| One of the strengths of nanotechnology is its potential to impact a wide range of technology areas, but it is often easier to understand and foresee probable areas of scientific advancement by recognizing the organization of the funding initiatives. For example, the following represent various sets of R&D focus areas that have been identified over the past five years. The original National Nanotechnology Initiative plan identified nine "grand challenges."[1] Significant emphasis was placed on connections to the interests of the participating federal agencies, to establish major, long-term objectives in nanotechnology in these areas: Nanostructured Materials by Design Nano-Electronics, Optoelectronics, and Magnetics Advanced Healthcare, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics Nanoscale Processes for Environmental Improvement Efficient Energy Conversion and Storage Microspacecraft exploration and Industrialization Bio-nanosensors for Communicable Disease and Biological Threat Detection Economic and Safe Transportation National Security
Later modifications to the list included two additional grand challenge areas: Manufacturing at the Nanoscale and Nanoscale Instrumentation and Metrology. In addition, grand challenges 79 were combined into one category: Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Explosive Detection, and Protection. The most recent strategic plan, "The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Strategic Plan" (December 2004), identified a slightly different organization of seven program component areas for investment: Fundamental nanoscale phenomena and processes Nanomaterials Nanoscale devices and systems Instrumentation research, metrology, and standards for nanotechnology Nanomanufacturing Major research facilities and instrument acquisition Societal dimensions
These were based on the stated NNI goals of (1) maintaining worldclass R&D; (2) facilitating transfer of new technologies into products for economic growth, jobs, and other public benefits; (3) developing educational resources, a skilled workforce, and the supporting infrastructure and tools; and (4) supporting responsible development of nanotechnology.[2] The effect of these identified focus areas can be seen in the research themes of the NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSE) solicitations, the most recent of which identified the following research and education themes: Biosystems at the Nanoscale Nanoscale Structures, Novel Phenomena, and Quantum Control Nanoscale Devices and System Architecture Nanoscale Processes in the Environment Multi-scale, Multi-phenomena Theory, Modeling and Simulation at the Nanoscale Manufacturing Processes at the Nanoscale Societal and Educational Implications of Scientific and Technological Advances on the Nanoscale
On a broad scale, the NSF research themes represent the interests of the NSF and its program directors as well as input from the technical community through strategic workshops and submitted proposals. Thus, large groupings of research discoveries are likely to be organized under these themes. Therefore, if a decision maker in, say, a biomedical sensor company wanted to find out what discoveries might be applicable to its products, the decision maker would not only want to look at awards under the Biosystems at the Nanoscale theme area, but also Nanoscale Devices and Manufacturing at the Nanoscale. Many of the research projects may have a particular "test bed" application in mind, but with nanotechnology, as with other research, some of the critical developments are actually applications of technology from one field to a different field. Following are brief descriptions of the theme areas excerpted from a NSF solicitation.[3] Biosystems at the Nanoscale. This theme addresses the fundamental understanding of nanobiostructures and processes, nanobiotechnology, biosynthesis and bioprocessing, and techniques for a broad range of applications in biomaterials, biosystem-based electronics, agriculture, energy, and health. Of particular interest are the relationships among chemical composition, single-molecule behavior, and physical shape at the nanoscale and biological function level. Examples include the study of organelles and subcellular complexes such as ribosomes and molecular motors; construction of nanometer-scale probes and devices for research in genomics, proteomics, cell biology, and nanostructured tissues; and synthesis of nanoscale materials based on the principles of biological self-assembly. Nanoscale Structures, Novel Phenomena, and Quantum Control. Research in this area explores the novel phenomena and material structures that appear at the nanoscale, including fundamental physics and chemistry aspects, development of the experimental tools necessary to characterize and measure nanostructures and phenomena, and development of techniques for synthesis and design. This research is critical to overcoming obstacles to miniaturization as feature sizes in devices reach the nanoscale. Examples of possible benefits include molecular electronics, nanostructured catalysts, advanced drugs, quantum computing, DNA computing, the development of high-capacity computer memory chips, production of two- and three-dimensional nanostructures "by design," nanoscale fluidics, biophotonics, control of surface processes, and lubrication. Nanoscale Devices and System Architecture. Research in this area includes development of new tools for sensing, assembling, processing, manipulating, manufacturing, and integration along scales; controlling and testing nanostructure devices; design and architecture of concepts; software specialized for nanosystems; and design automation tools for assembling systems of large numbers of heterogeneous nanocomponents. One can envision "smart" systems that sense and gather information and analyze and respond to that information; more powerful computing systems and architectures; and novel separation systems that provide molecular resolution. Nanoscale Processes in the Environment. Research in this area will focus on probing nanostructures and processes of relevance in the environment from the Earth's core to the upper atmosphere and beyond. Emphasis will be on understanding the distribution, composition, origin, and behavior of nanoscale structures under a wide variety of naturally occurring physical and chemical conditions, including nanoscale interactions at the interface between organic and inorganic solids, between liquids and gases, and between living and nonliving systems. Examples are biomineralization of nanoscale structures, molecular studies of mineral surfaces, study of the transport of ultrafine colloidal particles and aerosols, and study of interplanetary dust particles. Possible benefits include gaining a better understanding of molecular processes in the environment, developing manufacturing processes that reduce pollution, creating new water purification techniques, composing artificial photosynthetic processes for clean energy, developing environmental biotechnology, and understanding the role of surface microbiota in regulating chemical exchanges between mineral surfaces and water or air. Multi-scale, Multi-phenomena Theory, Modeling and Simulation at the Nanoscale. The emergence of new behaviors and processes in nanostructures, nanodevices, and nanosystems creates an urgent need for theory, modeling, large-scale computer simulation, and new design tools in order for researchers to understand, control, and accelerate development in new nanoscale regimes and systems. Approaches will likely include and integrate techniques such as quantum mechanics and quantum chemistry, multiparticle simulation, molecular simulation, grain-and continuum-based models, stochastic methods, and nanomechanics. Of particular interest is the interplay of coupled, time-dependent, and multi-scale phenomena and processes in large atomistic and molecular systems to make connections between structures, properties, and functions. Examples of possible benefits include the realization of functional nanostructures and architectures by design, such as new chemicals, multifunctional materials, bioagents, and electronic devices. Manufacturing Processes at the Nanoscale. Research in this area will focus on creating nanostructures and assembling them into nanosystems and then into larger-scale structures. This research should address these areas: understanding nanoscale processes; developing novel tools for measurement and manufacturing at the nanoscale; developing novel concepts for high-rate synthesis and processing of nanostructures and nanosystems; and scale-up of nanoscale synthesis and processing methods. Examples are synthesis of nanostructures for various functions, fabrication methods for devices and nanosystems, design concepts for manufacturing, simulation of the manufacturing methods at the nanoscale, and evaluation of the economic and environmental implications of manufacturing at the nanoscale. Possible benefits include improving understanding of manufacturing processes in the precompetitive environment, generating a new group of nanoscale manufacturing methods, increasing the performance and scale-up of promising techniques, and establishing the physical and human infrastructure for measurements and manufacturing capabilities. Societal and Educational Implications of Scientific and Technological Advances on the Nanoscale. Innovations in science and technology require societal support and also influence social structures and processes, sometimes in unexpected ways. We need to examine the ethical and other social implications of these societal interactions to understand their scope and influence and to anticipate and respond effectively to them. Support for nanoscience and nanotechnology is likely to enhance understanding of fundamental natural processes, from living systems to astronomy, and to change the production and use of many goods and services. Studies of the varied social interactions that involve these new scientific and technological endeavors can improve our understanding of, for example, the economic implications of innovation; barriers to adoption of nanotechnology in commerce, health care, or environmental protection; educational and workforce needs; ethical issues in the selection of research priorities and applications and in the potential to enhance human intelligence and develop artificial intelligence; society's reaction to both newly created nanoparticles and nanoparticles that newly developed techniques permit us to recognize, detect, characterize, and relate to health and environmental issues; implications of the converging interests of different fields of science and engineering in the nanoscale; risk perception, communication, and management; and public participation and involvement in scientific and technological development and use. This theme aims to develop a long-term vision for addressing societal, ethical, environmental, and educational concerns.
Along with these themes, a Memorandum of Agreement with SRC (Semiconductor Research Corporation, which sponsors university research on behalf of its member companies) led to the addition of a seventh theme area: Silicon Nanoelectronics and Beyond. This research, which represents an example of a joint collaboration between NSF and industry, encourages proposals of interest to a particular industry sector through its inclusion as a theme area in the NSF solicitation, while providing additional funding opportunities from SRC funds. Similar joint solicitations have been arranged between NSF and other federal agencies, such as DoD, DOE, and EPA. Many of these funding agencies have searchable databases that identify funded research in specified theme areas. |
