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Encyclopedia Nanotech
Interdisciplinary nanotechnology requires thoroughly defined and re-defined terms. This encyclopedia serves the function of defining terms and then expanding upon how these words are used in nanotechnology. Click the word to view its encyclopedia entry.
To see more words, click on a letter below to see the words that begin with that letter.
Scanning Capacitance Microscopy (SCM)
A variation of scanning force microscopy that maps the localized capacitance of a surface.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
A method of producing images of a surface by scanning an electron beam over the sample and measuring the electronic interactions with the interface.
Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM)
A type of scanning probe microscopy that maps the topography of an interface by scanning a force sensor over the interface.
Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (SNOM)
A type of scanning probe microscopy that maps the near-field optical properties of an interface.
Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM)
A method of surface imagign where a sensor (probe) is scanned over the surface.
Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM)
A type of scanning probe microscopy that maps the local temperature and thermal conductivity of an interface.
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM)
A type of scanning probe microscopy that maps the local electrical properties of an interface.
Science
The pursuit of knowledge and understanding, from the Latin term scientia, which means 'knowledge'.
Self-Assembled Monolayer (SAM)
A two-dimensional film, one molecule thick, covalently assembled at an interface.
Self-Assembler
A specific type of assembler that makes use of self-assembly such that the assembly process would theoretically not require external energy or information input.
Self-Assembly
A method of integration in which the components spontaneously assemble, typically by bouncing around in a solution or gas phase until a stable structure of minimum energy is reached.
Self-Replication
The act of objects making copies of themselves - similar to biological reproduction except that self-replicating objects should make exact copies of themselves.
Semiconductor
A substance or object with conductive properties between those of a conductor and a insulator.
Single Electron Transfer
Exchange of one electron at a time between two electrodes.
Soft Lithography
A method of surface patterning that makes use of flexible (elastomeric) stamps, molds or masks.
Spin
From physics, spin is the intrinsic angular momentum of a particle.
Spin-Spin Coupling
Interaction between the spin states of two subatomic particles.
Superconductor
An object or substance that conducts electricity with zero resistance.
Superposition
A quantum mechanical phenomenon in which a system exists in more than one state simultaneously.
Surface Tension
The force acting on a liquid-gas interface resulting in thin film on the surface.
Surfactant
Short for 'SURFace ACTive AgeNT' - a surfactant is a molecule that lowers suface tension.
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