Nano-/microelectromechanical systems

Microfabrication using sacrificial layers is well developed in the field of microelectromechanical systems. Reports include the fabrication of micro- and nanomechanical components, electroos-motic micropumps in silicon and glass substrates, and nano- ormicrochannels with potential applications in biology. Unlike bonding protocols, in which a cover plate is affixed to a patterned substrate to seal microchanneis, sacrificial layer methods can obviate the bonding step, making this approach very attractive. ... 

Some of the limitations as highlighted in this chapter may restrain the scope of applications for microfabiication of various microcomponents as well as 3-D high-aspect-ratio sfructures for applications of microelectromechanical systems. These limitations offer new challenges to EMM for widening its scope of application not only in microdomain but also to nano fabrication areas. 

Lyshevski, S. E. (2000). Nano- and microelectromechanical systems Fundamentals of nano- and microengineering. New York CRC Press. 

Hot-wire anemometers ( micro/nano anemometers) have been developed for a wide spectrum of applications from experimental fluid mechanics to aerospace engineering to measure physical parameters such as temperature, flow rates, and shear stress. The advent of microelectromechan-ical systems (MEMS) and nanoscale thermal sensors has provided an entry point to microfluidics, biomedical sciences, and micro-circulation in cardiovascular medicine. These MEMS and nanoscale devices are fabricated with semiconductor-based sensing elements which harbor the physical property of a resistor and have the dimension of one-tenth of a strand of hair. On the basis of the heat transfer principle, these resistant elements are heated by the Joule effect due to the passage of electric current. As the... 

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