This article discusses growing role of silicon micro-electron-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology in automotive and consumer products, telecommunications, radio-frequency applications, and medical care. The article also highlights that silicon-based MEMS devices must be constructed in clean rooms, such as one at Sandia's Microelectronics Development laboratory. According to engineers, the search for an in-depth understanding of wear mechanisms in dynamic silicon MEMS is expected to drive an ambitious wave of leading-edge research into microscale science and engineering, distinct from that which prevailed at the mesoscale. It has been found that gas damping between MEMS structures and the substrate, within the sealed package, can cause serious nonlinearities. While this doesn't lead to failure in the classic sense, it may make it harder to close a switch. On the plus side, gas damping can provide a cushion that enables a MEMS device to survive surprisingly high shock loads.
Thermal Dynamic Behavior in Bi-Zone Habitable Cell with and without Phase Change Materials
