Nanoelectromechanical systems 908385 219575736 2008-06-15T22:24:32Z 210.50.221.15 {{Nanoelec}} {{redirect|NEMS|Brian Epstein's management company and record store|NEMS Enterprises}} '''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<ref>[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]</ref>. 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)<ref>[http://www.itrs.net/ ITRS Home<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> 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 == <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] [[Category:Nanotechnology]] [[Category:Nanoelectronics]] [[Category:Applied sciences]] [[fr:Nanosystème électromécanique]] [[ja:NEMS]] [[zh:纳机电系统]]