Nanoengineering
Encyclopedia
Nanoengineering is the practice of engineering
on the nanoscale. It derives its name from the nanometre
, a unit of measurement equalling one billionth of a meter.
Nanoengineering is largely a synonym for nanotechnology
, but emphasizes the engineering rather than the pure science aspects of the field.
within the Engineering Science program as one of the Options of study in the final years. In 2003, the Lund Institute of Technology
started a program in Nanoengineering. In 2005, the University of Waterloo
established a unique program which offers a full degree in Nanotechnology Engineering. Louisiana Tech University started the first program in the U.S. in 2005. The University of California, San Diego
followed shortly thereafter in 2007 with its own department of Nanoengineering.
In 2009, the University of Toronto
began offering all Options of study in Engineering Science as degrees, bringing the second nanoengineering degree to Canada.
DTU Nanotech - the Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology - is a department at the Technical University of Denmark
established in 1990.
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
on the nanoscale. It derives its name from the nanometre
Nanometre
A nanometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one billionth of a metre. The name combines the SI prefix nano- with the parent unit name metre .The nanometre is often used to express dimensions on the atomic scale: the diameter...
, a unit of measurement equalling one billionth of a meter.
Nanoengineering is largely a synonym for nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
, but emphasizes the engineering rather than the pure science aspects of the field.
Degree programs
The first nanoengineering program in the world was started at the University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
within the Engineering Science program as one of the Options of study in the final years. In 2003, the Lund Institute of Technology
Lund Institute of Technology
The Faculty of Engineering is one of the eight faculties at Lund University in Lund, Sweden, commonly called LTH . LTH was originally established as an independent institute in 1961, but was incorporated in Lund University as a faculty in 1969...
started a program in Nanoengineering. In 2005, the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
established a unique program which offers a full degree in Nanotechnology Engineering. Louisiana Tech University started the first program in the U.S. in 2005. The University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
followed shortly thereafter in 2007 with its own department of Nanoengineering.
In 2009, the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
began offering all Options of study in Engineering Science as degrees, bringing the second nanoengineering degree to Canada.
DTU Nanotech - the Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology - is a department at the Technical University of Denmark
Technical University of Denmark
The Technical University of Denmark , often simply referred to as DTU, is a university just north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in 1829 at the initiative of Hans Christian Ørsted as Denmark's first polytechnic, and is today ranked among Europe's leading engineering institutions, and the...
established in 1990.
Techniques
- Scanning tunneling microscopeScanning tunneling microscopeA scanning tunneling microscope is an instrument for imaging surfaces at the atomic level. Its development in 1981 earned its inventors, Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer , the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986. For an STM, good resolution is considered to be 0.1 nm lateral resolution and...
(STM) - Can be used to both image, and to manipulate structures as small as a single atom. - Molecular self-assemblyMolecular self-assemblyMolecular self-assembly is the process by which molecules adopt a defined arrangement without guidance or management from an outside source. There are two types of self-assembly, intramolecular self-assembly and intermolecular self-assembly...
- Arbitrary sequences of DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
can now be synthesized cheaply in bulk, and used to create custom proteins or regular patterns of amino acids. Similarly, DNA strands can bind to other DNA strands, allowing simple structures to be created.