Nanotechnology opens new frontiers
Sunit Dhawan

Thanks to this highly sophisticated and specialised science, replacement of the worn-out or damaged human body parts will become much easier. The scientists who have been working in this area claim that eventually, it will be possible to even put off death by replacing the weak organs.

Increasing role

Apart from proving to be a boon for medical science, nanotechnology finds widespread applications in electronics, computer systems, life sciences, medicine, healthcare, space, defence, bio-warfare, security, automobile, textile, packaging and so on.

Hence, students who have a scientific bent of mind and creative ability are suited to venture into this area. Many institutions, including Panjab University, Chandigarh, Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar, and Amity Institute, Noida, offer postgraduate courses in nano science and technology.

The Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh, was a pioneer in setting up a nanotechnology lab for the development of nano and molecular devices.

The candidates interested in pursuing higher studies in nano science and technology should hold B.Tech, B.Pharma or M.Sc degrees in biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular biology, biomedical, electronics, electrical, computer or mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry, material science or the life sciences.

Jobs available

Owing to its usefulness to a considerable number of disciplines, this futuristic discipline of nano science and technology promises to be a safe bet for aspiring technocrats, entrepreneurs and professionals.

The underlying principle of nano science and technology is to use the life processes and materials perfected by nature over millions of years for bioengineering to develop devices that can improve the quality of human life.

Nature has created a vast variety of molecular devices, which are working in living systems, ranging from micro-organisms to human beings. Nature creates these devices through the self-assembly process.

A multi-disciplinary integrated approach is required to understand various physical and biological processes at the molecular level for designing nano devices out of the DNA. Development of technology based upon DNA, bio-MEMS, molecular motors and carbon nano tubes is of paramount importance.

The technological revolution during the last half a century was dominated and driven by unprecedented progress in the area of semiconductor devices. However, at present, the semiconductor devices are approaching their limit in terms of miniaturisation and performance.

Tremendous scope

Thus, it was imminent for technologists to look for entirely new concepts for developing miniaturised devices with higher precision, performance and reliability through nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology has opened unlimited opportunities for the development of nano and molecular devices. During recent years, tremendous efforts have been made by the developed nations for commercialisation of nanotechnology.

A large number of approaches and methodologies have been employed for developing nano and molecular devices. These can be broadly categorised into bottom-down and bottom-up processes.

The bottom-down process involves the machining of material into nano structures based on lithographic techniques similar to those used in the semiconductor industry. The bottom-up process, on the other hand, is more realistic as it avoids machining of material in nano dimensions. Self-assembly of both biological and non-biological materials is possible in this direction.

The self-assembly processes in biological systems are well established and have been perfected by nature over a span of millions of years. Interest in self-assembly biological processes for engineering applications is an area of recent interest across the globe.

Nano devices include DNA nano-wires for sensors and actuators, bio-MEMS for disease diagnosis, bio-molecular motors for high-speed high-density electronic switching and targeted drug delivery, nano robotics, bio-sensors and carbon nano tubes for electronic and display devices and for targeted drug delivery.

Using the natural ability of stem cells for rapid manipulation of cells in micro-array format is another significant area. Development of tailor-made materials by hybridising different cell lines to produce composite materials with different tissues and non-biological materials is also in progress.

This research will open an entirely new domain of material processing and synthesis as nature is fabricating innumerable materials with entirely different properties through this process. These include bone, heart tissue, optical system of eyes, skull, bark and leaves of trees and hair etc.Thus, with the proposed methodology, it is possible to synthesise all kinds of materials in terms of mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. These materials can have applications in every sector of the economy.