History of nanotechnology

In 1965, Gordon Moore, one of the founders of Intel Corporation, made the astounding prediction that the number of transistors that could be fit in a given area would double every 18 months for the next ten years. This it did and the phenomenon became known as Moore's Law.

The history of nanotechnology begins with a lecture titled, 'There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom' a talk given by physicist  Richard P. Feynman at an American Physical Society meeting at Caltech on December 29, 1959; "there is nothing besides our clumsy size that keeps us from using this space. In his time, it was not possible for us to manipulate single atoms or molecules because they were far too small for our tools." His speech was completely theoretical and seemingly fantastic. He described how the laws of physics do not limit our ability to manipulate single atoms and molecules. Instead, it was our lack of the appropriate methods for doing so. However, he correctly predicted that the time would come in which atomically precise manipulation of matter would inevitably arrive.

Here is a shot vedio about the history of nanotecgnology found on Youtube,

The term "nanotechnology" was first defined by Norio Taniguchi of the Tokyo Science University in a 1974 paper as follows: "'Nano-technology' mainly consists of the processing of, separation, consolidation, and deformation of materials by one atom or one molecule." Since that time the definition of nanotechnology has generally been extended to include features as large as 100 nm. The idea that nanotechnology embraces structures exhibiting quantum mechanical aspects, such as quantum dots, has further evolved its definition.

The history of nanotechnology in chronological order,

1959
"There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom," a talk given by physicist Richard Feynman at an American Physical Society meeting at Caltech.

1974
Taniguchi uses term "nano-technology" in paper on ion-sputter machining

1977
Drexler originates molecular nanotechnology concepts at MIT

1981
First technical paper on molecular engineering to build with atomic precision
STM invented

1985
Buckyball discovered

1986
First book published,AFM invented,First organization formed

1987
First protein engineered,First university symposium

1988
First university course

1989
First national conference,IBM logo spelled in individual atoms

1990
Japan's STA begins funding nanotech projects,First nanotechnology journal

1991
IBM endorses bottom-up path,Japan's MITI commits $200 million,Carbon nanotube discovered

1992
First Congressional testimony,First textbook published

1993
First coverage of nanotech from White House,First Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology awarded,"Engines of Creation" book given to Rice administration, stimulating first university nanotech center

1994
Nanosystems textbook used in first university course


1995
First industry analysis of military applications,First think tank report

1996
First European conference,NASA begins work in computational nanotech,$250,000 Feynman Grand Prize announced,First nanobio conference

1997
First company founded,First design of nanorobotic system

1998
First NSF forum,First DNA-based nanomechanical device

1999
First safety guidelines,First Nanomedicine book published

2000
President Clinton announces U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative

2001
First report on nanotech industry

2002
First nanotech industry conference

2003
Call for balancing NNI research portfolio,Drexler/Smalley debate is published in Chemical & Engineering News

2004
First policy conference on advanced nanotech,First center for nanomechanical systems

2005
At Nanoethics meeting, Roco announces nanomachine/nanosystem project count has reached 300