Introduction to nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing for nanosensors

Abstract

With developments in manufacturing technology and quantum physics, nanotechnology and nanomanufacturing have begun to impact our lives on a daily basis. Nanosensors are a gift of these developments. The nanosensor is a device, having at least one dimension in nanoscale, that transduces a signal, sensing nanoscale materials or phenomena. Nanosensors can either work alone or may be used as a functional part of another macroscale device. The history of nanosensors is only slightly more than a decade long, but in this short period of time these devices have already proven their potential in numerous fields, including homeland security, medicine and imaging, the food industry, environmental protection, and many others. How far nanosensors may go in impacting our daily lives still lies in the realm of science fiction, but rapid advancements in nanotechnology are making their ubiquity a reality. The success of nanosensor development mainly depends on two fundamental things: nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing technology. This chapter discusses various nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing techniques that are commonly used in manufacturing nanosensors. How different exotic properties only offered at the nanoscale are exploited to produce nanosensors is also briefly described. This chapter provides an excellent starting point for readers to begin their endeavors in this field and also a good reference for current researchers.