The Meeting of MEMS and Nanotechnology

G. W. Auner1, 6, P. Siy1, R.Naik2, S. Ng3, G. Newaz4, P. McAllister5, J. Smolinski1, M. Brusatori1
Smart Sensors and Integrated Microsystems Program, 1Electrical and Computer, Biomedical Engineering, 2Dept. of Physics, 3Dept. of Chemical Engineering, 4Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 5Dept. of Neurosurgery, 6Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA

The emerging area of micro- and nano- science and engineering is leading to an unprecedented comprehension of the fundamental building blocks of nature. This technology will most profoundly affect the nature of science, engineering and medicine in the 21st century. Device structures with characteristic dimensions significantly below 1 micron have led to the investigation of a whole range of novel physical and chemical phenomena. In turn, these new phenomena promise to give rise to a new generation of materials and devices working on completely different physical and chemical principles. The major technological barrier to fabricate functional nanostructures is the ability to synthesize nano-structures of sufficiently small dimension, specific pattern and uniform size distribution. Most importantly, these structures must be directly fabricated into microsystems to allow functionality of the structures.
Therefore, the implementations of these systems require advanced technologies to integrate the nanostructures to Microsystems as well. Without such integration, the functionality of the nanosystems cannot be realized. New technology such as laser induced self-assembly of nanoarray platforms (SNAP), novel materials synthesis, and atomic-layer engineering are key for the development of devices for applications in biological and chemical sensing systems, microfluidic drug and chemical delivery systems, microimaging systems, and chronically implantable micro and nano devices. As an example, materials synthesis, micromachining and integration in microsystems will be presented for applications of a neurological implant for vision, guided growth of neurons for spinal cord injuries, structures for biological detection, and artificial sensor arrays for robotics with 108 greater sensitivity then human skin.