An Introduction to mems (Micro-electromechanical Systems)
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| An Introduction to MEMS
Prime Faraday Technology Watch – January 2002 11
2.4.2 New MEMS Applications
The experience gained from these early MEMS applications has made it an enabling technology for new biomedical applications (often referred to as bioMEMS) and wireless communications comprised of both optical, also referred to as micro-optoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS), and radio frequency (RF) MEMS.
i) BioMEMS Over the past few years some highly innovative products have emerged from bioMEMS companies for revolutionary applications that support major societal issues including DNA sequencing, drug discovery, and water and environmental monitoring. The technology focuses on microfluidic systems as well as chemical testing and processing and has enabled devices and applications such as ‘lab-on-a-chip’, chemical sensors, flow controllers, micronozzles and microvalves to be produced. Although many devices are still under development, microfluidic systems typically contain silicon micromachined pumps, flow sensors and chemical sensors. They enable fast and relatively convenient manipulation and analysis of small volumes of liquids, an area of particular interest in home-based medical applications where patients can use devices to monitor their own conditions, such as blood and urine analysis.
One example of a new bioMEMS device is the microtitreplate on which a number of cavities can be simultaneously filled accurately and repeatably by capillary force (Figure 11a). This is a relatively simple MEMS product in the form of a piece of plastic with high-aspect-ratio micromachined microchannels and is classified as a ‘lab-on-a-chip’ product. Its dimensions are only 20 mm x 37 mm x 3 mm and enables automatic filling of 96 microwells by the use of capillary action. Figure 10. The MEMS Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) [17].
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