Importance of the Technology

The Technology in Brief

• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Silicon Micromachining Processes
  • Lithography
  • Bulk Micromachining
  • Surface Micromachining
  • Wafer Bonding
  • Sputtering or Evaporation
  • Chemical-Vapor Deposition
  • Epitaxy
  • Reactive-Ion Etching
  • Approaches to Micromachining
• CMOS-Based Micromachining
• Other Micromachining Processes
  • LIGA Process
  • Other Micromolding Processes
  • Rapid Prototyping
  • Laser Micromachining
  • Micro EDM
• Micromachining Materials
  • Nonsilicon Materials
  • Wear-Resistant Materials
• Actuation Mechanisms
  • Electrostatic
  • Magnetic
  • Piezoelectric
  • Thermal
  • Artificial Muscle and Electroactive Polymers

Commercial Development Parameters

• Demand Factors
  • Health-Care Expenditures
  • Increasing Bandwidth
  • Automotive Industry
  • Portable Equipment
• General Constraints
  • Cost of Product Development
  • Lack of Market Pull
  • Technical Immaturity
  • Equipment Supply
  • Packaging
• Synergistic Technologies
  • IC Technology
  • Power Sources
  • Laser Development
• Competing Technologies
  • Nanotechnology
  • Conventional Approaches
• Required Resources
  • Access to Manufacturing
  • Multidisciplinary Approach
  • Design and Modeling
  • Funding
• Regulatory Factors
  • Safety and Security
  • Health-Care Approval
  • Environmental Legislation

Areas to Monitor

• Packaging
• Wireless Networking
• System on a Chip or System in a Package?
• New Processes
• Market Demand
• Media Compatibility
• Development of New Materials
• Upscaling or Downscaling
• Foundry Services
• Nanotechnology
• Homeland Security

Implications of Commercialization

• Implantable Medical Devices
• Storage and Telecom Components
• Health Care and Drug Development
• Consumer Goods
• Portable Devices for Environmental Sensing
• Sensors for Harsh Environments
• Use of Biological Analogies

Opportunities

• Sensors
  • Advantages of Microfabricated Sensors
  • Disadvantages
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities
  • Automotive Sensors
  • Industrial Applications
  • Consumer Applications
  • Biomedical Applications
• Silicon Microphones
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities
• Magnetic Hard-Disk–Drive Storage
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities
• Displays
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities
• Pico Projectors
• Scanning-Based Imaging
• Ink-Jet Printing
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities
• RF MEMS
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities
• Interconnects
• Optical Data Storage
• Electronic-Probe Data Storage
• Process Control
• Microfiltration
• Drug-Delivery Systems
• DNA Chips
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities
• Lab on a Chip
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities
• Optical Communications
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities
• Microenergy Sources
  • Industry Structure
  • Commercial Opportunities

Players

Updates

Viewpoints Features

Abbreviations