The term "nano" originates from "nanos", the Greek word for "dwarf". 1 nanometre is miniscule and cannot be seen with the naked eye. It has the inconceivable size of one billionth of a metre. A comparison: 1 nanometre is around 50,000 times smaller than the diameter of a thin human hair...

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) or micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems (MOEMS) combine such varied base technologies as mechanics, optics, fluidics, polymer electronics and new materials...

Materials form the basis for almost all technical innovations and are fundamentally crucial to the technological progress of our society. Today, high temperature-resistant ceramics, lightweight fibre composite products or special aluminium wrought alloys, for instance, have taken the place of materials like stone, wood or bronze...

Optical technologies are regarded as belonging to the key technologies of the 21st century and are an important lever for many segments, from the electronics industry and machine engineering through to medicine. Compared with the national average, North Rhine-Westphalia is home to a disproportionately high number of companies and research institutions in the field of optical technologies...