Nanostructures, as a physical system, are materials or assemblies characterized by at least one spatial dimension in the nanometer range (typically 1–100 nm), where quantum confinement, high surface-to-volume ratio, and size-dependent effects dominate their physical behavior. They include zero-, one-, two-, and three-dimensional architectures such as quantum dots, nanowires, nanotubes, and nanoporous frameworks. In this size regime, electronic, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties deviate markedly from bulk counterparts, enabling tunable band gaps, altered phonon and electron transport, and enhanced catalytic activity. Nanostructures are central platforms in nanophotonics, nanoelectronics, energy conversion, and sensing, where controlled synthesis, morphology, and interface engineering critically determine system performance.
Nano-sensors that work without batteries or wires could pave the way for more comfortable, less obtrusive sleep and health care monitoring at home, according to scientists at the University of Surrey.
Bio & Medicine
Jan 22, 2026
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76
The interaction of silver materials with light is well-known as the basis of film photography. But, there are much more sophisticated interactions when we consider very, very small particles of silver that could have applications ...
Nanophysics
Jan 21, 2026
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20
A nanostructure made of silver and an atomically thin semiconductor layer can be turned into an ultrafast switching mirror device that may function as an optical transistor—with a switching speed around 10,000 times faster ...
Nanophysics
Jan 21, 2026
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87
Can a small lump of metal be in a quantum state that extends over distant locations? A research team at the University of Vienna answers this question with a resounding yes. In the journal Nature, physicists from the University ...
Quantum Physics
Jan 21, 2026
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679
Scientists from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and colleagues have developed a new way to fabricate three-dimensional nanoscale devices from single-crystal materials using a focused ion beam instrument. The ...
Nanophysics
Jan 21, 2026
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37
Researchers from the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new class of high-performance materials for micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switch chips, achieving an ultra-long ...
Nanomaterials
Jan 20, 2026
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20
Nanomechanical systems developed at TU Wien have now reached a level of precision and miniaturization that will allow them to be used in ultra-high-resolution atomic force microscopes in the future. Their new findings are ...
Nanophysics
Jan 19, 2026
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3798
The phenomenon where electron spins align in a specific direction after passing through chiral materials is a cornerstone for future spin-based electronics. Yet, the precise process behind this effect has remained a mystery—until ...
Nanophysics
Jan 16, 2026
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103
Gold nanorods are promising photocatalysts that can use light energy to drive chemical reactions—such as converting CO₂ into usable fuels or producing hydrogen from water. In this process, the nanorods act like tiny antennas ...
Nanophysics
Jan 15, 2026
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63
LMU researcher Professor Alexander Urban and his team have developed a tool that could revolutionize the design of new materials. Synthesizer is a platform that combines automated chemical synthesis, high-throughput characterization, ...
Nanomaterials
Jan 15, 2026
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