The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Potential Impact on DoD

Abstract : Nanoscience involves materials where some critical property is attributable to a structure with at least one dimension limited to the nanometer size scale, 1-100 nanometers. Below that size the disciplines of Chemistry and Atomic/Molecular Physics have already provided detailed scientific understanding. Above that size scale, in the last 50 years Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science have provided detailed scientific understanding of microstructures. So the nanoscale is the last size frontier for materials science. When the size of the structure is nanometer, one can expect surprises new materials behavior that may be technologically exploitable. The implications for nanotechnology in defense have been addressed in a number of places. Amongst the areas the National Nanotechnology Initiative has identified for significant technology impact, several are particularly important for the defense implications: Information technology - Nano- Electronics, Photonics and Magnetics; Energy Conversion and Storage; and Nanostructured Materials by Design.