Nano-materials: Science of bottom-up and top-down

The most frequently used high tech words in the scientific world now are Computer, gene and nanometer. On 29 December 1959, Richard P Feynman [1] gave a talk at the annual meeting of the American Physical society that has become one of the twentieth century's classic science lectures titled "There is Plenty of Room at the Bottom". He presented a technological vision of the miniaturization of materials, manipulating and controlling things on a small scale called "Nanotechnology". Feynman visualized a technology using a toolbox of nature to build nano-object by atom by atom or molecule by molecule. Taking into account of the future potential of nanoscience, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) of the White House created the interagency working group on Nanoscience, Engineering and Technology (IWGN) in 1998. A grant of $497 million was granted to National Nanotechnology Institute (NNI) in the year 2001 and made it a top science and technology priority. Scientists are already developing nano-applications that will be bringing revolution in a host of products and services like battery storage capacity, computer chip minimization, drug delivery, facial creams, food processing, agricultural insect control, solar energy management and water purification. The United States have decided to spend US $3.7 billion during 2005-2008 and have spent almost US $3 billion during 2002-2005. The European Union will spend US $1.7 billion and the figures for other countries are - Japan (US $3 billion), China (US $240 million), Brazil (US $25 million), India (US $23 million), South Africa (US $6 million) and Argentina (US $10 million) [2]