What are microelectricalmechanical systems (MEMS)?
The evolution of integrated circuit fabrication as allowed the development of a new type of device that combines both electronics and mechanics features. They are used as sensors and actuators. MEMS are made up of components between 10 to 100 micrometers in size and MEMS devices generally range in size from a 20 micrometers to a millimeter.
A brief historic perspective
The electronics era started in 1948 with the invention of the first field effect transistor. Ten years later, the integrated circuits (ICs) was invented. Since that date that the electronics industry has been trying to improvement silicon processing to fit more transistors into the same space. To most people, this idea is best materialized by Moore's law which states that the number of transitors in a chip doubles every 18 months.
The evolution of integrated circuit fabrication as allowed the development of a new type of device that combines both electronics and mechanics features. They are used as sensors and actuators. MEMS are made up of components between 10 to 100 micrometers in size and MEMS devices generally range in size from a 20 micrometers to a millimeter.