Microsystem
Microsystems is the name commonly used in Europe to describe the same technology which goes under the name
MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) in the US. In Japan, this field is often termed micromachines.
Microsystems are miniaturized (silicon) devices which perform non-electronic functions: typically sensing and actuation. Typical microsystems have mechanical parts, like microbridges in RF switches or bending cantilevers in
atomic force microscopes (AFMs); electrical parts like piezoresistors in
airbag sensors or capacitors in pressure sensors; or thermal and fluidic structures like heaters and nozzles in
inkjet printer. In biomicrosystems (BioMEMS) cells or microbeads are handled by fluidic streams, magnetic and electric fields, thermal gradients etc. In chemical microsystems operations like sample pretreatment, separation and detection are build on microchips. This field is also known as
microfluidics or MicroTotalAnalysisSystems (MicroTAS) or
Lab-on-a-chip.
See also
Transducers,
MicrofabricationManz, Mohr, Paul: Microsystem Technology,
Elwenspoek & Wiegerink: Mechanical Microsensors
Microsystem Technologies, published by Springer
