Book excerpt: Over the past few decades, devices and technologies have been significantly miniaturized from one generation to the next, providing far more potential in a much smaller package. The smallest of these recently developed tools are miniscule enough to be invisible to the naked eye. Nanotechnology: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications describes some of the latest advances in microscopic technologies in fields as diverse as biochemistry, materials science, medicine, and electronics. Through its investigation of theories, applications, and new developments in the nanotechnology field, this impressive reference source will serve as a valuable tool for researchers, engineers, academics, and students alike.