Nanoelectromechanical systems

Nanoelectromechanical systems or NEMS are similar to Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) but smaller. They hold promise to improve abilities to measure small displacements and forces at a molecular scale, and are related to nanotechnology and nanomechanics.

There are two approaches most researchers accept as standard paths to NEMS. The top-down approach can be summarized as “a set of tools designed to build a smaller set of tools”. For example, a millimeter sized factory that builds micrometer sized factories which in turn can build nanometer sized devices. The other approach is the bottom-up approach, and can be thought of as putting together single atoms or molecules until a desired level of complexity and functionality has been achieved in a device. Such an approach may utilize molecular self-assembly or mimic molecular biology systems.

In 2000, the first Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) NEMS device was demonstrated by researchers from IBM [ [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6THG-3YVDBDN-2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=45f48c0413145133e8575bf824e2cd93 VLSI-NEMS chip for parallel AFM data storage] ] . Its premise was an array of AFM tips which can heat/sense a deformable substrate in order to function as a memory device. In 2007, the International Technical Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) [ [http://www.itrs.net/ ITRS Home ] ] contains NEMS Memory as a new entry for the Emerging Research Devices section; an indication that the semiconductor industry is actively considering the technology for implementation in the near (15 years) future.

A combination of these approaches may also be used, in which nanoscale molecules are integrated into a top-down framework. One such example is the carbon nanotube nanomotor.

References

External links

* [http://www.nanodaddy.com Latest News and Research Articles in Nanotechnology]
* [http://physicsweb.org/article/world/14/2/8 Nanoelectromechanical systems face the future]
* [http://www.memsnet.org/ The MEMS and Nanotechnology Clearinghouse / The world's most popular portal for Nanotechnology information, jobs, and events]
* [http://www.mems-exchange.org/ The MEMS and Nanotechnology Exchange / A repository of Nanotechnology fabrication information]
* [http://www.esm.psu.edu/~juh17 NEMS Research at Penn State University]