Possible Applications of Micromechanics to Scanned Nanoprobes

We suggest many possible applications of micromechanical sensor and actuator principles or structures to scanned probe microscopy. The micromechanical structures are fabricated by augmented integrated‐circuit planar fabrication techniques. These microscale devices can provide electrically controlled steady or time‐varying linear or rotary motion. They can also transport granular solids as well as fluids and biological substances, and can sense measurands such as displacement, velocity, acceleration, vapor concentration, fluid density and viscosity, and mass accumulations produced by condensation from solution or by electroplating.