Keynote lecture 3: “MEMS as tools for nanotechnology”

In Nanoscience, individual, nanometer size objects are prepared to create a specific functionality, which shall then be investigated. The interaction with the object during the preparation or investigation has to be focused to a very small location. This can be achieved by either using very specific, chemical reactions, which can “tackle” the object in only one way, like in labeling proteins with a specific fluorophor e.g. in immuno essays. Similarly, focused electron or ion beams can be employed to probe the object, or a very elegant way is to use “mechanical foci” to spatially limit the interaction. In the later implementation tipped probes measure e.g. forces, temperature, or conductivity to mention just a few. Another successfully applied mechanical constriction is the nano-pore. This very simple sensor opens the door to label-free, single molecule detection.