The journal aims to publish papers at the forefront of nanoscale science and technology and especially those of an interdisciplinary nature. Here, nanotechnology is taken to include the ability to individually address, control, and modify structures, materials and devices with nanometre precision, and the synthesis of such structures into systems of micro- and macroscopic dimensions such as MEMS based devices. It encompasses the understanding of the fundamental physics, chemistry, biology and technology of nanometre-scale objects and how such objects can be used in the areas of computation, sensors, nanostructured materials and nano-biotechnology.

To be publishable in this journal, papers must meet the highest scientific quality standards, contain significant and original new science, and should make substantial advances within a particular area of nanoscale science and technology. A paper on synthesis should contain a significant innovation either in methodology, materials or demonstrated application.

Towards ensuring high editorial standards, every article submission is preliminarily assessed by the editors of the journal before being sent to independent referees. Articles can be rejected without refereeing after this initial assessment by the editors. Due to the high volume of papers that we receive, we regret that we are unable to provide feedback on individual articles. Authors appealing against the decision will have to demonstrate to the Editorial Board of the journal at nano@iop.org that their paper contains significant new science of high quality and interest.

Article types

Research papers

Reports of original research work; not normally more than 8500 words (10 journal pages).

Topical reviews

Review articles commissioned by the Editorial Board.

Tutorials

Personal viewpoint and insight into a particular subject area appealing to a wider audience, including undergraduates and researchers working in any of the various fields of nanotechnology. Tutorials are normally commissioned by the Editorial Board but we also welcome unsolicited submissions to the journal.

Comments and Replies

Readers of Nanotechnology are able to submit useful and interesting comments on recent journal articles for publication. A Comment should be approximately one journal page long but a maximum of two journal pages; these will be forwarded to the author of the article being commented upon. The author then has the option of writing a Reply to the Comment and these will then be published together in an issue of the journal. Replies should also be approximately one journal page long and a maximum of two journal pages. Publication of Comments and Replies will be at the discretion of the editors.

Sections

Section Editor: Jeffrey Karp Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This section features a range of disciplines concerning nano biomedicine. Subject areas include, but are not limited to, the conjugation and manipulation of biomolecules (eg. DNA, protein, or enzymes) to tailored substrates, the delivery, detection, and labelling of nanoparticles for targeted drug release or gene delivery within organisms, and high resolution imaging at the single molecule level.

Section Editor: Meyya Meyyappan NASA Ames Research Center

The electronics and photonics section covers articles on the materials and fabrication technologies for nanodevices, novel electronic and photonic phenomena and systems in the mesoscopic and nanoscale regimes, as well as applications of these devices and structures. The section also includes aspects of quantum science and technology, such as semiconducting and magnetic nanostructures, quantum optics and computing, spintronics and information processing in solid state systems.

Patterning and nanofabrication

Section Editor: Sergei Kalinin Oak Ridge National Laboratory

This section focuses on comprehensive presentations of novel processing methods with nanometre resolution. Topics encompass a wide range of patterning and nanolithography techniques including the assembly of inorganic and organic nanomaterials, electron and ion beam induced nanopatterning, modifications of nanomaterial properties and new applications based on these materials.

Section Editor: John Vajo HRL Laboratories LLC

This section focuses on all aspects of nanoscale science and technology that are applied in developing energy resources, including but not limited to photovoltaics, batteries, fuel cells and hydrogen storage. Papers in this section consider both the technological aspects and the fundamental science associated with innovations in the energy industry that exploit the properties of nanoscale structures.

Section Editor: Jürgen Brugger Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne

The sensing section covers a diverse range of detection methods sensitive to the nanoscale and able to enhance and convey information onto a macroscopic level. Techniques encompass many subject areas including physical and mechanical sensing (electrostatic forces, strain, Young’s modulus, etc) as well as chemical and biological detection of, for example, humidity, ammonia and glucose levels.

Section Editor: Stanislaus Wong State University of New York, Stony Brook

The materials synthesis section concerns the fabrication and growth of materials with nanoscale precision and control. To be considered within the scope, papers should include more than direct material synthesis and characterization, focusing in addition upon methodology, assembly or application directed synthesis.

Materials: properties, characterization or tools

Section Editor: Mervyn Miles University of Bristol

The section is conceived for original concise and comprehensive articles across all disciplines, reporting the measurement of properties intrinsic to the nanoscale, and those techniques devised to characterize materials at this scale such as, inter alia, SPM. This section is also intended for articles concerned with the understanding and prediction of properties through theoretical and computer modelling.

Authors should note that the journal fully endorses the principles embodied in the Declaration of Helsinki. All investigations involving humans must be conducted in accordance with these principles and in accordance with local statutory requirements. All investigations involving animal experimentation must be conducted in accordance with the 'Guiding Principles for Research Involving Animals and Human Beings' as adopted by the American Physiological Society, and with local statutory requirements.