Steve Lenhert writes "Encyclopedia Nanotech is an online dictionary/encyclopedia for nanotech-related terminology. The goal of this 'nanoword network' is to provide a transdisciplinary reference point for the various words we use in nanotechnology. I am posting here in order to solicit constructive criticism and stimulate semantic discussions about these terms.
Read more for additional details. Below is an excerpt from the free NanoWord Newsletter (NWN), describing my motivation for this project:
'The transdisciplinary nature of nanotechnology requires that scientists from differentiated disciplines [1] are able to accurately communicate with precisely defined terminology [2]. Further complicating the situation is the fact that nanotechnology is not only science, but a real technology, which brings business/economics [3], social sciences [4], and even the (very) fine arts [5] into the picture. The potential impact of nanotechnology on our everyday lives has been likened to the impact of electricity [6], illustrating the importance of being able to discuss nanotech-related concepts across and beyond scientific and industrial boundaries. Therefore, the purpose of nanoword.net is to define and use nanoterminology [7].'
The latest issue (#3) compares the meaning of the term 'chemistry ' with the term 'nanotechnology'. Some other terms that have been added or updated lately include: Automated Chemistry, Fullerene, Lithography, Photonic Band Gap, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Resist, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Scanning Probe Microscopy and Vacuum."
