Nanotechnology is a field that has and will have substantial intrinsic merit to new technology advancement and to the world economy and quality of life. Nanostructure is concerned with materials and systems whose structures and components exhibit novel physical, chemical and biological properties due to their small size. The aim is to exploit these properties by gaining control of structures and devices at atomic, molecular, and supra-molecular levels and to learn to efficiently manufacture and use these devices. The potential of this technology is almost beyond comprehension and may include applications such as systems that conduct electricity without loss, materials with orders of magnitude more strength than steel at only a small fraction of the weight, devices that store information comparable in size to the information contained in the Library of Congress so small as to fit into in a shirt pocket, and effective treatments and cures for many diseases. Microscopy in Nanotechnology aims to provide an overview of the basics and applications of various microscopy techniques for nanotechnology.
The attraction of such book is evident, since microscopy serves as the "eye" and "hand" of studying nanostructured materials. The structure-composition-processing-property relationships for these sub 100 nm-sized materials can only be understood by employing an array of modern microscopy and microanalysis tools. This book will highlight various microcopy techniques and their applications in this fast-growing field. Topics to be covered will include the following: