Nanoelectronics refer to the use of
nanotechnology in
electronic components. The term covers a diverse set of devices and materials, with the common characteristic that they are so small that inter-atomic interactions and
quantum mechanical properties need to be studied extensively. Some of these candidates include: hybrid molecular/
semiconductor electronics, one-dimensional
nanotubes/
nanowires, or advanced
molecular electronics. Recent
silicon CMOS technology generations, such as the
22 nanometer node, are already within this regime. Nanoelectronics are sometimes considered as
disruptive technology because present candidates are significantly different from traditional transistors.