What is a Nanometer?

The nanometer equals one billionth of a meter (0.000000001 m or 10⁻⁹ m) and is the standard unit for atomic-scale measurements, semiconductor manufacturing, and optical wavelengths. Visible light spans roughly 380 to 750 nm in wavelength, with red around 700 nm and violet around 400 nm. Modern microchip transistors have reached feature sizes of 3–5 nm in cutting-edge processes (2024+). The nanometer is essential for fiber optics, laser technology, materials science, and nanotechnology research. A DNA double helix is about 2 nm wide. The unit's name combines the Greek 'nanos' (dwarf) with 'meter,' reflecting its tiny scale. The nanometer relates to the micrometer (1,000 nm = 1 µm) and the angstrom (10 Å = 1 nm). It became standardized as part of the SI system in 1960.

Visual reference for how the nanometer relates to other length units. Each row links to the full converter for that pair.

See all 15 length units in matrix view →

• Semiconductor process nodes (3 nm, 5 nm, 7 nm chips)
• Wavelengths of visible light and laser systems
• Nanotechnology and molecular biology

• ✓1 nm = 10 Ångströms = 0.001 µm. Chemists often prefer Ångströms for bond lengths.
• ✓Chip "5 nm" is a marketing term — the actual feature size differs by manufacturer.
• ✓Red light is 700 nm; violet is 380 nm; UV is below 380 nm.

• ✗Assuming "3 nm" describes a single transistor width — it is a process-node name.
• ✗Confusing nm (length) with nM (nanomolar concentration).
• ✗Using nm for anything visible to the naked eye — switch to µm or mm.