Nanoarchitectonics: a new materials horizon for nanotechnology

Nanoarchitectonics is introduced as a rising tide within current nanomaterials science. Physical phenomena operate quite differently at the nanoscale (compared to in the macroscopic and microscopic regimes) with behaviours of nanoscopic objects being strongly influenced by thermal/statistical fluctuations and mutual interactions between components. Nanoarchitectonic methods, and the materials that they produce, contrast strongly with those of conventional nanotechnology. In this review, to illustrate the potential of nanoarchitectonics for future technologies, examples of nanoarchitectonics are introduced which are categorized as (i) atomic or molecular manipulation as a route to leading nanotechnologies, (ii) materials creation in the realization of materials nanoarchitectonics, and (iii) advanced device materials.