Nanotechnology involves working at the nanoscale of 1-100 nanometers to create new materials and devices. There are two main approaches, top-down which works at the atomic and molecular levels to create smaller structures, and bottom-up which builds new structures from molecular components. The field originated in the 1960s and has since led to developments like carbon nanotubes in 1991 and nanotechnology being incorporated into computer chips starting in 2004. Nanotechnology allows for new materials that are nanocapsulated, nanolaminated, or have hyperthermic release capabilities.
