Capturing Nanotechnology's Current State of Development via Analysis of Patents. OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers, 2007/4

This analysis aims at capturing current inventive activities in nanotechnologies based on the analysis of patent applications to the European Patent Office (EPO). Reported findings include: (1) Nanotechnology is a multifaceted technology, currently consisting of a set of technologies on the nanometre scale rather than a single technological field; (2) Most nanotechnologies, especially those related to Electronics and Optoelectronics, are seemingly realised by a top-down process, where nano-structures are developed through the improvement or advancement of existing technologies; (3) Another group of nanotechnologies, developed by a bottom-up process, has been particularly intense in the past decade, fuelled by scientific discoveries such as carbon nanotubes and fullerenes; and (4) Nanotechnology not only covers a wide range of technologies, but also underpins the development of many fields. Apart from a temporary stagnation in the early 1990s, nanotechnology patent applications to the EPO have been increasing since the 1980s, with the United States, the European Union and Japan having almost equal shares. Higher education and government sectors are an important source of knowledge in nanotechnology. The current development of nanotechnology relies strongly on existing technologies and accumulated scientific knowledge. (Contains 21 footnotes, 26 figures, 1 box and 6 tables.)