Tiny research got a big boost as Saudi Arabia teamed up with Armonk, N.Y.'s International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM) on a new project to look into nanotechnology for cleantech applications.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has established a nanotechnology center in association with IBM, an old hand at nanotechnology research.

The multi-year project will see Saudi scientists and engineers working together with their IBM counterparts on advanced nanotechnology programs in the fields of solar energy, water desalination and petrochemical applications such as recyclable materials.

"Some of the things that Saudi Arabia has in abundant supply are, obviously, sunlight and seawater and oil reserves," Ari Fishkind, spokesman for IBM, told Cleantech.com.

"In terms of oil, that's going to be turned into recyclable materials. In terms of sunlight, that's going to be important for photovoltaic applications."

"And then, of course, there's desalination, which could be hugely important in solving not only regional challenges, but global challenges," he said.

IBM recently hit a milestone in nano-research when its scientists, in collaboration with the University of Regensburg in Germany, were the first to measure the force it takes to move individual atoms on a surface.

The company said this fundamental measurement provides important information for designing future atomic-scale devices, like computer chips and miniaturized storage devices.

Take a look at the miniature "tuning fork" IBM used to measure atomic force >>

Researchers at IBM's lab in Almaden, Calif., who conducted the atomic force measurements will be among the scientists working with the newly established Nanotechnology Centre of Excellence at Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.

Nanotechnology focuses on the reliable and repeatable design and control of the structure of very small objects. The sizes range from the atomic to the macroscopic, generally from one to 100 nanometers.

A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair.

Back in 1989, an IBM scientist in Almaden demonstrated the ability to manipulate individual atoms, writing "IBM" with individual xenon atoms.

"We're taking knowledge that we have now, and trying to apply it into new kinds of applications," said Fishkind. "Nanotechnology seems to hold the key to a lot of different solutions."

IBM labs in Zurich, Switzerland, and Yorktown Heights, N.Y., will also be taking part in the joint development project.

Big Blue is no stranger to cleantech projects, setting up Project Big Green last year, a $1 billion investment to increase the efficiency of IBM products.

The company said data centers with with energy efficient power and cooling technologies, and energy efficient design and construction, could sharply reduce energy consumption and provide energy savings of up to 42 percent.

IBM also created a pattern removal process to recycle scrap silicon wafers for use in solar panels (see IBM cleans up silicon wafers).

In addition to cost savings for chipmakers, the company said solar cell manufacturers could save between 30 percent to 90 percent of the energy they would have needed if they had to process new silicon material.

As for IBM's venture with Saudi Arabia, it isn't the only cleantech deal in the region.

Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia's neighbor to the east, has committed to put $15 billion into renewable energy (see Abu Dhabi, the next cleantech hub?).

Abu Dhabi is trying to set itself up as a center for cleantech business, education, research and light manufacturing, with plans to build the world's first zero-carbon city.

The amount of funding being put into the Saudi Arabian nanotechnology project, either by Saudi Arabia or IBM, was not disclosed.

The scientists are expected to look at novel materials for photovoltaics, the use of new nano-membrane materials for reverse osmosis seawater desalination, and novel synthetic methods for recycling plastic materials.

"The technologies are complementary," said Fishkind. "You can easily imagine an instance where the sun is enabling the desalination."

In addition to the desalination process potentially being powered by the sun, Fishkind said the process could be aided by oil-based recyclable materials that are developed by the joint project.

"It's a great test bed, a great proving ground for this kind of thing," he said. "We think it's really a good match. Our expertise in nanotechnology and renewable resources and their willingness to make bold investments."