Portal:Nanotechnology

• that Richard Feynman first presented the idea of nanotechnology in a lecture given at Caltech on December 29, 1959?
• that a nanoparticle is a microscopic particle whose size is measured in nanometres (1nm=10^-9m)?
• that the National Nanotechnology Initiative was established by the United States in 2004 to considerably expand research and development of nanosciences and technologies?
• that the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology was established to study the social effects of molecular nanotechnology?

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) is the technology of the very small, and merges at the nanoscale into "Nanoelectromechanical Systems" (NEMS) and Nanotechnology. In Europe, MEMS are often referred to as Micro Systems Technology (MST). Due to MEMS' large surface area to volume ratio, surface effects such as electrostatics and wetting dominate volume effects such as inertia or thermal mass. They are fabricated using modified silicon fabrication technology (used to make electronics), molding and plating, wet etching (KOH, TMAH) and dry etching (RIE and DRIE), electro discharge machining (EDM), and other technologies capable of manufacturing very small devices. MEMS sometimes go by the names micromechanics, micro machines, or micro system technology. Companies with strong MEMS programs come in many sizes. The larger firms specialize in manufacturing high volume inexpensive components or packaged solutions for end markets such as automobiles, biomedical, and electronics. The successful small firms provide value in innovative solutions and absorb the expense of custom fabrication with high sales margins. In addition, both large and small companies work in R&D to explore MEMS technology. Complexity and performance of advanced MEMS based sensors are described by different MEMS sensor generations. (More...)