IEEE Spectrum on micromachines

Jim Whitehead (ejw@ICS.uci.edu)
Tue, 19 Jan 1999 17:33:24 -0800


FYI,

There was an excellent article on micromachines in the December, 1998 (Vol.
25, No. 12) issue of IEEE Spectrum. Not only does the article have cool
pictures of micromachines like a micro-inertial measurement system, a pop-up
mirror and gear assembly, a hydrogen microsensor, and a micro steam-engine
(which doesn't require seals around the pistons due to the surface tension
of the liquid inside the piston), but it also does a good job of explaining
some of the manufacturing challenges of creating these devices in typical
fab lines.

The article is:
"The Broad Sweep of Integrated Microsystems"
S. Tom Picraux, Paul J. McWhorter (both of Sandia National Labs)
IEEE Spectrum, December, 1998, Vol. 25, No. 12, pages 24-33

The article also gives pointers to some web sites:

MEMS Information Clearinghouse
http://mems.isi.edu/

Sandia National Labs MEMS site
http://www.mdl.sandia.gov/micromachine/

Of the two, I prefer the Sandia Labs site, since it has a picture gallery:
http://www.mdl.sandia.gov/micromachine/images.html

As well as introductory materials:
http://www.mdl.sandia.gov/micromachine/overview.html

And a bibliography:
http://www.mdl.sandia.gov/micromachine/bibliography.html

- Jim