We present an overview of template synthesis as it
applies to our nanomaterials research. This bottom-up approach is motivated
by our desire to find an alternative to the big, top-down approaches to
nanoscience, such as clean-rooms and X-ray lithography. Using universally
available templates and materials, and very modest synthesis techniques, we
have created a variety of interesting and useful structures. Starting with
homogeneous ferromagnetic nanowires, we were able to study and manipulate
spin-dependent transport. Next, we branched into multi-layer GMR and
spin-valve structures for spintronics. As a side trip, we put
carbon-encapsulated fullerene nanoparticles into nanopores for ballistic
magnetoresistance studies. Carbon nanotube molecules were grown in templates
by CVD self assembly. The carbon nanotubes grown using a cobalt catalyzer
show spin-valve, ballistic transport, and Coulomb blockade effects. Very
recently, we have started to study templated semiconductor nanorods with the
amazing result that their behaviour is very similar to that of the carbon
nanotubes and can be reduced to a scaling law. Essentially, the template
acts as a skeleton for the nanoscale synthesis and macroscale contact of an
infinite variety of materials and structures. It is our hope that by the
following examples we demonstrate that high quality nanoscience research is
available to everybody.