Nanoelectromechanical systems ( NEMS ) - a class of devices that combine electronic and mechanical components on a nanometer scale (up to 100 nanometers ).
NEMS are a logical continuation of the development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) along the path of miniaturization . NEMS are used as high-frequency oscillators (up to 10 GHz), nanomotors and modulators. There are two areas in the creation of NEMS:
- reduction of existing MEMS devices,
- creation of fundamentally new molecular devices.
In addition, the latest materials are used at NEMS, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes . The most important NEMS classes include nanoresonators with a high fundamental frequency and nanoactuators .
Currently, nanoelectromechanical systems can be manufactured both from the top-down methods, which include the traditional methods of microelectronics (optical and electron beam lithography ), and from the bottom-up methods, such as molecular recognition and self-assembly .