The prefix nano means onebillionth. It also isnt process specific to one industry Nanotechnology can be applied to spectrum of disciplines, from biotech to semiconductors to manufacturing. Our advice for investors Look before you leap. Sunscreen makers are using nanoscale methods to eliminate that pesky, cakey white buildup in lotions. Amazing potential, next MSFT right here. Does all this remind you of 1999? Us too. Nanoscale enhancements have been made to tennis balls so they keep their bounce longer. Privately held NanoTex makes fabrics stain resistant with tiny fibers. SmartMoney.

Such buzz might have prompted tiny company last month to change its name from MicroSignal to NanoSignal MSGL. Subscribe to SmartMoney Magazine Few analysts cover the industry, few publicly traded pureplay companies exist, and there are no marketshare data available. One day, some futurists say, little nanobots could enter our bloodstreams and move around our bodies, fixing problems as they go. For example, on Take chip manufacturing. were beginning to see classic signs of speculative mania. Its well known that chipcircuit widths can only so small with conventional lithography methods.

Industrial customers will stand up and take notice far sooner. Thats how major technological shifts work. Delayed quotes provided by Interactive Data RealTime Services, Inc.. And after its innovative nanotech step, the rest of the chipmaking process proved to be compatible with existing tools. Researchers at Big Blue used whats called molecular selfassembly technique to create circuit patterns, using certain polymers that organize themselves at the nanoscale level. Few analysts cover the industry, few publicly traded pureplay companies exist, and there are no marketshare data available.

The fact that Nanometrics is 25yearold metrologyequipment maker didnt deter investors in the least. All quotes delayed by minutes. The prefix nano means onebillionth. It also isnt process specific to one industry Nanotechnology can be applied to spectrum of disciplines, from biotech to semiconductors to manufacturing. Such buzz might have prompted tiny company last month to change its name from MicroSignal to NanoSignal MSGL. Nanoscale technology is indeed something that could have profound impact on broad spectrum of industries, says Rhondalee Donovan, director of research at Semico, Phoenixbased research firm.