The term "interdisciplinary science" is used to describe nanoscience since it incorporates ideas from fields other than chemistry, physics, etc. Materials science (and engineering) is another field that naturally spans academic boundaries since it incorporates both chemical and physical principles. The fields of biology and biochemistry are incorporated into nanoscience, thus expanding the boundaries of material science. That's why we call nanoscience a "vertically-integrating interdisciplinary science that spans all other scientific and engineering fields on the horizontal plane." Nanoscience and nanotechnology have amassed a vast body of knowledge, to which researchers continue to contribute new insights every day. Numerous research papers and review articles written by eminent experts from across the globe are published often. There are a number of specialized international magazines that publish articles on nanoscience and nanotechnology. Keeping up with the most recent developments may be challenging even for experts. There is no way that a book of this size could do justice to the increasingly large, multidisciplinary, and rapidly evolving area of nanoscience and nanotechnology. However, there are a large number of fresh faces entering the area at academic institutions and private companies alike. The authors have made an effort to lay the groundwork for nanoscience and nanotechnology in this book. The authors hope that this book will be used as a textbook in nanoscience and nanotechnology programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as a reference for professionals in the area. Rather than only giving some broad facts, the authors have attempted to explore the essential scientific concerns for imparting a complete grasp of the fundamental components of nanoscience and nanotechnology.
