1. Definitions

Nanoscience and nanotechnology can be defined as the science and technology of nanoscopic systems. The prefix "nano" refers to the nanometer (1 nm = 10 ^–9 m). The systems considered have one or more dimensions between 1 and a few hundred nanometers. As a reminder, the typical radius of atoms is of the order of 0.1 nm. When particles have dimensions of the order of a nanometre or more, they are called nanoparticles. Nanosciences and nanotechnologies study, manipulate and exploit the properties of systems with dimensions on the order of a few atoms, such as nanoparticles