More broadly, nanotechnology includes the many techniques used to create structures at a size scale below 100 nm, including those used for fabrication of
nanowires, those used in
semiconductor fabrication such as deep ultraviolet
lithography,
electron beam lithography, focused
ion beam machining,
nanoimprint lithography,
atomic layer deposition, and molecular vapor deposition, and further including
molecular self-assembly techniques such as those employing di-block
copolymers. However, all of these techniques preceded the nanotech era, and are extensions in the development of scientific advancements rather than techniques which were devised with the sole purpose of creating nanotechnology or which were results of nanotechnology research.