The Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) is using nanotechnology to regain it’s standing as a pioneer.
As an example of their advances, a year ago their toner was made by combining resins, pigments, and other ingredients to produce a big chunk of material that was then broken down into small particles. Today, at a pilot plant at their Canadian research center, they are growing toner from a molecule.
Starting with a molecule that's a few nanometers across it is grown to a few microns in size. It can therefore be chemically controlled in anyway required – including particle shape, as a sphere isn't the best shape, because it's harder to clean. And since the particles are smaller and more uniform in size, the print quality is better. The particles get packed closer together, so the image is sharper.