Some recent results concerning swift heavy ion irradiation of thin SiO(2) layers on Si under normal incidence irradiation leading to the formation of nanodots at the interface between the SiO(2) film and the Si substrate or at the SiO(2) surface are summarized. Moreover, we report observation of discontinuous and elongated tracks at the SiO(2) surface after grazing incidence irradiation of SiO(2)-Si structures with fast heavy ion. A characterization of these nanostructures by means of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has been performed. The present results are of major importance with regard to the development of emerging nanoelectronic devices and systems. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.