MicroElectroMechanical Systems in Review

jscribner writes: "Tis the season for tech forecasts and wrap-ups; I got to post this discussion on www.research.ibm.com; it's about how (merely 30 years after Feynman's speech) nanotechnology is finally being applied to chip and storage technologies. The IBM Research article covers RF (Radio Frequency) MEMS, micro-actuator MEMS, and the Millipede project. You can also find some interesting material on IDA's MEMS site and the IEEE/ASME Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems."

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Applications

[SevenTowers]

We have been able to control individual atoms for a little while now, and this opens up a wide range of interesting domains. The basic principle came from research on the Snell microscope. Electrons have a non nul probability of existing outside of their electronic shell. They have an associated waveform that is made up of a whole number of cycles (1,2,3...) on a given electronic shell. The tunelling microscope detects electrons (with the help of a very thin piece of material positionned above a surface) that "exist" out of their orbit because they are a waveform. This creates a very small displacment of the tip due to magnetic forces, which is then detected by a doppler shift in a laser bouncing on the tip.

The next step is to reverse the process : move the atoms with the help of a very small tip. This allows for the creation of practically anything. From microscopic valves to pistons, to electrical switches and transistors. The most recent techniques use an etching similar to the one used in making CPUs to build these nano circuits and pieces. The precision achieved is fabulous! People are working on ways to deliver medicine to specific areas of the body or make ultra high quality lubricants with these techniques. By having precise release mechanisms and guiding the nanorobots with a magnetic field, it is possible to release medicine on a cancer tumor, instead of everywhere in the body.

The storage mechanisms works on similar grounds, providing a way to move matter in smaller and smaller increments, and due to the nature of the forces involved, in a very precise way too.