Abstract
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is a term that describes the integration of miniaturized mechanical elements with microelectronics through microfabrication technology, so that a mechanical function is coupled with an electrical signal. Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) are MEMS scaled to submicrometer dimensions, to exploit the mechanical degree of freedom on the nanometer scale. In this size regime, it is possible to attain extremely high fundamental frequencies while simultaneously preserving high mechanical responsivity. This combination of attributes translates directly into high force sensitivity, operability at ultra-low power, and the ability to induce non-linearity with very modest control forces [1], leading to potential payoffs in a diverse range of fields, from medicine to biotechnology to the foundations of quantum mechanics [2, 3]. In order to fabricate MEMS/NEMS devices, the addition, subtraction, modification, and patterning of materials are typically done using techniques originally developed for the integrated circuit (IC) industry, which include lithography, well-controlled etching and precision material deposition.
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Teh, W.H., Luo, J.K., Liang, C.T., Smith, C.G. (2006). Crosslinked PMMA as a Low-Dimensional Dielectric Sacrificial Layer for MEMS/NEMS and Quantum Nanostructures Fabrication. In: Leondes, C.T. (eds) MEMS/NEMS. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-25786-1_15
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