Abstract
Nanotechnology is one of the fastest developing new areas in science and technology. Ionizing radiation is widely applied for nanostructure synthesis and nanomaterials modification. The ability to fabricate structures with nanometric precision is of fundamental importance to any exploitation of nanotechnology. Nanofabrication involves various lithographies to write extremely small structures. An interesting field of radiation nanotechnological application concerns the development of nano-ordered hydrogels for biosensors. New trends and more precise treatment technology were applied: surface curing and modification, polymer functionalization are good examples of such developments. Patents on application of ionizing radiation in nanotechnology focused on many different approaches to this topic, not only nanoparticles synthesis but also nanostructure modification or functionalization.
Keywords: Ionizing radiation, gamma rays, electron beam, ion beam, nanotechnology