Nanofabrication Challenges for NEMS

Nanofabrication is the basis for any NEMS. How small a structure can be made? What are the available technologies for making nanostructures? These are the questions constantly asked by NEMS researchers. This paper gave an overview of current nanofabrication technologies and the challenges for NEMS applications. The techniques for making nanostructures are grouped into direct, indirect and self-assembly methods. Each group of techniques is analyzed for their capability and limits, which provides a rough guide for researchers to choose appropriate nanofabrication routes for their own applications