Micromachines for nanoscale science and technology

Abstract

The field of micromachines is maturing in terms of fabrication technologies, reproducibility and reliability. Different development principles and applications are investigated for a wide range of dimensions from millimetric to nanometric. One promising approach is to make micromachined tools for sensing, handling and manipulating on the nanoscale with high precision. A few examples are presented, including an integrated scanning tunnelling microscope, a monolithic nanoscanner and a high-frequency atomic force microscope nanocantilever. The integration of nanostructures and micromachines will lead to the development of smart nanosystems allowing for future manufacturability.