Miniature electromechanical systems may be the first step to the next 'silicon revolution'

Citation

(1999), "Miniature electromechanical systems may be the first step to the next 'silicon revolution'", Sensor Review, Vol. 19 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.1999.08719dab.001

Miniature electromechanical systems may be the first step to the next 'silicon revolution'

Miniature electromechanical systems may be the first step to the next "silicon revolution"

Keyword: Nanotechnology

Combining electronic and mechanical components on microdevices no larger than a grain of sand, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS for short) are poised to usher in sweeping changes in scores of industries, according to a new report, Microdevices: Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS), published by Technical Insights. These tiny 3D machine structures are already being used in cars to trigger airbags and monitor engine manifold pressures, and are in high demand for optical and radio frequency devices. Future markets will include the biomedical, instrumentation, process control, aerospace, environmental, telecommunications, and consumer appliances industries.

"MEMS devices can easily be manufactured in quantity on existing microchip fabrication equipment for pennies apiece", says Peter Katz, publisher. "More than 300 companies and research organizations are pursuing MEMS activities worldwide, and market research studies are projecting annual sales in the many billions of dollars and double-digit growth for the foreseeable future. Many engineers predict that MEMS devices will have as profound an impact on everyday life as did the microchip, leading to 'the next silicon revolution'."

Microdevices: Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) presents investors and R&D executives with the most up-to-date survey of current applications, research directions, technical challenges, and market potential of MEMS devices. It features:

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  a practical overview of MEMS technology and how it works;

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  an examination of the economics: how much MEMS devices cost to fabricate, operate, and support;

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  a look at the applications that are ready to enter the market and those that are still under development;

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  any obstacles to commercialization, and how they may be overcome;

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  existing patents in the field;

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  contact information for key researchers in business, academia, and government, including names, addresses, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

Some of the companies and research organizations mentioned in this report include: Bell Laboratories, Boston University, Lawrence Livermore Laboratories, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, AlliedSignal, GTE Equipment Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, Lucent Sell Labs, MCA Technologies, Raytheon E Systems, Rockwell, Texas Instruments, and 3M.

For further details, please contact: Peter Savage, Editor-in-Chief, Technical Insights/John Wiley & Sons, 32 North Dean St, Englewood, NJ 07631. E-mail: insights@wiley.com; URL: www.wiley.com/technical_insights