Term of the Moment
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Redirected from: MOEMS
Definition: MEMS
(MicroElectroMechanical Systems) Tiny mechanical devices built onto semiconductor chips and measured in millimeters and micrometers. In the research labs since the 1980s, MEMS devices began to materialize as commercial products in the mid-1990s for pressure, temperature, chemical and vibration sensors, light reflectors and switches and accelerometers for a variety of devices. MEMS technology is also used to make inkjet print heads, microactuators for read/write heads and optical switches.
Micro-Opto-Electromechanical
Micro-opto-electromechanical systems (MOEMS) include optical components. For example, adding a photonic sensor to a silicon chip constitutes a MOEMS device. See DLP.
MEMS vs. Nanotechnology
Sometimes the terms MEMS and nanotechnology are used interchangeably because they both deal with miniaturized objects. However, they are vastly different. MEMS deals with creating devices that are measured in micrometers and millimeters, whereas nanotechnology deals with manipulating atoms at the atomic level (see nanotechnology).
MEMS Optical Switch
A Variety of Micromachines
MEMS Accelerometer
MEMS Cooling Fan
MEMS Micro Speaker
Micro-Opto-Electromechanical
Micro-opto-electromechanical systems (MOEMS) include optical components. For example, adding a photonic sensor to a silicon chip constitutes a MOEMS device. See DLP.
MEMS vs. Nanotechnology
Sometimes the terms MEMS and nanotechnology are used interchangeably because they both deal with miniaturized objects. However, they are vastly different. MEMS deals with creating devices that are measured in micrometers and millimeters, whereas nanotechnology deals with manipulating atoms at the atomic level (see nanotechnology).
In an all-optical switch, MEMS mirrors reflect the input signal to an output port without regard to line speed or protocol. This technology is expected to be the dominant method for building photonic switches.
Microfabrica's EFAB was the first MEMS foundry to turn customer designs into micromachines. In this image, the square at top center is a microfluidics "lab on a chip." The multi-arm device (center) is a fuel injection nozzle. Bottom left (red arrow) is an accelerometer, and bottom right is an inductor used in RF circuits. (Image courtesy of Microfabrica Inc.)
MEMSIC's thermal accelerator works like the air bubble in a construction level. The square in the middle of this chip is a resistor that heats up a gas bubble. As the device is tilted or accelerated, the larger squares contain thermal couples that sense the location of the bubble. (Image courtesy of MEMSIC, Inc.)
xMEMS Labs was the first to put a cooling fan on a silicon chip. Approximately 9x8 millimeters square and one millimeter thick, when placed on top of a hot chip, the cool air (blue) flows in from the top and hot air (yellow) goes out the side vents. (Image courtesy of xMEMS Labs.)
xMEMS was also first to put a speaker on a chip. A vent in the xMEMS switches between open and closed, enabling people to hear more music when closed and more nearby conversation when open. (Image courtesy of xMEMS Labs.)