12 June 2002

Pinto's Point: NEMS now making the scene

By Jim Pinto

Tiny sensors and actuators are already everywhere -- triggering airbags, controlling colors in ink-jet printers, and projecting light for digital cinema. These are microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which use the same fabrication methods as silicon chips.

Now the next step in miniaturization is nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), which are quickly becoming practical, bringing ultrasensitive sensors and ultrastrong artificial muscles that might replace damaged human tissue or power tiny robots. There are already companies commercializing these products.

During the past year, nanotechnology advances came faster than almost anyone had predicted, and dozens of nanotech companies formed, backed by hundreds of millions in government and private investments. Nanotechnology will soon affect vast sectors of the economy, from biotechnology and health care to energy.

The biggest impact will come from nanoelectronics. For electronics manufacturing, the promise is smaller, faster, and cheaper products than conventional approaches could ever achieve. Advances have come with remarkable speed. As recently as 1998, researchers seemed to be struggling to rig up a single nanoelectronic component: a molecule that acted as a rudimentary switch. Today, they are connecting dozens of these nanoscale components and looking to assemble entire devices, such as memory chips.

The holy grail of nanotechnology is self-assembly, which will soon be an effective nanoengineering tool. Self-assembly is nothing new. Biology does it all the time; in chemistry, molecules team up to form structures. Indeed, the concept of self-assembly grew out of attempts to aggregate molecules spontaneously into specific configurations. Now, nanotech self-assembly is attempting the same.

Nanoscale engineering is already translating science to practical design and assembly processes. The present economic downturn is the time to get the jump on everyone else by reviewing how MEMS and NEMS can fit into your own company's development programs.

The latest issue of MIT Technology Review (June 2002) focuses on nanoprocesses.

• Nanomachines systems begin to flex their muscles
• Self-assembly—devices that build themselves

Behind the byline

Jim Pinto is founder of San Diego–based Action Instruments. You can e-mail him at jim@jimpinto.com, or view his writings at www.JimPinto.com.