Nanotechnology, seen as the next leap forward in the industrial revolution, requires that manufacturers develop processes that revolutionize the way small products are made. Microfabrication and Nanomanufacturing focuses on the technology of fabrication and manufacturing of engineering materials at these levels. The book provides an overview of techniques used in the semiconductor industry. It also discusses scaling and manufacturing processes operating at the nanoscale for non-semiconductor applications; the construction of nanoscale components using established lithographic techniques; bulk and surface micromachining techniques used for etching, machining, and molding procedures; and manufacturing techniques such as injection molding and hot embossing. This authoritative compilation describes non-traditional micro and nanoscale processing that uses a newly developed technique called pulsed water jet machining as well as the efficient removal of materials using optical energy.
Additional chapters focus on the development of nanoscale processes for producing products other than semiconductors; the use of abrasive particles embedded in porous tools; and the deposition and application of nanocrystalline diamond. Economic factors are also presented and concern the promotion and commercialization of micro and nanoscale products and how demand will eventually drive the market.