Introduction to MEMS

Abstract

The first research on MEMS can be traced all the way back to the 50's[1]. In the 80's, there was a burst of MEMS using semiconductor materials. In the 90's, MEMS was formally an emerging technology. Today, MEMS has grown to be a big field with hectic international competition on many commercial applications. Without doubt, MEMS is already ubiquitous, but various new MEMS devices are continuing to show up. There is no end in sight as we continue to see MEMS branch into new fields and applications. At the same time, though, there is still much to do with both science and technology issues because of its 'multidisciplinary' and 'system' nature. MEMS is becoming more exciting than ever considering its bright long-term prospects going into BioMEMS and NEMS. There is no doubt that MEMS will be a key factor for bridging our world into nanotechnology. The best day for MEMS is yet to come with a continuous drive to make our life smaller, cheaper, and better.