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Patterns of Nano-Patenting in Relation to the Product Life Cycle

Hader Jordan

Nanotechnology is the creation and use of molecular-scale functional structures with at least one dimension measured in nm. The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of materials are drastically changed on this scale, owing mostly to quantum or surface effects. Nanotechnology is presently one of the key centers of research, development, and innovation efforts in all developed countries from an economic standpoint. According to the World Bank, global government spending in this field has expanded ninefold in the previous eight years, from $432 million in 1997 to $4.1 billion in 2005. The United States, Japan, and the European Union all invest around $1 billion in nanotechnology research and development each year. The fast advancement of nanotechnology is most likely the reason it has caught the attention of nearly every policymaker and senior executive