Editorial

Abstract

The extraordinary growth of global interest in nanotechnology is based on a number of advances that make the fabrication of materials and devices with single atom/molecule precision possible. Unlike any other technology before, the scale of the nanometre unifies the physical and life sciences, and also engineering, so that one can now speak about controlling and manipulating physical properties at the smallest limit of scale. Although there are many current examples of how nanotechnology is revolutionizing electronics and materials, our expectations for the future are even greater. Medicine, computing, electronics, mechanical engineering, healthcare and energy conservation will all ultimately benefit from the exploitation of nanotechnology.The proliferation of interest in the field is mirrored by the number of new journals appearing that address some aspects of what is essentially an enormously broad discipline. Nanotechnology is unique in that it precedes all other publications in having produced its first issue in 1990. At that time, when the first images of atoms on surfaces were being recorded with the scanning tunnelling microscope, the term nanotechnology was more strictly applied to mechanical engineering with nanometre accuracy. In a prophetic editorial, the first issue predicted the interdisciplinary potential of nanotechnology and that it would become a ubiquitous technology of the future. It is a great pleasure, therefore, to be associated with the re-launch of Nanotechnology which builds upon its established publication record and responds to the importance of the field in the future. The journal is changing its scope to specifically cover research of an interdisciplinary nature and aims to publish papers at the forefront of nanoscale science and technology. I am particularly delighted at the acceptance by many of the leading practitioners in the field to join the Editorial Board. Nanotechnology has always had a close relationship with its Editorial Board and this will continue so that it has a comprehensive representation both geographically and scientifically.I am also pleased to announce improvements in the service to authors who will now have an opportunity to publish colour figures in print at no cost. This is an addition to the facility of free colour reproduction and inclusion of multimedia attachments in the online version that the journal has been offering to authors for a number of years. To achieve fast publication times, the journal now offers online refereeing and papers appear on the Web as soon as they are ready, weeks or months in advance of the printed version. Papers published in Nanotechnology receive a huge worldwide visibility through print and online versions. At present IOP offers free access to the current issue online for everyone. Please visit the journal's home page at www.iop.org/Journals/nano for more details.I believe that all of these factors will extend and enhance the journal's reputation and position it as the premier publication in the area, making it indispensable reading for you and your colleagues. Mark Welland Editor-in-Chief