National Science and Technology Council

Committee on Technology

Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, 

Engineering, and Technology

National Nanotechnology 

Coordination Office

4201 Wilson Blvd.

Stafford II, Rm. 405

Arlington, VA 22230

703-292-8626 phone

703-292-9312 fax

www.nano.gov
About the National Science and Technology Council

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was established by Executive Order on

November 23 1993. This cabinet-level council is the principal means by which the President

coordinates science, space, and technology policies across the Federal Government. NSTC acts

as a virtual agency for science and technology to coordinate the diverse parts of the Federal

research and development enterprise. 

An important objective of the NSTC is the establishment of clear national goals for Federal

science and technology investments in areas ranging from information technologies and health

research to improving transportation systems and strengthening fundamental research. The

Council prepares research and development strategies that are coordinated across Federal

agencies to form a comprehensive investment package that is aimed at accomplishing multiple

national goals.

Please call the NSTC Executive Secretariat at 202-456-6101 to obtain additional information

regarding the NSTC, or see http://www.ostp.gov/NSTC/html/NSTC_Home.html.

About the Office of Science and Technology Policy

The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was established by the National Science

and Technology Policy, Organization and Priorities Act of 1976. OSTP's responsibilities include

advising the President in policy formulation and budget development on all questions in which

S&T are important elements; articulating the President's S&T policies and programs; and fostering

strong partnerships among Federal, state and local governments, and the scientific communities

in industry and academe. The Director of OSTP also serves as Assistant to the President for

Science and Technology and manages the NSTC for the President. 

Please call 202-456-7116 to obtain additional information regarding the OSTP, or visit the OSTP

web site at: http://www.ostp.gov/.

About this document

This document is a supplement to the President’s FY 2004 Budget Request submitted to

Congress on February 4, 2003. It provides a summary of the organization and management of

the National Nanotechnology Initiative, highlights recent accomplishments, and outlines the

challenges and vision for the coming fiscal year and beyond.

About the cover

Front cover: Image of multiple single wall nanotubes provided courtesy of Columbia University

Center for Electron Transport in Molecular Nanostructures.

Back cover: Illustration of well-ordered structure of ZnS nanoparticle when exposed to water

molecules (shown in blue at surface of particle), courtesy of Zhang, Gilbert, Huang, & Banfield

(University of California, Berkeley).
National Nanotechnology Initiative

Research and Development Supporting

the Next Industrial Revolution

Supplement to the

President’s FY 2004 Budget

National Science and Technology Council

Committee on Technology

Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology 
Department and Agency Representatives

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Hongda Chen

Department of Commerce (DOC)

John F. Sargent

Sharon J. Yun

Department of Defense (DOD)

William O. Berry

Clifford G. Lau

James S. Murday 

Gernot S. Pomrenke

Department of Energy (DOE)

Kristin A. Bennett

Altaf H. Carim

Patricia M. Dehmer

Richard D. Kelley

John C. Miller

Brian G. Valentine

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Richard T. Lareau

Department of Justice (DOJ)

David G. Boyd

A. Trent DePersia

Department of State (DOS)

George H. Atkinson

Ralph L. Braibanti 

Robert E. McCreight

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Richard R. John

Annalynn Lacombe

Richard A. Livingston

Department of the Treasury

Edward Murphy

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Barbara P. Karn

Stephen A. Lingle

Nora F. Savage

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Norris E. Alderson

Stanley A. Brown 

Donald E. Marlowe

Intelligence Technology Innovation Center

Frank D. Gac

Martin J. Carr

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(NASA)

Minoo N. Dastoor

Murray S. Hirschbein

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Eleni Kousvelari

Jeffery A. Schloss

Belinda Seto

National Institute of Standards and Technology

(NIST)

Michael P. Casassa

Michael T. Postek

Marc L. Salit

Robert D. Shull

National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)

Celia I. Merzbacher

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Maryanna P. Henkart 

Mihail C. Roco

Thomas A. Weber

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

David P. Radzanowski

David S. Trinkle

Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)

Thomas J. Mackin

Report prepared by

NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY

SUBCOMMITTEE ON NANOSCALE SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, and TECHNOLOGY (NSET)

NSET Chair

Mihail C. Roco

NSET Executive Secretary

James S. Murday

National Nanotechnology Coordination Office 

Director

E. Clayton Teague


Nanotechnology: From Imagination to Reality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

NNI Program Overview: Interagency Coordination in Support of National Priorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Organization and Management

Funding Strategy

Fiscal Year 2004 Budget Request 

Investment Mode 1: Fundamental Nanoscale Science and Engineering Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Novel Phenomena, Material Structures, Processes, and Properties

Nano-Biosystems

Nanoscale Devices and System Architecture

Theory, Modeling, and Simulation

Investment Mode 2: NNI Grand Challenge Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Nanostructured Materials by Design

Manufacturing at the Nanoscale 

Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Explosive Detection and Protection 

Nanoscale Instrumentation and Metrology

Nano-Electronics, -Photonics, and -Magnetics

Healthcare, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics

Energy Conversion and Storage

Microcraft and Robotics

Nanoscale Processes for Environmental Improvement

Investment Mode 3: Centers of Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Investment Mode 4: Research Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Investment Mode 5: Societal Implications and Workforce Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Societal Aspects

Education and Training 

National Nanotechnology Coordination Office Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

NSTC Committee on Technology

Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology (NSET)

Contact List for NSET Members and Relevant Executive Office of the President and NNCO Staff . . .39

CONTENTS

I

magine a single area of scientific discovery

with the potential to enable a wealth of

innovative new technologies across a vast

array of fields including healthcare, information technology, energy production and

utilization, homeland security and national

defense, biotechnology, food and agriculture,

aerospace, manufacturing, and environmental

improvement. Nanoscience, the study of the

unique properties of matter that occur at

extremely small scales, has this potential.

Advances in nanoscience and nanoengineering

are already ushering in new applications—or

nanotechnologies—that are leading to improved

products across a broad realm of sectors, from

textiles to electronics. Some of these improved

products are already available, including improved

catalysts, stain resistant fabrics, better sunscreens,

superior dental bonding materials, high resolution

printer inks, digital camera displays, and high

capacity computer hard disks, to name a few.

In addition to making existing products and

processes better, nanotechnology promises breakthroughs that will revolutionize the way we detect

and treat disease, monitor and protect the

environment, produce and store energy, and build

complex structures as small as an electronic circuit

or as large as an airplane. For example, microscopic devices small enough to be carried in the

human bloodstream may someday monitor the

body for early signs of disease and deliver treatments that are targeted to the appropriate cells of

the body. Exquisitely sensitive and selective

sensors could be deployed in uses ranging from

environmental stewardship to food safety to

homeland security. And materials with superior

characteristics—many times stronger than steel

but a fraction of its weight, for example—could

be used to build better cars, planes, spacecraft,

buildings, and creations we have yet to imagine.

Clearly, nanotechnology has the potential to

profoundly change our economy, to improve our

standard of living, and to bring about the next

industrial revolution.

Nanotechnology: From Imagination to Reality

Figure 1. Scanning electron-microscope image of top

edges of thin sheets of polystyrene and polymethylmeth-acrylayte. The ordered arrangement of the

stripes , each about 24 nm wide, on the right was

generated by a striped nano-pattern on the substrate

surface. The left part of the substrate was unpatterned

(courtesy P.F. Nealey and S.O. Kim, University of

Wisconsin).

The scientific discoveries that will enable these

breakthroughs entail more than simply the miniaturization of existing technologies. Nanoscale

science, engineering, and technology, collectively

referred to as nanotechnology, define research and

development (R&D) aimed at understanding and

working with—seeing, measuring, and manipulating—matter at the atomic, molecular, and

1
supramolecular levels. This correlates to length

scales of roughly 1 to 100 nanometers. At this

scale, the physical, chemical, and biological

properties of materials differ fundamentally and

often unexpectedly from those of the corresponding bulk material. Nanotechnology R&D is

directed toward understanding and creating

improved materials, devices, and systems that

exploit these fundamentally new properties,

phenomena, and functions. An example of the

type of nanoscale structures that can be grown by

highly controlled fabrication processes is shown in

Figure 1.

With any new and disruptive technology, and

particularly one that has significant potential for

extremely broad impact, there will be societal and

ethical implications. Understanding these implications and ensuring that their consideration is

integrated with the development of the technology

is vital to achieving the maximum societal benefit.

The Federal R&D program includes societal and

ethical implications as one of its principal

elements.

In order to coordinate the multiagency Federal

R&D program in nanotechnology, the National

Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) was established

in FY 2001. The goals of the NNI are to: (1)

conduct R&D to realize the full potential of this

revolutionary technology; (2) develop the skilled

workforce and supporting infrastructure needed to

advance R&D; (3) better understand the social,

ethical, health, and environmental implications of

the technology; and, (4) facilitate transfer of the

new technologies into commercial products.

National Nanotechnology Initiative

2

Recent achievements in nanotechnology 

funded in whole or in part by the 

National Nanotechnology Initiative

■ Use of the bright fluorescence of semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots) for dynamic

angiography in capillaries hundreds of micrometers below the skin of living mice—about twice

the depth of conventional angiographic materials and obtained with one-fifth the irradiation

power.

■ Nano-electro-mechanical sensors that can detect and identify a single molecule of a chemical

warfare agent—an essential step toward realizing practical field sensors.

■ Nanotube-based fibers requiring three times the energy-to-break of the strongest silk fibers and

15 times that of Kevlar fiber.

■ Nanocomposite energetic materials for propellants and explosives that have over twice the

energy output of typical high explosives.

■ Prototype data storage devices based on molecular electronics with data densities over 100

times that of today’s highest density commercial devices.

■ Field demonstration that iron nanoparticles can remove up to 96% of a major contaminant

(trichloroethylene) from groundwater at an industrial site.
National Nanotechnology Initiative 

3

... By Improving Fundamental

Understanding

The state of nanotechnology today represents

something of a paradox. On the one hand, new

products using nanotechnology have been

developed and are in the marketplace. On the

other hand, understanding of the underlying

properties of nanoscale materials and structures is

still at a rudimentary level. Many existing models

for explaining material, device, and system

behavior do not extrapolate to the nanoscale

regime. In order to maximize the development of

future innovations, a significant portion of the

NNI investment is directed toward basic research

to achieve a fundamental understanding of

nanoscale properties and processes.

Basic research, even when aimed at a specific

problem, can lead to surprising new results. Such

surprises frequently are the bases for the most

innovative technological advances. Therefore, a

broad-based, balanced, knowledge-oriented

research investment is crucial not only to

advancing the frontiers of science, but also to

realizing the full economic potential of nanotechnology. The surprising discoveries and new

research tools that result from investment in

nanotechnology research will undoubtedly have

far-reaching impacts in other fields of science and

engineering as well. Many agencies such as NSF

and DOE have a focus on support for fundamental research.

As it has in the past in areas such as information technology and biotechnology, investing in

basic research in nanotechnology is expected to

lead to significant, new economically valuable

technologies. However, the time to take a concept

developed through basic nanotechnology research

to a commercial product is beyond five or even ten

years—or, for truly fundamental research, may be

altogether unknown. Therefore, private investors

are not generally in a position to provide the

necessary financial support. Because nanotechThe National Nanotechnology Initiative: 

Fueling Innovation...

nology is of such critical import to U.S. competitiveness, both economically and technologically,

even at this early stage of development, it is a top

priority within the Administration’s R&D agenda.

... By Focusing on

Applications

A broad, balanced basic research program both

complements and supports more focused work

aimed at incorporating scientific discoveries into

innovative technologies. Many agencies such as

DOD, DOE, EPA, NASA, NIH, NIST, and

USDA support applied research aimed at developing technology related to the agency’s mission.

Federal investment in a combination of fundamental and applied research will move novel

concepts closer to applications that are useful for

both government and commercial purposes.

... Through Multidisciplinary

Collaborations

Another aspect of nanotechnology R&D worth

noting is the key role played by multidisciplinary

and interdisciplinary efforts. That is, advances will

be built upon progress in more than one area of

research or on truly collaborative interactions

among researchers from various disciplines. A

key component of the NNI is coordination of the

Federal investment and strengthening of intraand interagency efforts fostering multidisciplinary

research.

... By Facilitating Technology

Transfer

At this early stage, an important mechanism by

which nanotechnology can find its way into

commercial applications is through interaction

among industry, academic, and government

researchers. Such networking and partnering is
4

1

M.C. Roco. 2002. “International Strategy for Nanotechnology

Research and Development,” Journal of Nanoparticle Research,

Kluwer Academic Publishers, Vol. 3, No. 5-6, 2001, pp. 353-360,

as updated April 5, 2002: http://nano.gov/intpersp_roco.html.

2

R.W. Siegel et al. 1999. Nanostructure Science and Technology,

Kluwer Academic Publishers, Chapter 8, p. 133:

http://www.wtec.org/loyola/nano/08_01.htm. 

facilitated and encouraged under the NNI by the

establishment or support of centers, networks, and

facilities that are available to researchers from all

sectors. Examples include the existing National

Nanofabrication Users Network (NNUN) and a

suite of Nanoscale Science Research Centers

(NSRCs), each with a specific focus, to be

colocated at Federal laboratories across the

country. Interaction among researchers from

various sectors is also facilitated under the NNI

through the organization of topical workshops.

Additionally, small businesses, which are

frequently at the forefront of the development of

new, high technology products, can receive

support through the agency-run Small Business

Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business

Technology Transfer (STTR) programs directed

specifically at nanotechnology-based solutions. A

goal of all of these efforts is to expedite

knowledge transfer and, ultimately, to facilitate

commercialization of nanotechnology. By

addressing measurements, standards, and

manufacturing directly in the grand challenges,

the NNI is ensuring that the appropriate infrastructure is developed to facilitate the rapid

commercialization of laboratory successes.

... For Enhanced U.S.

Competitiveness

The United States is not the only nation to

recognize the tremendous economic potential of

nanotechnology. While difficult to accurately

measure, some have estimated that worldwide

government funding has increased to about five

times what it was in 1997, exceeding $2 billion in

2002.1 In the United States, the Federal

investment in nanotechnology R&D has increased

from $116 million in FY 19972 to a request of

$849 million in FY 2004. In order to realize

nanotechnology’s full potential and to maintain a

competitive position in the worldwide nanotechnology marketplace, the Federal Government’s

investment will continue to play a critical role in

accelerating scientific discovery and nurturing new

technologies and fledgling industries.

... Responsibly

Since the inception of the NNI, assessing the

implications of the technology has been an

integral part of the planning and programs of the

Initiative. Research on implications for human

health, society, and the environment is increasingly being emphasized as tangible new nanostructures and nanomaterials are discovered and

new nanotechnology products are developed. The

results of such research are being taken into

consideration by those Federal agencies whose

work is directed at regulatory issues.

National Nanotechnology Initiative
This report describes the multiagency

National Nanotechnology Initiative

(NNI), which was established in FY

2001. The 15 agencies participating in

this program have diverse missions, but each

expects to derive benefits that support its mission

and to advance national priorities through an

increased basic understanding of nanoscale

phenomena and the development of novel

technologies.

Organization and Management

The NNI is an interagency effort aimed at

maximizing the return on the Federal

Government’s investment in nanoscale R&D

through coordination of funding, research, and

infrastructure development activities at individual

agencies. Ten of the Federal agencies participating in the Initiative have funding dedicated to

nanotechnology R&D. Other Federal organizations perform related studies and research, apply

technologies based on the results from those

agencies performing nanoscale R&D, and participate in various NNI activities (See box below for

lists of both sets of agencies).

In addition to sponsoring research, Federal

support through the NNI provides crucial funds

for the creation of university and government

facilities with the specialized equipment and facilities required for nanoscale R&D. Federal

support also helps educate the nanotechnology

researchers of the future, as well as the workforce

necessary for the growing use of nanotechnology

in industry, primarily by providing funds for

undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate

training in nanotechnology-related disciplines.

The NNI plays a key role in fostering cross-disciplinary networks and partnerships, and in disseminating information to participating agencies and

to the public, through workshops and meetings, as

well as via the Internet (www.nano.gov). Finally,

it encourages businesses, especially small

businesses, to exploit the opportunities offered by

nanotechnology.

NNI Program Overview: 

Interagency Coordination in Support of 

National Priorities

Federal agencies with R&D budgets dedicated to nanotechnology 

research and development

Department of Agriculture

Department of Commerce (in particular, the National Institute of Standards and Technology)

Department of Defense

Department of Energy

Department of Health and Human Services (in particular, the National Institutes of Health)

Department of Homeland Security (in particular, the Transportation Security Administration)

Department of Justice

Environmental Protection Agency

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Science Foundation

Other agencies participating in the NNI 

Department of State

Department of Transportation

Department of Treasury

Food and Drug Administration

Intelligence Agencies

5
The NNI is managed within the framework of

the National Science and Technology Council

(NSTC). The NSTC is the principal means by

which the President coordinates science and

technology programs across the Federal

Government, providing policy leadership and

budget guidance. The NSTC’s Subcommittee on

Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology

(NSET) coordinates the plans, budgets, programs,

and reviews for the NNI. The Subcommittee is

composed of representatives from each participating agency, the Office of Science and

Technology Policy, and the Office of Management

and Budget.

The National Nanotechnology Coordinating

Office (NNCO) serves as the secretariat to the

NSET Subcommittee, and supports the

Subcommittee in the preparation of multi-agency

planning, budget, and assessment activities. To

adequately support the growing NNI activities,

the position of NNCO Director was changed

from part-time to full-time in April 2003. The

NNCO also serves as the point of contact on

Federal nanotechnology activities for government

organizations, academia, industry, professional

societies, foreign organizations, and others.

Finally, the NNCO develops and makes available

printed and other communications materials

concerning the NNI, and maintains the Initiative’s

website.

The Administration is focusing significant

attention on the NNI. In order to further

strengthen the Initiative, the President's Council of

Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)

has begun an external review of the NNI. The

PCAST review will include a comprehensive

assessment of the current NNI programs, and will

lead to recommendations on how to improve the

management of the program. PCAST’s review of

the Federal nanotechnology research program is

an ongoing, long-term activity.

Nanotechnology on a Fast Track

The transition of nanotechnology research into manufactured products, while limited and preliminary, has already had

significant impact. For example, a new form of carbon—the nanotube—was discovered in 1991. In 1995 it was recognized that carbon nanotubes were excellent sources of field-emitted electrons. By 2000, the “jumbotron lamp,” a

nanotube-based light source that uses these field-emitted electrons to bombard a phosphor, was already available as a

commercial product. By contrast, the period of time between the modeling of the semiconducting property of

germanium in 1931 and the first commercial product (the transistor radio) was 23 years. 

Another example of rapid insertion of nanotechnology into useful

applications is in the field of wear-resistant coatings. In the mid1990s nanoceramic coatings exhibiting much higher toughness

than conventional coatings were first developed. Beginning in

1996, the DOD supported partnerships among the Navy,

academia, and industry to develop processes suitable for use in

manufacturing and to evaluate the coatings for use in the marine

environment. In 2000, the first nanostructured coating was

qualified for use on gears of air-conditioning units for U.S. Navy

ships; an example of such a gear is shown at left. In 2001, the

technology was selected to receive an R&D100 Award. DOD estimates that use of the coatings on air valves will

result in a $20 million reduction in maintenance costs over 10 years. The development of wear-resistant coatings by

the DOD is clearly allied with its mission, yet will lead to commercial applications that can extend the lifetime of

moving parts in everything from personal cars to heavy industrial machinery. 

6

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Funding Strategy

The NNI funding strategy is based on five modes

of investment, each of which builds on previous

and current nanotechnology programs.

The first investment mode supports a balanced

investment in fundamental research across the

entire breadth of science and engineering. Such

fundamental research advances knowledge and

understanding of novel physical, chemical, and

biological properties of nanoscale materials and

systems. This broad investment is critical because

the outcome of basic research cannot always be

anticipated, and discoveries in one discipline can

have unexpected implications in another.

The second investment mode, collectively

known as the “grand challenges,” focuses on nine

specific R&D areas that are more directly related

to applications of nanotechnology and that have

been identified as having the potential to realize

significant economic, governmental, and societal

impact.

The nine grand challenge areas are:

1. Nanostructured Materials by Design

2. Manufacturing at the Nanoscale 

3. Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Explosive

Detection and Protection

4. Nanoscale Instrumentation and Metrology 

5. Nano-Electronics, -Photonics, and 

-Magnetics 

6. Healthcare, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics 

7. Efficient Energy Conversion and Storage

8. Microcraft and Robotics

9. Nanoscale Processes for Environmental

Improvement

Research directed toward the grand challenge

areas aims to efficiently and effectively accelerate

the transition of scientific discovery into

innovative technologies that show a return on

investment as quickly as possible.

The third mode of investment supports centers

of excellence that conduct research within the host

institution(s). These centers pursue projects with

broad multidisciplinary research goals that are not

supported by more traditionally structured

programs. These centers also promote education

of future researchers and innovators, as well as

training of a skilled technical workforce for the

growing nanotechnology industry.

The fourth investment mode funds the development of infrastructure (e.g., the DOE user

facility shown in Figure 2), instrumentation,

standards, computational capabilities, and other

research tools necessary for nanoscale R&D. The

centers and infrastructure developed under the

third and fourth modes facilitate the basic and

applied research supported under the first two

modes.

The fifth and final investment mode recognizes

and funds research on the societal implications of

nanotechnology, and addresses educational needs

associated with the successful development of

nanoscience and nanotechnology.

The FY 2004 Funding Request

As part of the FY 2004 Budget, President Bush

requested $849 million for nanotechnology R&D

across all of the agencies that participate in the

NNI. This represents an increase of approximately 10% over the amount appropriated by

Congress for FY 2003. Roughly two-thirds of the

funding proposed under the NNI will support

university-based research. Table 1 presents the

nanotechnology R&D budget for FY 2002

through FY 2004 by agency.

Figure 2. Conceptualization of the Center for Functional

Nanomaterials, to be co-located with the National Synchrotron

Light Source at the Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National

Laboratory.

7

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Agency Abbreviations Used throughout this Report

DHS Department of Homeland Security IA Intelligence Agencies

DOC Department of Commerce NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

DOD Department of Defense NIH National Institutes of Health

DOE Department of Energy NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology

DOJ Department of Justice NSF National Science Foundation

DOT Department of Transportation TSA Transportation Security Administration

EPA Environmental Protection Agency USDA Department of Agriculture

HHS Health and Human Services 

Table 1. FY 2004 NNI Budget Overview by Agency

(Budget Authority, dollars in millions)

% Change,

2003 to 2004 Agency †

2002

Actual

2003

Request

2003

Appropriated*

2004

Request**

Change,

2003 to 2004†

NSF 204 221 221 249 28 13%

DOD 224 243 243 222 -21 -8%

DOE 89 133 133 197 64 48%

HHS (NIH) 59 65 65 70 5 8%

DOC (NIST) 77 69 66 62 -4 -6%

NASA 35 33 33 31 -2 -6%

USDA 0 1 1 10 9 900%

EPA 6 6 5 5 0 0%

DHS (TSA)# 2 2 2 2 0 0%

DOJ 1 1 1 1 0 0%

TOTAL 697 774 770 849 79 10%

*“2003 Appropriated” refers to planned outlays with appropriated dollars; actual FY 2003 outlays 

may vary.

**The total NNI request for FY 2004, as originally published in the President’s FY 2004 Budget, was

$792 million (see http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2004/pdf/spec.pdf, p. 185). By the February

Budget release, some agencies had identified additional items within their FY 2004 R&D budget requests

as falling under the purview of the NNI. These updated figures are reflected in this table (see also

http://www.ostp.gov/html/budget/2004/2004.html).

† Change between 2003 Appropriated and 2004 Request.

# The NNI programs that are currently under DHS were under DOT prior to the formation of DHS 

in 2002.

8

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Investment Mode 1: 

Fundamental Nanoscale Science and Engineering

Research—Knowledge Generation

I

nterdisciplinary fundamental research offers

a productive fusion of traditional ideas that

frequently leads to unanticipated results and

significant breakthroughs. By exploiting the

opportunities afforded by the nanoscale instrumentation for analysis and manipulation of

matter, interdisciplinary fundamental research will

foster the development of unifying principles,

phenomena, and tools.

Specific areas of focus that draw on multiple

disciplines include:

■ Novel phenomena, material structures,

processes, and properties 

■ Nano-biosystems

■ Nanoscale devices and system architecture

■ Theory, modeling, and simulation

Agency Participation 

(lead in bold)

DOD National security 

DOE Energy, national security, and the 

environment

IA National security 

NASA Aeronautics and space exploration 

NIH Biological phenomena 

NIST Basic nanoscale measurement science 

NSF Traditional discipline-based research as

well as multidisciplinary research in

biological sciences; computer and 

information science and engineering;

education and human resources;

engineering; mathematical and physical

sciences; and, social, behavioral, and

economic sciences

USDA Biological and agricultural production

systems 

9
Novel Phenomena, Material

Structures, Processes,

and Properties

Opportunity

The discovery of the novel phenomena and

material structures that appear at the nanoscale

will affect the entire range of applications that the

grand challenges identify, and more.

Priorities

Research in this area supports the discovery of the

fundamental physics, chemistry, materials science,

and mechanics of nanostructures; the development of new experimental tools to characterize

and measure nanostructures and phenomena;

10

Figure 3a. Theoretical

simulations of electron

flow in nanostructures:

Two-dimensional flow of

electrons injected at the

bottom of the image. 

(courtesy E.J. Heller,

Harvard University).

National Nanotechnology Initiative
11

Figure 3b. Theoretical

simulations of electron flow

in nanostructures: Flow of

electrons injected at the

“bright spot” into a 500 nm

diameter “nanowire.”

Electrons are scattered due

to interactions at the wire

surface. Variation in the

quantum phase of the

scattered electron waves is

indicated by changes in

color. The dynamics of such

electron scattering affects

the electronic properties of

the wire, its resistance, the

speed of response to

external stimuli, and

coherence of information

flow along its length

(courtesy E.J. Heller, Harvard

University).

novel synthesis or fabrication techniques; and the

development of new mathematical and simulation

tools to aid our understanding of nanoscale

phenomena.

Research Example: Imaging Coherent

Electron Flow in Nanostructures

(supported by NSF)

As electronic devices get smaller, electrontransport properties will play an increasingly

important role in device operation and performance. At the nanometer scale, real surfaces have

imperfections that affect electron flow patterns. A

Harvard group is conducting systematic investigations on the flow of electrons in nanostructures

(Figures 3a and 3b). This research will provide a

foundation for the design of electronic circuits in

future nanodevices.

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Nano-Biosystems

Opportunity

A cell is a micrometer-sized factory with

molecular machinery operating on the nanometer

scale. Thus, a fundamental understanding of

nano-biostructures and processes will open broad

opportunities in nano-biotechnology, nanomedicine, and biomaterials.

Priorities

Priority areas include developing an understanding of the relationships among composition,

structure, single molecule behavior, and biological

function. Additional research areas 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.

Research Example: Nature’s Tools to

Assemble Materials with Atomic Precision

(supported by NSF)

Among the basic assembly processes nature uses

are nanoscale self-assembly, molecular recognition, self-correction, and nano-structural

regularity. Researchers at the University of Texas

at Austin have developed new assembly

techniques, based on biomolecular recognition.

Using this technique, amino acids, such as those

in simple peptides or on the surfaces of viruses,

are designed to recognize and bind to specific

nonbiological electronic and magnetic materials.

Complex structures can be assembled by tailoring

the biomolecules appropriately, as shown in

Figure 4. One advantage is that such processes

take place at near-ambient conditions. In the

future, biologically inspired assembly may provide

cost-effective alternative manufacturing processes.

Figure 4. Illustration of how biomolecular recognition processes may be used to assemble a

magneto-electronic structure composed of zinc

sulfide (ZnS) and iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles.

Two tailored bifunctional peptides, one that binds

the gallium arsenide substrate to iron oxide, and

the other that binds the iron oxide particle to zinc

sulfide, control the formation of the layered

structure. Such directed self-assembly processes

have the potential to replace far more complex

processes used in conventional micro- and nanoelectronic manufacturing (courtesy A.E. Belcher,

now at Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

12

National Nanotechnology Initiative
13

Nanoscale Devices and 

System Architecture

Opportunity

New concepts and design methods are needed to

create new nanoscale devices, assemble them

into functional systems, and create architectures

compatible with various operational environments.

Priorities

Research in this area includes the development

of (a) new tools and techniques for sensing,

manipulating, and assembling; (b) architectures

that integrate across multiple length scales; (c)

software for automated design of specialized

nanosystems; and (d) design automation tools

for assembling large numbers of heterogeneous

nanocomponents into a system.

Research Example of a Nanoscale Device:

Molecular Transistor (supported by NSF)

Researchers at Cornell University have demonstrated a transistor-like device with the principal

functional element being just one molecule

(Figure 5). The device is fabricated from two gold

electrodes separated by a very narrow gap that is

bridged by a single molecule containing a cobalt

atom. The flow of electrons from one electrode to

the other, which occurs by an electron hopping on

and off the cobalt atom, is controlled by the

voltage on a third electrode near the bridging

molecule. The electrical characteristics of the

transistor can be varied by making chemical

changes to this molecule, such as lengthening the

molecule’s connecting “arms.” This research

demonstrates that electron devices ~10,000 times

smaller than present devices are possible.

Figure 5. Artist’s rendition

of a molecular transistor

~10,000 times smaller than

present devices. The flow of

electrons (current flow)

through the molecule

bridging between the two

gold electrodes is controlled

by the voltage on a third

electrode, not shown. The

electric field from the third

electrode determines the

rate electrons can hop on

and off a cobalt atom (dark

blue) in the bridging

molecule. The well-defined

and deliberately designed

molecular configuration is

attached to the gold

electrodes by sulfur atoms

(red) (courtesy P. McEuen,

Cornell University).

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Theory, Modeling, and Simulation

Opportunity

The emergence of new behaviors and processes in

nanomaterials, nanostructures, nanodevices, and

nanosystems creates an urgent need for theory,

modeling, large-scale computer simulation, and

new design tools in order to understand, control,

and accelerate development.

Priorities

Research on mathematical methods to model and

simulate physical, chemical, and biological

systems at the nanoscale will include techniques

such as quantum mechanics and quantum

chemistry, multi-particle simulation, molecular

simulation, continuum-based models, stochastic

methods, and nanomechanics. Approaches that

integrate more than one such technique will play

an important role in this effort.

Modeling and simulation of the time variation

of processes in nanostructures is also an urgent

need. Current research is limited to modeling

only a relatively small number of time increments

of process variation and dynamics of complex

structures, such as shown in Figure 6. Improved

computational methods and tools will enable

more realistic time scales of process variation to

be modeled.

Research Example: Modeling and

Simulation of Biological Ion Channels 

to Cure Illnesses (supported by NSF 

and DOD) 

Researchers from the Network for Computational

Nanotechnology at the University of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign and Stanford University, in

collaboration with Rush Medical Center, have

simulated transport through nanoscale biological

ion channels (Figure 6). Ion channels regulate

the transport of ions in and out of cells, which is

essential to proper cell function. In turn, understanding cellular processes is critical to understanding and treating diseases at the cellular level.

Figure 6. Computer simulation of

biological ion-channel pore formed

by the antibiotic gramicidin.

Formation of ion channels through

bacteria cell membranes is one

mechanism by which antibiotics kill

bacteria. The simulated pore is

approximately 3 nanometers long

and 0.5 nanometers in diameter.

The different colored spheres

represent specific atoms in the

proteins constituting the wall of the

ion channel (courtesy K. Hess and

U. Ravaioli, University of Illinois).

14

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Investment Mode 2: 

NNI Grand Challenge Areas

This section provides an overview of the

nine grand challenge areas. Each

overview covers the specific challenge

area, a vision of how nanotechnology

can drive progress in that area, the participating

agencies, and an example demonstrating the

progress that has been made to date.

The grand challenge areas are presented in the

following order:

■ Nanostructured Materials by Design

■ Manufacturing at the Nanoscale 

■ Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Explosive

Detection and Protection 

■ Nanoscale Instrumentation and Metrology 

■ Nano-Electronics, -Photonics, and -Magnetics

■ Healthcare, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics

■ Energy Conversion and Storage 

■ Microcraft and Robotics 

■ Nanoscale Processes for Environmental

Improvement 

15

(Above) Silicon cantilevers with chemically or biologically selective coatings for a biochemo-optomechanical chip. Adsorption of the target molecules

on the coatings produces an expansion of the coating,

resulting in deflection of the cantilever. Cantilever

deflection can be sensed via light deflection as shown

in the figure or by diffraction of light from interdigital

fingers formed on the cantilever. This device provides

the potential for rapid, sensitive, cost-effective

detection of biomolecules and chemical species

(courtesy A. Majumdar, University of California 

at Berkeley).

(Far left) Imprint mold with 10 nm diameter pillars.

(Left center) 10 nm diameter holes imprinted in a

polymer substrate. (Near left) 10 nm metal dots

fabricated using a template such as in the center

picture (courtesy S. Chou, Princeton University).
Grand Challenge Area

Nanostructured Materials 

by Design

Challenge

Nanoscience involves structures with a limited

number of atoms or molecules, larger numbers

than traditionally handled by chemistry and

smaller numbers than traditionally handled by

materials science or solid-state physics. This

departure from traditional material sizes can

fundamentally change the way nanostructured

materials behave, such that their properties

frequently cannot be predicted from current

models of materials behavior.

One reason for the difference in the properties

of nanoscale materials compared to the analogous

macroscale, or bulk, material is the large surface

area per unit volume. Atoms at surfaces often

behave differently from those located in the

interior of a grain or particle. In addition, tiny

variations in the structure and composition of

nanostructured materials can have a dramatic

effect on their properties. As a result, many

important physical and chemical interactions, like

catalysis, take place at surfaces or interfaces and,

because of the high surface area and unique

properties, are enhanced in nanostructured

materials.

Other properties, such as magnetism and

electrical and heat conductivity can change 

substantially as size is reduced to the nanoscale.

The differences in these properties stem from

surprising collective effects and so-called 

quantum-size effects that arise from the

confinement of electrons in nanometer-sized

structures.

Vision

When manufactured into usable products, nanostructured materials manifest the unique properties

of their component parts. By gaining understanding and control at the nanoscale, materials

scientists will be able to develop novel, highperformance, affordable, and environmentally

benign materials. These novel materials could be

custom designed for special purposes, having

structural, optical, electronic, magnetic, and/or

other special properties suited to their intended

uses.

Modeling and simulation, aided by the

expected continued advances in computational

power, will play a major role in the realization of

this vision. With the relatively small number of

atoms contained in nanostructures, their

properties can be predicted with increasingly

accurate and fundamental models of atomic interactions. Therefore, theory and experimentation are

expected to be highly interactive.

Agency Participation 

(lead in bold)

DOD Improved armor, high strength-to-weight

materials, lower life-cycle costs

DOE Modeling/simulation, energy storage/

transmission, friction, wear, corrosion

DOT Improved materials and systems for transportation infrastructure

FDA New or improved pharmaceuticals,

cosmetics, biologicals, and medical device

implant materials

IA Materials-by-design for intelligence 

applications

NASA High-performance, low-weight materials

for space

NIST Standard reference materials, materials

property data, materials characterization

methods 

NSF Novel structures, synthesis, and processing

methods

USDA Nanostructured materials from agricultural origins, nanocomposite polymers to

enhance packaging functionality

16

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Research Example: 

Molecular Perfection – The Fullerene Ideal

(supported by DOD, NASA, and NSF)

Imagine a soccer ball shrunk to one billionth of

its normal size. In 1985 researchers at Rice

University created a geodesic-sphere-shaped

molecule made of 60 carbon atoms (C60), dubbed

the “buckyball.” It was the first of a new class of

molecularly perfect nanostructures now called

fullerenes, named after the American architect

Richard Buckminster Fuller.

The C60 molecule was soon followed by other

fullerenes containing many more atoms of carbon

and taking different shapes. One of the most

interesting of these is the “buckytube,” or carbon

nanotube (CNT), an elongated nanoscale tube

made entirely out of carbon. A computer model

of a CNT is shown in Figure 7.

CNTs have unique properties, which, like those

of diamond, arise from its perfect structure.

Depending on the precise pattern of the carbon

network, a CNT can act as either a highly

conductive metal wire only one nanometer in

diameter, or as a semiconductor. It has been used

to build the first room-temperature transistor ever

made from a single molecule, and is widely

expected to be the key ingredient in nanoelectronics that will vastly extend the power and

shrink the size of computers and other “smart”

devices. Carbon nanotubes are also efficient

electron emitters, which may lead to their application in affordable flat panel displays.

In addition to their remarkable electrical

properties, carbon nanotubes are incredibly

strong. Pulled end-to-end, a CNT has a tensile

strength about 30 times greater than that of steel,

while having only 1/6th its weight, making it the

strongest fiber ever made. Researchers at the

University of Texas at Dallas, with funding from

the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

in DOD, have woven fabric from fibers spun from

a composite of polymers and CNTs. The new

CNT-based fiber has a very high breaking

strength and can be used to replace materials like

Kevlar in bulletproof vests and other applications.

Finally, the thermal conductivity down the

length of a single carbon nanotube has been

measured to be 50% higher than diamond – previously the material with the highest known thermal

conductivity – making it a superb material for

piping heat from one place to another. Heat

removal is a key issue, for example, in computers

and other high-density electronic devices.

Figure 7. Single-walled carbon nanotubes. (Left) Computer drawing (courtesy Richard Smalley, Rice University).

(Center) Enlarged view of computer drawing; (Right) High-resolution electron micrograph of nanotubes (courtesy NASA).

17

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Grand Challenge Area

Manufacturing at the Nanoscale:

New Methods for Traditional and

Emerging Technologies

Challenge

Because nanostructures have little mass and are

dominated by surface-area effects and size effects,

the processes and equipment for nanotechnologybased manufacturing are expected to differ significantly from those currently used.

Nanofabrication thus requires the invention of

new instruments, measurement tools, models,

methods, and standards to characterize nanoscale

materials and processes. Only through such developments can the manufacture of commercial

volumes of products—with a high degree of

repeatability—become economically viable.

Manufacturing at the nanoscale is a central

challenge for the NNI because it is a prerequisite

for realizing the benefits of nanotechnology. A

concomitant challenge is the creation of high

quality, diverse nanoscale building blocks that

enable their assembly into large systems.

Vision

Manufacturing at any scale is a complex endeavor

involving the use of many types of equipment and

processes to transform raw materials into tangible

products with desired properties or performance

characteristics, generally in large quantities.

Atoms and molecules are the raw materials for

nanotechnology-based manufacturing. And only

those raw materials that will become part of the

final product will be selected for the nanofabrication process.

This bottom-up approach differs greatly from

that of current manufacturing processes that

involve assembling large quantities of materials,

from which product parts are cast, machined or

otherwise derived and waste products are left for

disposal.

Nanostructured materials, devices, and systems

will be manufactured with precise control over the

location of individual atoms and molecules. The

resulting nanoscale components will be hierarchically integrated and incorporated into macroscale

devices and systems. Innovative ideas will be

required to allow for nanoscale positioning;

addition and removal of material; directed selfassembly; and biomimetic (i.e., life-imitating)

fabrication paradigms.

Since an entirely new approach to manufacturing is required, there is a need to concurrently

develop new tools and facilities to support this

effort.

Agency Participation 

(leads in bold)

DOE Novel synthesis and processing

approaches

EPA “Green manufacturing” with minimal

waste streams

IA Prototype functional nanodevices 

NIST Measurement technology and standards

for process characterization and quality

control

NSF Research for manufacturing processes,

new theoretical models, and simulations

USDA Biological manufacturing

In addition to the above agencies, which have

specific efforts in manufacturing at the nanoscale,

each NNI agency is committed to this grand

challenge area and will incorporate it into their

plans as appropriate to their respective 

mission-specific programs.

18

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Research Example: Dip-pen 

Nanolithography—A new approach to

nanoscale fabrication (supported by 

NSF and DOD)

The ability to make nanoscale patterns on

surfaces is a critical process in, for example, the

manufacture of electronic circuits, the performance of high-throughput biomedical research,

and the design of advanced sensors. However, the

cost of extending currently used methods to

smaller and smaller scales is substantial.

Researchers at Northwestern University have

developed a new approach called “Dip-Pen Nanolithography” (DPN) that utilizes an atomic force

microscope tip as an “ink pen” (Figure 8). DPN

is a direct, single-step process that does not

require the use of patterned masks or lightsensitive films, or other steps to form patterns on

a substrate. Additionally, it may be performed

under ambient conditions. DPN provides a

reliable approach to writing nanoscale lines of a

variety of molecules onto various solid surfaces.

Repetitive patterns of nanoscale lines may be

created in parallel using an array of writing tips.

The inventors of the DPN technology have

formed a start-up company that plans to develop

products and services for the fabrication of

patterned nanostructures.

Figure 8. (a) Cartoon showing how dip-pen nanolithography “writes” molecules onto a substrate. A major advantage

of this process is that it creates a nanostructure pattern on a surface in one step. Conventional processes to create

such a patterned nanostructure require up to five complex steps and very sophisticated fabrication tools. (b) Linear

force microscope image of an acid “ink” patterned on a gold substrate. The patterned feature size is 15 nm and spatial

resolution is ~5 nm (courtesy C. Mirkin, Northwestern University).

19

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
20

Grand Challenge Area

Chemical-Biological-RadiologicalExplosive (CBRE) Detection 

and Protection: 

The Application of Nanotechnology

to Homeland Defense

Challenge

Conventional explosives have been the weapon of

choice for terrorists, and their use remains a

serious threat to the Nation’s security. At the

same time, the recognition that small amounts of

chemical, biological, or radiological agents can

exact a much greater human toll than an equivalent amount of explosives has prompted the need

for additional precautions and mitigation

methods. New technologies that reliably and

rapidly detect trace amounts of chemical,

biological, radiological, or explosive materials are

critical to the national defense, as are new

technologies to protect people from the devastating effects of these substances.

Vision

Nanotechnology offers the potential for unprecedented improvements in the sensitivity, selectivity,

response time, and affordability of detection

technologies. Nanoscience and nanostructures

also offer the opportunity for revolutionary

advances in adsorbent materials (personal and

collective protection), separation technologies

(protective clothing and filters), decontamination

and neutralization of agents, and prophylactic

measures.

One key objective for this grand challenge area

is the development of miniaturized intelligent

sensors. Such devices would have the potential to

sense the presence of specific molecules with

accuracy and sensitivity well beyond what is

commercially available today. Building such

devices will require a much better understanding

of nanoscale forces and interactions.

Another key objective is to develop novel

protection, neutralization, and prevention

technologies. Protective masks and clothing

depend on high surface area materials.

Nanostructures inherently have large surface-tovolume ratios and also tend to have highly reactive

surfaces that may neutralize the toxic material

rather than simply hold it. Nanostructures also

can be tailored to selectively disrupt the biological

activity of pathogens.

Agency Participation 

(lead in bold)

DOD Detection of and protection against

CBRE agents

DOE System integration, lab-on-a-chip, CBRE

detection

DHS Detection of and protection against

CBRE agents

DOT Advanced transportation security systems

EPA Reduction and remediation of hazardous

material 

FDA Processes to ensure safety and security of

the food chain

IA Detection of CBRE agents

NASA System integration, miniaturization,

robotic systems

NIH Detection of and treatment for chemical,

biological, and radiological exposure

NIST Chemical microsensors, single-molecule

measurement

NSF Sensors and basic principles for detection

of and protection against CBRE agents

USDA Processes and detection techniques to

secure agricultural production and food

resources

Note: The NNI works closely in this area with

the interagency Technical Support Working

Group (TSWG), which coordinates efforts in

CBRE detection as part of its mission to facilitate

development of technologies to combat terrorism.

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Research Example: Cantilever Array for

Chemical and Biological Threat Analysis

(supported by DOE)

Experience with the micro-cantilevered probes

used in atomic force microscopes has stimulated

the development by various researchers of

nanoscale cantilever-based physical, chemical, and

biological sensors. Extending the fabrication

techniques for microelectromechanical systems

(MEMS) to produce devices with nanoscale

components not only allows for even smaller and

lighter detectors, but also enhances sensitivity.

Demonstrated applications include detection of

chemical warfare agents, alpha particles,

biomolecules, TNT, and plastic explosives. It is

possible to arrange arrays of micro- and nanocantilevers on a single chip to allow detection of

multiple targets or to extend the dynamic range

(i.e., range of concentrations that can be

detected).

One cantilever-based approach detects

adsorbed molecules by measuring the change in

resonance frequency of individual cantilevers. In

general, the smaller the cantilever, the higher its

resonance frequency will be and the greater its

sensitivity. To date, frequencies from one

megahertz to over one gigahertz have been

achieved by pushing the cantilever dimensions

into the nanometer scale. Whereas cantilever

geometry determines sensitivity, selectivity is

controlled by coating the cantilever surface with

compounds that bind only to the molecule of

interest. Researchers at Oak Ridge National

Laboratory have developed a cantilever sensor

(Figure 9) that uses this approach to detect the

presence of nanoscale quantities of material. By

having a range of cantilever shapes, and hence

frequencies, the sensor array is able to detect a

wide range of molecular concentrations. In

addition, individual cantilevers may be treated

with different coatings to allow detection of

multiple target compounds. The Oak Ridge team

has demonstrated the ability to detect certain

agents down to the single molecule level.

Figure 9. Scanning electron micrograph of an array of silicon cantilevers, milled to various dimensions with a range of

resonance frequencies. Detection of adsorbed molecules is achieved by measuring frequency shifts. The cantilevers

shown here are coated with gold, which allows detection of as little as a few femtograms (10-15 g) of an acidic test

compound (courtesy P. Datskos, Oak Ridge National Laboratory).

21

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Grand Challenge Area

Nanoscale Instrumentation and

Metrology: A New Age of

Measurement Standards and Tools

Challenge

Nanotechnology-based industry requires the

development of highly capable, low-cost, reliable

instrumentation and internationally accepted

standards for the measurement of nanoscale

phenomena and for the characterization and

manipulation of nanostructures. Improvement in

measurement and manipulation capabilities is

critical to the progress of nanotechnology.

Vision

Improved measurement methods to better characterize nanoscale processes and structures are

needed. Additionally, present nanoscale measurements have little metrological underpinning and

few standards to ensure their reliability and

repeatability. Standard reference materials need to

be developed and calibrated to establish the

accuracy and reproducibility of a given nanoscale

measurement tool. Standardized instruments with

nanoscale resolution will accelerate scientific

discovery and provide quality control in the fabrication and assembly of manufactured nanostructures. These research tools also will be adapted

into miniaturized sensor and actuator

technologies.

The complexity and breadth of nanotechnology provides a wealth of opportunities for

innovation in instrumentation and metrology.

Analytical instrumentation with increased

resolution and sensitivity is needed to characterize

the chemical composition and structure of

materials at the nanoscale. Quantitative models

for interpretation of scanned probe images are

lacking. New analytical approaches are needed to

characterize soft materials—materials otherwise

deformed by the proximity of tips used in

scanning probe microscopes. Progress in understanding biological systems is severely hampered

by inadequate capability for probing cellular and

subcellular nanoscale phenomena.

Instrumentation for precise nanometer-position

control across samples of centimeter dimensions

will be required to realize commercial nanoscale

device fabrication.

The creation of atomically controlled and

measured structures may lead to the establishment

of new fundamental standards. For example,

quantized electron devices may provide improved

electrical current standards.

Agency Participation 

(leads in bold)

DOE Centers to exploit unique national

laboratory measurement capabilities

NIH In situ diagnostics and therapeutics,

medical imaging

NIST Nanoscale measurement science,

instrument calibration, standard reference

materials, and nanoscale physical and

chemical properties standard reference

data

NSF Broad based science as a source of new

instrumentation concepts

In addition, DOD, DOE, EPA, IA, FDA, NASA,

and DHS are developing measurement instrumentation with improved signal-to-noise for more

sensitive detectors for each agency’s 

mission-related needs.

22

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Research Example: State-of-the-Art

Nanoscale Measurement and

Manipulation (supported by NIST)

Propelled by the constant need for increased speed

and density and reduced cost, electronic and

magnetic devices continue to get smaller.

Integrated circuits in present day electronic devices

have dimensions of less than 100 nanometers.

Measurement of such nanostructures demands

novel fabrication and characterization systems,

such as illustrated in Figure 10. The facility

shown here enables the atom-by-atom assembly of

complex nanostructures under completely

autonomous computer control. The facility is

designed with the goal of atomic-resolution

imaging and the ability to probe electronic

properties of nanostructures with high-electron

energy resolution. Cryogenic temperatures are

required to achieve electron energy measurements

sufficient to resolve the variation of quantum

energy states in nanostructures. In situ fabrication

and transfer of samples is essential to the study of

well-designed and characterized nanostructures.

Figure 10. The NIST Nanoscale Physics Facility is a unique state-of-the-art instrument for the fabrication, characterization, and 

manipulation of novel nanostructures, with the following specific capabilities:

■ Scanning tunneling microscope operating at ultra-high vacuum and controlled temperatures from about -270 ̊C to -150 ̊C

■ Superconducting magnet system with 1.5 Tesla vector magnetic fields at the microscope position and 10 Tesla vertical magnetic fields

at the microscope position 

■ Molecular beam epitaxy system to deposit semiconductors and metals with in-situ transfer of samples to the scanning tunneling 

microscope system

■ Tip preparation system to image the atomic structure of tips with in-situ transfer of tips to the scanning tunneling microscope system

■ Acoustically and electrically shielded measurement environment with extraordinarily high attenuation of external environmental 

disturbances 

Courtesy J.A. Stroscio and R.J. Celotta, NIST Physics Laboratory

23

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Grand Challenge Area

Nano-Electronics, -Photonics,

and -Magnetics: 

The Next Generation of Information

Technology Devices

Challenge

Further miniaturization of microelectronics – with

more functionality and at lower cost – will require

new approaches to fabrication and processing,

and new methods for acquiring, storing,

processing, transmitting, and displaying data.

Vision

Nano-electronic systems offer the potential to

sustain the revolution in information technology

devices provided by silicon-based micro

electronics over the last 30 years. Nano-based

systems will improve computer speed, expand

mass storage, and reduce power consumption.

Communication paradigms will change by

increasing bandwidth for data transmission, and

by developing flexible, flat displays that are many

times brighter than conventional displays.

The physics of today’s transistor devices does

not scale to the length of a few nanometers. The

properties of nanostructures need to be measured

and incorporated into new device concepts, and

the devices placed into new system architectures.

Without breakthroughs, the continued miniaturization of information technology devices may

stall, due in part to economically unacceptable

increases in manufacturing costs. The cost of a

single fabrication plant for 65 nanometer

electronic devices is now estimated at approximately $4 billion. Therefore, it is necessary to

identify novel synthesis, processing, and manufacturing technologies such as (a) printing and

stamping approaches to pattern transfer; (b)

processing of devices in parallel via arrays of

microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)

technologies; (c) innovations in surface processing,

controlled nucleation, directional growth, and

directional etching innovations; and (d) batch

formation of precursor nanostructures followed

by directed self-assembly.

Agency Participation

(leads in bold)

DOD Devices for communication, command,

control, surveillance, and reconnaissance

DOE MEMS, laboratory-on-a-chip

IA Molecular electronics and advanced

communication systems

NASA Highly effective, miniaturized, low-power

devices for spacecraft

NIST Standards for measurement, manufacturing quality control

NSF Novel phenomena, devices, and 

architectures

24

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Research Example: 

Molecular Electronics—Nanowire interconnects (supported by DOD and NSF)

Researchers have been working on molecular-scale

electronics devices for years. Advances in this

field may extend the famous “Moore’s Law” for

an additional 10 to 20 years, or well beyond the

fundamental limits of purely silicon-based

technology. Moore’s law describes the exponential

growth of computational power over time, and

has become a standard guide by which computational manufacturers judge their technological

advancements.

One concept for molecular electronics comes

from the work of researchers at Hewlett-Packard

(HP), the California Institute of Technology and

the University of California at Los Angeles

(UCLA). They have placed a particular molecule,

a rotaxane, into one of two electrically distinct

states that correlate to a “0” or a “1.” This

approach preserves the digital nature of

electronics and permits the current approach for

memory and logic to be carried forward. The

most complex elements of logic and memory can

be extracted from such a molecular electronic

“bit,” which is formed by a few rotaxane

molecules that are “sandwiched” between two

crossed wires. Thus, the rotaxane or a similar

molecule can be arranged to represent digital logic

and memory. An array of such bits (similar to an

expanded tic-tac-toe board) allows for error-free

computation even in the presence of defective

components, a critical characteristic for many

nanotechnologies.

An early application of this technology is as

highly efficient, random access memory. Today,

random access memories are patterned at a

density of about 3 x 108 bits/cm2

. Using rotaxane

switches, the HP, Caltech, and UCLA research

team has demonstrated working memory and

logic prototypes that are up to 100 times more

dense than conventional devices (see Figure 11).

Although certain challenges, such as interconnection, must yet be met in order to demonstrate

working circuitry at these densities, this molecular

electronics technology is already exceeding traditional approaches by orders of magnitude in

laboratory demonstrations.

Figure 11. (A) Optical micrograph of an array of 64-bit molecular electronic circuits. (B) Atomic force micrograph revealing

the detailed structure of one of the 64-bit circuits, patterned at a density of 7x109 bits/cm2. This circuit has been utilized for

simultaneous logic and memory operations. (C) The smallest circuit currently known (5x1011 bits/cm2). As in (B), a bit is

formed at each intersection of the lines. The highlighted 64 bits of this ultra-dense circuit fits inside a single bit of the circuit

shown in (B) (courtesy J. Heath, Caltech).

25

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Grand Challenge Area

Healthcare, Therapeutics,

and Diagnostics: 

Using Nanotechnology for Better 

Disease Detection and Treatment

Challenge

Three critical areas within healthcare, therapeutics, and diagnostics lend themselves to

nanoscale science and technology solutions. The

first is improved implants developed by using

biocompatible materials, tissue engineering, and

regenerative medicine. The second is delivery of

drugs, gene therapies, and other therapeutics. The

third is earlier detection of disease, which could

greatly enhance the success rate of existing

treatment strategies and significantly advance our

ability to employ prevention strategies.

Vision

Biological phenomena are largely governed by

nanoscale structures. For example, the mechanisms of protein synthesis, replication, signal

transduction, and infection occur at the nanoscale.

Therefore, advances in a wide range of nanoscale

science and technology will be relevant to

biological research, and vice versa. Special opportunities exist for collaboration among life scientists and physical scientists. Collaborative

programs leverage the knowledge base from each

discipline, affording the best opportunities to shift

life science paradigms from “hypothesis-driven” to

mechanistic understanding.

As we achieve a better understanding of the

design of biomolecular systems and learn how to

build and control materials at this size scale,

technologies for intervening in biological processes

will emerge. These technologies offer promising

routes to earlier detection of disease, more

effective diagnostics and therapeutics, novel

biocompatible materials, targeted gene and drug

delivery systems, novel vision and hearing aids,

and “smart” medical devices for treatment modes

that minimize collateral damage.

Agency Participation 

(lead in bold)

DOD Casualty care, monitoring war fighter

physiology, improving human capability

to respond to threats

DOE Radiation effects, sensors, hard/soft matter

interfaces

FDA Safety, efficacy, and quality assurance of

drugs, medical devices, and biological

products

NASA Remote and autonomous medical care in

space environment 

NIH Therapeutics, diagnostics, and regenerative medicine

NIST Standards for bioscience and

bioengineering

NSF Nano-bioscience, nano-bioengineering

USDA Food safety, animal health, plant disease

prevention and treatment

26

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Research Example: 

Peptide Nanotubes as Antibacterial Drugs

(supported by NIH)

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a growing

problem worldwide that is compromising the

medical community’s ability to treat many infectious diseases. Most antibiotics used today target

invading bacteria by latching onto specific

molecules in the bacteria’s outer membrane. If

the bacteria can modify those molecules even

slightly, they become resistant to the antibiotic

and can go on to infect their host.

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in

San Diego have developed peptide nanotubes,

shown schematically in Figure 12, that kill

bacteria by punching holes in the bacteria’s

membrane. Each tube is formed from strings of

amino acid subunits called peptides that, because

of their structure, assemble into tiny rings. These

rings stack on top of each other to form tubes on

the order of barely one nanometer in diameter.

By controlling the type of peptides used to build

the rings, scientists are able to design nanotubes

that selectively perforate bacterial membranes

without harming the cells of the host.

In theory, these nano-bio agents should be far

less prone than existing antibiotics to the development of bacterial resistance. The invading

bacterium would have to substantially alter its

membrane, not just alter a particular molecule, to

become resistant to the nanotubes. Even if

bacteria succeeded in altering their membranes,

scientists could counter by modifying the structure

of the nanotubes. Moreover, peptide nanotubes

are resistant to proteases (protein-digesting

enzymes found in the body) and therefore bypass

a common problem in designing antibiotic agents.

Figure 12. Schematic of designed peptide nanotubes that have penetrated a bacterial cell wall, effectively killing the

bacterium. The nanotubes are formed from stacks of rings, which in turn are made up of various peptides (indicated by

colored dots) (courtesy A. Olson and M.R. Ghadiri, Scripps Research Institute).

27

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Grand Challenge Area

Energy Conversion and Storage: 

New Materials and Processes for

Energy Needs

Challenge

Inexpensive energy underlies economic prosperity.

A nation’s ability to develop new energy sources

within its own borders can reduce dependency on

international energy supplies and finite oil

reserves. Novel abilities and improved efficiencies

in converting, storing, transmitting, and

conserving energy are also critical to the challenge

of providing clean, abundant, and secure energy

for domestic needs.

Vision

Nanotechnology promises significant 

improvements in solar energy conversion and

storage, thermoelectric converters, highperformance batteries and fuel cells, and efficient

electrical power transmission lines. For example,

nanoscale control of materials structure and

composition has shown promise for novel

approaches to photovoltaic systems. A deeper

understanding of the physics of phonon and

electron transport in nanostructured materials

may facilitate production of practical all-solidstate and environmentally clean thermoelectric

energy conversion devices. Currently, hard and

soft magnets are widely used in electric power

production and utilization. Improved 

nanostructured magnets may yield substantial

energy savings by reducing losses incurred in the

generation and use of electricity.

Nanostructures may also enhance the

controlled release of chemical energy toward

specific goals such as more efficient combustion,

greater thrust in rocket propulsion, thermobaric

destruction of chemical or biological agents, and

tailored electromagnetic emission from propulsion

systems (lower intensity signatures or better

decoys to foil missile seekers). Nanoscale control

of the shapes, chemistry, and phases of catalyst

particles and supports clearly will impact energy

conversion, chemical processing, and related

fields.

Opportunities also exist for increasing 

thermal transport rates in fluids by utilizing

nanocrystalline particulate suspensions. These

“doped” nanofluids have recently been shown 

to exhibit substantially increased thermal 

conductivities and heat transfer rates compared 

to their “undoped” counterparts.

Agency Participation 

(lead in bold)

DOD Energetic materials for propulsion, decoys,

explosives

DOE All aspects of energy research, including

catalysis, fuel cells, hydrogen 

IA Nano-enabled advanced power systems

NASA Energy conversion and storage for space

systems

NSF Materials science and engineering 

NIST Manufacturing processes and equipment

USDA Biomass conversion to energy and

chemicals, hydrogen production,

distributed power production

28

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Research Example: 

Polymeric Nanostructures for Conversion

of Solar Energy (supported by DOE)

Nanotechnology may provide a path to a new

generation of solar cells. Presently, low-cost solar

cells with power efficiencies of around 12% are

readily available, while high-end solar cells with

efficiencies of 34% can be made for satellites, but

are prohibitively expensive for large-scale terrestrial applications. Researchers at the University of

California at Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley

National Laboratory have reported a new type of

“paint-on” solar cell that has promise for relatively

low fabrication cost and the potential to achieve

efficiencies comparable to those of high-end cells.

At the heart of all solar cells are two separate

material layers, one with a reservoir of electrons

that functions as the “negative pole,” and one

having vacancies for electrons called electron holes

that functions as the “positive pole” of the cell.

Absorption of light from the sun or other light

source by the cell provides energy to drive the

electrons from the negative to the positive pole,

creating a voltage difference between the two and

thus enabling the cell to serve as a source of

electrical energy.

The new devices are based on a combination of

a semiconductor polymer (an organic material)

and cadmium selenide nanorods (an inorganic

material) (Figure 13). In this cell, each microscopic step in the performance of the solar cell is

independently optimized. Absorption of light can

occur in either the nanorods or the polymer, and

charge separation takes place at the interface

between them, followed by charge transport to the

harvesting electrodes—indium tin oxide (ITO) and

aluminum (Al).

Solar cells made with these devices have the

potential to provide low-cost, ultra-lightweight,

and flexible cells with a wide range of applications. Due to the nanoscale dimensions of the

nanorods, quantum-size effects influence their

optical properties. By tailoring the size of the

rods, they can be made to absorb light within a

specific narrow band of colors. By stacking

several cells with different sized rods, a broad

range of wavelengths across the solar spectrum

can be collected and converted to energy.

Moreover, the nanoscale volume of the rods leads

to a significant reduction in the amount of

semiconductor material needed compared to a

conventional cell.

Figure 13. Schematic design of the nanorod-polymer solar cell illustrating how light energy activates the polymer (P3HT) and

cadmium selenide (CdSe) components of the cell to drive electrons (e-) and holes (h+) to opposing aluminum (Al) and

indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrodes (courtesy P. Alivisatos, University of California, Berkeley).

Transmission electron

microscope image of a 

7 nm by 30 nm CdSe

manorod

29

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Grand Challenge Area

Microcraft and Robotics

Challenge

Integrating the miniaturization of machinery and

computers can provide platforms to operate in

hazardous or confined environments without

human presence and can augment productivity by

automating more routine operations. For

instance, reduced payload weight and energy

usage are critical factors that impact our ability to

reach ever more remote and hostile environments

on Earth and in space. Miniaturized, intelligent

machinery also will enable the development of

other highly desirable systems such as unmanned

military combat platforms that reduce risks to

personnel and in vivo systems that improve the

detection and treatment of disease.

Vision

Nanotechnology will provide the ability to design

very small-scale microcraft, vehicles and robots.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are

already providing some system miniaturization

down to the microscale. Building on the fabrication processes and devices of MEMS

technologies, nanoelectromechanical systems

(NEMS) will open qualitatively new functional

approaches and applications.

Nanosystems based on biological principles

and building blocks are a key area for future

research. For instance, long duration missions or

missions in hazardous environments may benefit

greatly from adopting strategies and architectures

from the biological world. Utilization of in situ

resources to create complex structures and craft

that can adapt and react to changing environmental or mission needs are examples of the kinds

of advances enabled through the application of

nanotechnology and the principles of molecular

biology. If the application is in vivo, then the use

of molecular motors fueled by the body’s metabolites might even provide a “self-powered” system.

Sensing, processing, and managing information

is critical to the control of any microcraft or

robot. A compelling need exists for miniaturized

electronics with increased capability that can be

embedded in system controls. The development

of ultra-lightweight and ultra-strong materials

that can survive extreme environments will be key

to expanding our reach into applications such as

space exploration.

Agency Participation 

(lead in bold)

DOD Surveillance, unmanned combat

platforms, improving human capability to

respond to threats

FDA Safety, efficacy, and quality assurance of

medical products

IA Novel robotic systems

NASA Intelligent spacecraft, smart materials/

devices, autonomous healthcare systems

NIH Telemedicine diagnostics/surgery; in vivo

systems for diagnosis/therapeutics

NSF Fundamental research on new principles

and architectures for devices and systems

NIST Intelligent systems research

30

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Research Example: 

Molecular Motors—A New Nanoscale

Biomimetic Paradigm for Energy

Conversion (supported by NSF)

A biological cell has micrometer dimensions with

the molecular machinery inside that cell having

nanometer dimensions. Many cell functions

require the action of “biological motors” that

convert chemical energy to mechanical energy.

For example, biological motors allow muscle

fibers, flagella, and cilia to perform their

functions.

One of the goals of researchers in this field is

to develop an understanding of the mechanisms

and processes of biological molecular motors and

to incorporate similar approaches in nanoscale

manmade devices. Researchers at Boston College

have made steps toward this goal by designing and

demonstrating a simple molecular motor that

exhibits unidirectional rotary motion. The

molecular motor consists of 78 atoms and

consists of a rotating paddle-like structure

attached to a base. Normally, thermally stimulated motion would cause this wheel-like molecule

to rotate randomly in either direction. However,

by tailoring the paddle wheel’s molecular structure

so that it is no longer entirely symmetrical, it can

be induced to preferentially rotate in one

direction. The impetus for rotation comes from

chemical interaction between the paddle wheel

part of the molecule and a common chloride

compound, carbonyl dichloride. This particular

molecular motor is not yet capable of continuous

rotation—it rotates just 120 degrees—however, it

represents a step toward being able to design

nanoscale motors with controlled motion.

Figure 14. Diagram of a molecule 

designed to perform unidirectional rotary

motion. The chemical structure is

shown in (a). The molecule consists of

two parts—a structure with three

ringshaped paddles and a flat base—

connected by a single bond about which

rotation can occur. Figure 14(b) shows

a calculated electron density surface

map of the molecule as seen from a

side view of the paddle wheel, which is

shown in lighter gray. Upon interaction

with carbonyl dichloride, the paddle

wheel rotates 120 degrees in a

clockwise direction (courtesy T.R. Kelly,

Boston College).

31

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Grand Challenge Area

Nanoscale Processes for 

Environmental Improvement

Challenge

Pollution has long been recognized as a serious

threat to both the local and global environments

and to our quality of life. The development of

new technologies that enable industrial economies

without harming human health and the

environment is of critical importance in the 21st

century. Development of innovative technologies

for manufacturing, transportation, and other

activities that reduce or eliminate the production

of harmful by-products, or for treatment and

remediation of existing toxic substances in the

environment, presents major challenges for our

society.

Vision

Nanoscale science and engineering can significantly improve our understanding of molecular

processes that take place in the environment and

help reduce pollution by leading to the development of new “green” technologies that

minimize the use, production, and transportation

of waste products, particularly toxic substances.

Environmental remediation will be improved by

the removal of contaminants from air and water

supplies to levels currently unattainable, and by

the continuous and real-time measurement of

pollutants. In addition, increasing knowledge of

the environmental, social, and human health

implications of nanotechnology is crucial.

In order to understand the consequences of

contaminants moving through the environment,

interdisciplinary research is needed on molecular

and nanoscale processes that take place at one or

more of the interfaces or within nanoscale structures in natural systems. Such research includes

studies of inorganic/inorganic, inorganic/organic,

and organic/organic interfaces, with a focus on the

specific processes dominated by small length

scales. Separation science—exploiting the

evolving capability to tailor nanostructured

membranes—offers new opportunities to 

selectively extract contaminants from air, water,

and soil.

Novel interdisciplinary research that adapts

newly developed experimental, theoretical, and

computational methods for characterizing nanostructures is needed. The community of scientists

and engineers studying the fundamental properties

of nanostructures must be connected with the

community attempting to understand complex

processes in the environment in order to hasten

the integrated understanding of the environmental

implications of nanoscale phenomena.

Agency Participation 

(leads in bold)

DOE Extraction of radionucleotides from

otherwise benign materials 

EPA Detection, remediation, and prevention of

environmental pollution

FDA Ensuring safety and security of the food

chain

NSF Nanoscale processes in nature, “green”

manufacturing

USDA Agriculture technologies for minimizing

environmental footprints, pollution

remediation, precision agriculture, carbon

sequestration

32

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Research Example: 

Treatment of Contaminated Groundwater

with Iron Nanoparticles (supported by EPA

and NSF)

Researchers at Lehigh University recently found

that nanoscale particles of metallic iron could

potentially play a large role in the remediation of

contaminated groundwater (Figure 15).

Interaction between iron and the pollutant

trichloroethylene (TCE) results in the degradation

of TCE to more environmentally benign products.

Palladium or platinum is added to the nanoparticles to enhance the rate at which this reaction

takes place. The researchers carried out a field

demonstration at an industrial site in which

nanoparticles injected into a groundwater plume

containing TCE reduced contaminant levels by up

to 96%. A wide variety of contaminants

(including chlorinated hydrocarbons, pesticides,

explosives, polychlorinated biphenyls, and

perchlorate) have been successfully broken down

in both laboratory and field tests. The potential

for remediation stems from the high reactivity of

the nanoparticles and the fact that the technology

is portable and highly scalable. The high

reactivity of these particles can be attributed to

their extraordinarily large surface area (~33.5

m2

/g). With an average particle diameter of less

than 100 nanometers, the particles are injectable

and can be delivered to contaminant hot spots or

source areas as needed. This work is currently

being funded by EPA to explore its potential in

treating hazardous waste. The technology is being

tested at several Federal and industrial sites for

soil and groundwater remediation.

Figure 15. Schematic depiction of the remediation process in which iron nanoparticles transform a contaminant

(trichloroethylene) in water into more environmentally benign products. In the process shown on the left, elemental iron acts as

an electron (e-) donor while trichloroethylene serves as the electron acceptor for the chemical reaction. The presence of

palladium metal on the surface of the iron nanoparticles enhances the transformation. The right portion of the figure shows a

electron microscope image of the iron nanoparticles (courtesy W. Zhang, Lehigh University).

33

National Nanotechnology Initiative 

20 nm
Investment Mode 3: Centers of Excellence

Centers provide opportunities and

support for multidisciplinary research

among investigators from a variety of

disciplines and from different research

sectors, including academia, industry, and

government laboratories. Such multidisciplinary

research not only leads to advances in knowledge,

but also fosters relationships that enhance the

transition of the results of basic research to

devices and other applications. Fourteen 

multidisciplinary centers to encourage research

networking have been initiated throughout the

country. Seven have been funded by NSF, three

by DOD, and four by NASA. A list of these

centers is shown in Table 2. More are planned by

NSF to broaden the range of topics and the

geographical distribution.

Center Name Principal Institution

Investigator

NSF

Nanoscale Systems in Information Technologies Buhrman Cornell University

Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC)

Nanoscience in Biological and Environmental Engineering NSEC Smalley Rice University

Integrated Nanopatterning and Detection NSEC Mirkin Northwestern University

Electronic Transport in Molecular Nanostructures NSEC Yardley Columbia University

Nanoscale Systems and their Device Applications NSEC Westervelt Harvard University

Directed Assembly of Nanostructures NSEC Siegel Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Nanobiotechnology Science and Technology Center Baird Cornell University

DOD

Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies Thomas Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Center for Nanoscience Innovation for Defense Awschalom University of California, Santa Barbara

Nanoscience Institute Prinz Naval Research Laboratory

NASA

Institute for Cell Mimetic Space Exploration Ho University of California, Los Angeles

Institute for Intelligent Bio-Nanomaterials & Structures Junkins Texas A&M

for Aerospace Vehicles

Bio-Inspection, Design, and Processing of Multifunctional Aksay Princeton University

Nanocomposites

Institute for Nanoelectronics and Computing Datta Purdue University

Table 2. NNI Centers of Excellence

34
Investment Mode 4: Research Infrastructure

Astrong but flexible infrastructure is

required to enable and stimulate new

discoveries and innovations and to

support the transition of those with

commercial value from the laboratory to the

marketplace. However, the cost of nanotechnology instrumentation, equipment, and facilities

can be high, putting it out of the reach of

researchers from small businesses and academic

institutions. Government funding of infrastructure development that is accessible to virtually

all researchers can substantially facilitate the

creation of innovative technology and its

transition to useful applications. An important

focus of the NNI, therefore, is to develop

measurements and standards, research instrumentation, modeling and simulation capabilities, and

R&D user facilities. This type of funding has

been used to support the National

Nanofabrication Users Network and the modeling

and simulation Network for Computational

Nanotechnology, both of which are sponsored by

NSF. Table 3 lists NNI user facilities, principle

investigators, and host institutions.

Research infrastructure funding is also 

being used by DOE to create a group of five

Nanoscale Science Research Centers (NSRCs)

that are colocated with existing major facilities at

DOE laboratories across the country. The NSRCs

will be operated as user facilities that are available

to all researchers on a merit-reviewed basis. Other

infrastructure dedicated to nanotechnology R&D

that is under development at Federal laboratories

includes a nanoscience facility at the Naval

Research Laboratory and portions of the

Advanced Measurement Laboratory at NIST.

35
Table 3. Infrastructure: Nanotechnology R&D User Facilities

User Facility Name

NSF

National Nanofabrication Users Network (NNUN)*

Network for Computational Nanotechnology

DOE

Center for Functional Nanomaterials

Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies

Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences

Center for Nanoscale Materials

Molecular Foundry

NIST

NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR)

Principal 

Investigator

Tiwari

Harris

Plummer

Fonash

Hu

Lungstrom

Hess

Dutton

Fortes

Lush

Ratner

Scott

Hwang

Michalske

Lowndes

Bader

Alivisatos

Rowe

Institution

Cornell University

Howard University

Stanford University

Pennsylvania State University

University of California, Santa Barbara

Purdue University

University of Illinois

Stanford University

University of Florida

University of Texas, El Paso

Northwestern University

Morgan State University

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Argonne National Laboratory

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

NIST

* Note: The NNUN predates the NNI, but is funded under the NNI through 2003. In 2004, the NNUN will be expanded to create the

National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network. 

36

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Investment Mode 5: 

Societal Implications and Workforce Preparation

ocietal Aspects

When new technologies with high impact are

developed, societal issues often arise. These

issues require specific measures to take best

advantage of opportunities while reducing the

potential risks associated with technology development and subsequent commercialization. The

NNI provides funding for research that addresses

the ethical, social, legal, economic, and workforce

implications of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

For example, following the establishment of the

NNI in FY2001, NSF has introduced a theme on,

“Societal and Educational Implications of Scientific

and Technological Advances on the Nanoscale” in

its Nanoscale Science and Engineering program

solicitation. Studies under this program include

economic implications of innovation; knowledge

barriers to adoption of nanotechnology in

commerce; implications for health and the

environment; educational and workforce needs;

ethical issues; and implications of new fields arising

at the intersection of traditional areas of science

and engineering. Some specific examples include

the following:

■ The University of Virginia received a five-year

NSF award for 2001-2006 to investigate “Ethics

and Belief Inside the Development of

Nanotechnology.”

■ The University of South Carolina received an

award in 2002 to study “Philosophical and

Societal Dimensions of Nanoscale Research.”

This award helped to create a center on societal

implications of nanotechnology at that

university.

■ Another award supports the creation and maintenance of a nanotechnology commercialization

database.

Education and Training

Science, engineering, and technology education play

three critical societal roles in (1) producing the next

generation of researchers and innovators,

(2) providing the workforce of the future with the

technological skills they will need to succeed, and

(3) educating a citizenry capable of making wellinformed decisions in an increasingly technologically driven society. The NNI plays a special role

in each.

With respect to training future scientists and

engineers, a major impact of NNI-supported

research is the hands-on training of undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral

researchers via funding of nanoscience and

nanotechnology research at universities. NNI

programs also provide direct funding for student

fellowships and traineeships. Because nanotechnology research often cuts across traditionally

distinct disciplines, including physics, chemistry,

biology, materials, mathematics, and engineering,

new teaching paradigms that emphasize a multidisciplinary approach to research will be particularly relevant.

Industry must have an adequate supply of

skilled technical workers in order to meet the

increasing workforce demands that are expected to

accompany progress in nanotechnology. A key

objective of the NNI is to develop new

approaches to education and training that will

lead to a new generation of skilled workers with

the multidisciplinary perspective and knowledge

necessary for rapid progress in nanotechnology.

Such programs are aimed at community colleges

and other institutions and programs that

emphasize job-related skills, as well as at four-year

colleges and universities.

Clearly, education and training takes place well

before the college level in the primary and

secondary schools. Therefore, improvement in 

K-12 science and mathematics education is critical

not just to nanotechnology but to all scientific and

engineering disciplines. Towards this end, the

NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers

have funds specifically aimed at addressing K-12

37

S
National Nanotechnology Coordination Office Activities

Outreach is an important component of

the NNI. One mechanism by which

outreach is accomplished is through the

National Nanotechnology

Coordination Office, which serves as the point of

contact on Federal nanotechnology activities for

government organizations, academia, industry,

professional societies, foreign organizations, and

others. Examples of the mechanisms by which the

NNCO communicates with interested parties are

the publication of reports on workshops

organized by the NSET and ongoing development

and maintenance of the NNI website

(www.nano.gov).

The NNCO also facilitates outreach to a broad

cross-section of industry, another NNI objective.

For example, the NNCO is working with members

of NSET and DOC’s Technology Administration

to organize a series of regional workshops to

increase industry awareness of pending nanotechnology developments and address scientific and

technical deficiencies that are limiting industrial

commercialization of nanotechnology. The first

workshop (western region) was held on Sept 10,

2001, at UCLA. The second (southern region)

was held in Houston, Texas, on May 23, 2002.

Additional meetings are to be held in the midwestern and eastern regions.

Outreach to regional, state, and local organizations that are coordinating nanotechnology-based

efforts is also an integral part of NNCO’s mission.

The list of states that have organized nanotechnology programs is a lengthy one and continues to

grow. Other state programs that are not specifically directed at nanotechnology are also

providing support to ventures in this area. For

instance, Nanoscale Materials, Inc., was the first

tenant in Kansas State University’s K-State

Research Park. In addition, the NSF’s

Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive

Research (EPSCoR), which supports development

of research infrastructure in less research-intensive

states, has provided funding to Oklahoma for

NanoNet. This program coordinates a statewide

network of scientists and engineers, including

students at state colleges and universities, involved

in developing three critical nanoscale components:

epitaxial nanostructures, colloidal particles, and

integrated circuit connectors.

Several private initiatives also are accelerating

the introduction of nanotechnology into the

market. For instance, the NanoBusiness Alliance

is actively fostering nanoscience and nanotechnology by compiling three nanotechnology directories for the venture capital, industry, and

nanotechnology service and support communities.

The NNCO contributes to these efforts as an

information resource.

Through the NNCO, as well as the participating agencies, the NNI maintains close ties with

professional societies as a valuable means of

disseminating information on current activities,

promoting education for nanoscale science and

technology, and as a source for insight on opportunities for future research. In addition, as the

worldwide investment in nanotechnology grows, it

is vital that the NNI reach out to programs, institutions, and researchers overseas to foster collaboration and to allow U.S. nanotechnologists to

learn from activities taking place abroad.

38

education. In addition, the National

Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)

has prepared a paper entitled, “Extending

Outreach Success for the National Nanoscale

Science and Engineering Centers—A Handbook

for Universities,” which provides information on

how universities can engage K-12 educators and

students.

National Nanotechnology Initiative
39

NSTC Committee on Technology

Co-chair: Richard M. Russell

Co-chair: Phillip J. Bond

Executive Secretary: Benjamin H. Wu

Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology (NSET)

Contact List for NSET Members and Relevant Executive Office of the President

and NNCO Staff Actively Involved as of August 2003

Chair: M.C. Roco, National Science Foundation

Executive Secretary: J.S. Murday, Office of Naval Research

OSTP

Dr. Celia I. Merzbacher

Agency Representative

National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)

Washington, DC 20502

T: 202-456-6108

F: 202-456-6021

Celia_Merzbacher@ostp.eop.gov 

Dr. Sharon L. Hays

Deputy Associate Director for Technology

Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)

Executive Office of the President

Washington, DC 20502

T: 202-456-6135

F: 202-456-6021

shays@ostp.eop.gov

OMB

David S. Trinkle

Office of Management and Budget

Executive Office of the President

725 17th St., N.W.

Washington, DC 20503

T: 202-395-4706

David_S._Trinkle@omb.eop.gov

NNCO

Dr. E. Clayton Teague

Director

National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)

4201 Wilson Blvd.

Stafford II, Suite 405

Arlington, VA 22230

T: 703-292-4319

F: 703-292-9312

cteague@nnco.nano.gov

Geoffrey M. Holdridge

Policy Analyst

National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)

4201 Wilson Blvd.

Stafford II, Suite 405

Arlington, VA 22230

T: 703-292-4532

F: 703-292-9312

gholdrid@nnco.nano.gov

Catherine B. Alexander

Communications Director

National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)

4201 Wilson Blvd.

Stafford II, Suite 405

Arlington, VA 22230

T: 703-292-4399

F: 703-292-9312

calexand@nnco.nano.gov

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
40

Stephen B. Gould

Workshop Coordinator

National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)

4201 Wilson Blvd.

Stafford II, Suite 405

Arlington, VA 22230

T: 703-292-4503

F: 703-292-9312

sgould@nnco.nano.gov

Sam D. Gill

Systems Administrator and Office Manager

National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)

4201 Wilson Blvd.

Stafford II, Suite 405

Arlington, VA 22230

T: 703-292-4533

F: 703-292-9312

netguy@nnco.nano.gov

NIST

Dr. Michael P. Casassa

Director, Program Office

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1060

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1060

T: 301-975-2371

F: 301-216-0529

michael.casassa@nist.gov

Dr. Michael T. Postek

Program Analyst

NIST Program Office

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1060

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1060

T: 301-975-4525

F: 301-216-0529

postek@nist.gov

Dr. Marc L. Salit

Program Office (106)

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8391

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8391

T: 301-975-2660

F: 301-216-0529

salit@nist.gov

Dr. Robert D. Shull

Metallurgy Division

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8552

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8552

T: 301-975-6035

F: 301-975-4553

robert.shull@nist.gov

DOC

John F. Sargent, Jr.

Senior Policy Analyst

Office of Technology Policy

Technology Administration

U.S. Department of Commerce

14th St. & Constitution Ave., N.W., Rm. 4823

Washington, DC 20230

T: 202-482-6185

F: 202-501-2595

John.Sargent@ta.doc.gov

DOD 

Dr. William O. Berry

Director for Basic Research

ODUSD(LABS)

Department of Defense

Ballston Center Tower 3

4015 Wilson Blvd. Suite 209

Arlington, VA 22203

T: 703-696-0363

F: 703-696-0569

william.berry@osd.mil

National Nanotechnology Initiative
41

Dr. James S. Murday 

Acting Chief Scientist

Office of Naval Research

800 North Quincy St.

Arlington, VA 22217-5660 

T: 703-696-6783 

F: 703-696-4065

murdayj@onr.navy.mil 

Dr. Gernot S. Pomrenke

Directorate of Physics and Electronics

Air Force Office of Scientific Research

Ballston Common Towers III

4015 Wilson Blvd, Room 713 

Arlington VA 22203-1954

T: 703-696-8426

F: 703-696-8481

gernot.pomrenke@afosr.af.mil

Dr. Clifford G. Lau

ODUSD (LABS)

Department of Defense

Ballston Center Tower 3

4015 Wilson Blvd, Suite 209

Arlington, VA 22217

T: 703-696-0371

F: 703-696-0569

clifford.lau@osd.mil

DOE

Dr. Patricia M. Dehmer

Director

Office of Basic Energy Sciences

U.S. Department of Energy

SC-10/GTN

1000 Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC 20585

T: 301-903-3081 

F: 301-903-6594 

PATRICIA.DEHMER@science.doe.gov

Dr. Altaf H. Carim

Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering

Office of Basic Energy Sciences

U.S. Department of Energy

SC-13/GTN

1000 Independence Ave., S.W.

Washington, DC 20585

T: 301-903-4895

F: 301-903-9513

e-mail: carim@science.doe.gov

Dr. John C. Miller

Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and

Biosciences

Office of Basic Energy Sciences

U.S. Department of Energy

GTN/SC14/E425

1000 Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC 20585

T: 301-903-5806

F: 301-903-4110

John.Miller@science.doe.gov

Dr. Kristin A. Bennett

Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering

Office of Basic Energy Sciences

U.S. Department of Energy

SC-13/GTN/F419

1000 Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC 20585

T: 301-903-4269

F: 301-903-9513

Kristin.Bennett@science.doe.gov

Dr. Richard D. Kelley

Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering

Office of Basic Energy Sciences

U.S. Department of Energy

SC-13/GTN

1000 Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC 20585

T: 301-903-6051

F: 301-903-9513

richard.kelley@science.doe.gov

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
42

Dr. Brian G. Valentine

Office of Industrial Technologies

U.S. Department of Energy

Headquarters Bldg., EE-20

1000 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20585-0121

T: 202-586-1739

F: 202-586-3180

Brian.Valentine@hq.doe.gov 

DOT

Dr. Richard R. John

Director, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

Department of Transportation

55 Broadway, Kendall Square

Cambridge, MA 02142

T: 617-494-2222

F: 617-494-3731

john@volpe.dot.gov

Annalynn Lacombe

Program Analyst, Transportation Strategic Planning and

Analysis Office

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

Department of Transportation

55 Broadway

Cambridge, MA 02142

T: 617-494-2161

F: 617-494-3688

Lacombe@volpe.dot.gov

Dr. Richard A. Livingston

Senior Physical Scientist

Office of Infrastructure R&D

Federal Highway Administration

6300 Georgetown Pike

McLean Virginia 22101

T: 202-493-3063

F: 202-493-3161

Dick.Livingston@fhwa.dot.gov

DHS

Dr. Richard T. Lareau

Transportation Security Administration

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Mail Code: TSL-100

Transportation Security Research & Development

Division

William J. Hughes Technical Center, Bldg. 315

Atlantic City International Airport, NJ 08405

T: 609-485-4877

F: 609-383-1973

Richard.Lareau@faa.gov

Dr. M. Anthony Fainberg

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Science & Technology Directorate

7th and D Street SW

Washington, D.C. 20590

T: 202-772-9540

F: 202-772-9655

Tony.Fainberg@dhs.gov

DOJ

A. Trent DePersia 

Chief, Research and Technology Development Division

NIJ, Office of Science and Technology

Department of Justice

810 Seventh St., NW

Washington, DC 20531

T: 202-305-4686

F: 202-307-9907

depersia@ojp.usdoj.gov

www.nlectc.org 

National Nanotechnology Initiative
43

EPA

Stephen A. Lingle

Director, Environmental Engineering Research Division

Environmental Protection Agency

National Center for Environmental Research 

Office of Research & Development, 8722R

1200 Pennsylvania Av., N.W.

Washington, DC 20460

T: 202-564-6820

F: 202-565-2446

Lingle.Stephen@epamail.epa.gov

Dr. Barbara P. Karn

Environmental Scientist

Environmental Protection Agency

Environmental Engineering Research Division

National Center for Environmental Research

Office of Research and Development, 8722R

1200 Pennsylvania Av. NW

Washington, DC 20460

T: 202-564-6824

F: 202-565-2446

Karn.Barbara@epamail.epa.gov

Dr. Nora F. Savage

Environmental Engineer

Environmental Protection Agency

National Center for Environmental Research

Office of Research and Development, 8722R

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20460

T: 202-564-8228

F: 202-565-2446

Savage.Nora@epamail.epa.gov

Dr. Tina M. Masciangioli

AAAS Environmental Science & Technology Policy

Fellow

Environmental Protection Agency

National Center for Environmental Research

Office of Research and Development, 8722R

Environmental Engineering Research Division

T: 202-564-6791

F: 202-565-2446

Masciangioli.Tina@epamail.epa.gov 

NASA 

Dr. Minoo N. Dastoor

Special Assistant

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Headquarters, Room 6A20

Washington DC 20546-0001

T: 202-358-4518

F: 202-358-4166

mdastoor@mail.hq.nasa.gov

Dr. Murray S. Hirschbein

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Headquarters, Rm 6D70

Washington DC 20546-0001

T: 202-358-4662

F: 202-358-2920

mhirschb@mail.hq.nasa.gov

Dr. Meyya Meyyappan

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Ames Research Center

MS 229-3 

Moffett Field, CA 94035

T: 650-604-2616

F: 650-604-5244

meyya@orbit.arc.nasa.gov

NIH

Dr. Belinda Seto

Acting Deputy Director for Extramural Research

National Institutes of Health

One Center Drive

Building One, Room 144

Bethesda, MD 20892

T: 301-496-1096

F: 301-402-3469

SETOB@od1tm1.od.nih.gov

National Nanotechnology Initiative 
44

Dr. Jeffery A. Schloss

Program Director, Technology Development Coordination

National Human Genome Research Institute

National Institutes of Health

Bldg 31, Room B2-B07

31 Center Drive

Bethesda, MD 20892-2033

T: 301-496-7531

F: 301-480-2770

schlossj@exchange.nih.gov

Dr. Eleni Kousvelari

Chief, Cellular & Molecular Biology, Physiology &

Biotechnology Branch

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

National Institutes of Health

Natcher Building, Room 4AN 18A

Bethesda, MD 20892-6402

T: 301-594-2427

F: 301-480-8318

kousvelari@de45.nidr.nih.gov

NSF

Dr. Mihail C. Roco 

Senior Advisor for Nanotechnology

National Science Foundation

Directorate for Engineering

4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 505

Arlington, VA 22230

T: 703-292-8301

F: 703-292-9013

mroco@nsf.gov 

Dr. Thomas A. Weber

Director, Division of Materials Research

National Science Foundation

Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences

4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1065

Arlington, VA 22230

T: 703-292-4915

F: 703-292-9035

tweber@nsf.gov

Dr. Maryanna P. Henkart

Director, Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology

National Science Foundation

Directorate for Biological Sciences

4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 655S

Arlington, VA 22230

T: 703-292-8440

F: 703-292-9061

mhenkart@nsf.gov

USDA 

Dr. Hongda Chen

National Program Leader, Bioprocess Engineering 

U.S. Department of Agriculture

CSREES/PAS 

1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Mail Stop 2220 

Washington, DC 20250-2220 

T: 202-401-6497 

F: 202-401-5179

hchen@csrees.usda.gov

State Department

Ralph L. Braibanti

Director, Office of Space and Advanced Technology Staff

Department of State 

OES/SAT, SA-1, Suite H228

Washington, D.C., 20520

T: 202-663-2390

F: 202-663-2402

r.braibanti@state.gov

National Nanotechnology Initiative
Dr. George H. Atkinson

Senior Advisor for Science and Technology

Department of State

INR/EUR

Washington, D.C., 20520

T: 202-647-1605/3801

F: 202-647-9959

atkinsongh@state.gov

Dr. Catherine Woytowicz

Department of State

Office of Science and Technology Cooperation

1990 K St. NW, Suite 410, SA-23

Washington, DC 20520

T: 202-663-2401

F: 202-663-3131

woytowiczce@state.gov

Intel

Dr. Martin J. Carr

DCI Intelligence Technology Innovation Center

Central Intelligence Agency

Washington, DC 20505

T: 703-874-0694

martijc@ucia.gov

FDA

Dr. Norris E. Alderson

Senior Associate Commissioner for Science

Director, Office of Science and Health Coordination

Food and Drug Administration

5600 Fishers Lane, Room 14-69 (HF-32)

Rockville, MD 20857

T: 301-827-3340

F: 301-827-3410

nalderson@oc.fda.gov

Dr. Stanley A. Brown

Biomaterials Engineer

Food and Drug Administration

Division of Mechanics & Materials Science

12725 Twinbrook Parkway

Rockville, MD 20852

T: 301/827-4751

T: 301/827-4853 

sab@cdrh.fda.gov

Dr. Donald E. Marlowe

Standards Administrator

Food and Drug Administration

Office of Science and Health Communication

Office of the Commissioner

5600 Fishers Lane

Rockville, MD 20857

T: 301-827-3340

Dmarlowe@oc.fda.gov

Dr. Linda M. Katz

Director, Office of Cosmetics and Colors

Food and Drug Administration

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Mail Code HFS-100, VERB

5100 Paint Branch Pkwy

College Park, MD 20740

T: 202-418-3412

F: 202-208-6937

lkatz@cfsan.fda.gov

National Nanotechnology Initiative 

45
things Natural

theScale of

Things....

&

Nanometers

More
things Manmade

Courtesy Office of Basic Energy Sciences, 

Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy
National Science and Technology Council

Committee on Technology

Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, 

Engineering, and Technology

National Nanotechnology 

Coordination Office

4201 Wilson Blvd.

Stafford II, Rm. 405

Arlington, VA 22230

703-292-8626 phone

703-292-9312 fax

www.nano.gov