Micro- and nanotechnical products

The performance offered by microtechnology has already been proven in microelectronics. If this same potential is to be realised in micro material technology and micromechanics, then very broadly-based basic research will be required. Micro-injection moulding is opening up the way to the production of microstructures in a process suitable for high-volume production. This can be employed either as the shaping stage of the so-called LIGA process or for moulding conventionally produced microstructures (those produced by spark erosion or micro-machining). Continuous development has one consequence - graduate crossing to nanoproducts' field. Scientists have succeeded in developing tools that enable them to create functional nanostructures by transposition of individual atoms and molecules. Completely new potentials can be achieved by application of self-organizing growth of complex molecular and biological systems. There are two fundamental approaches to the assembly of nanoscale systems: top-down and bottom-up. Some hybrid strategies are ready for development in applications now. This is true for carbon nanofibers and nanotubes. Microtechnology and nanotechnology will be the key manufacturing technologies of the 21st century.