This book is derived from the proceedings of the International Workshop on Nanomechanics held at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California on July 14-17, 2004. Approximately 70 leading experts from academia, government and industrial sectors in semiconductors, computers, communication, information technology, defense, energy, transportation and aerospace attended the Workshop (see the workshop photo taken on July 16, 2004). The main objective was to convene leading researchers in the nanotechnology community to assess the current state-of-the-art and disseminate recent progress, critical issues, barriers to applications, and directions for future research in nanomechanics. Miniaturization of structural components and functional devices such as electronic, optical, mechanical and electric-magnetic parts has been a recent trend, and the pace has accelerated over the past few years. Advances in micromanufacturing, semiconductor processing (e.g., etching, lithography, grafting, etc.), sensors, actuators and microprocessors have opened up a revolutionary path to the development of new technologies such as micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS), micro-engines, smart structures, smart controllers, lab-- a-chip devices, and even bio-medical sensing devices which can detect, analyze, decide and activate appropriate functions in real time. The above-mentioned devices, structures, or systems, have one issue in common. In order to perform their assigned functions, they must maintain their structural integrity and be reliable and durable during their entire designed service life. Thus, strength, durability, and time-dependent mechanical property degradation are major concerns for design engineers and device manufacturers, eventhough the parts are designed for electronic, magnetic, optical or other functions.

State of the art volume in its subject

Inhalt
Summary of Group Discussions.- Nano Mechanics/Materials Research.- An Ab-Initio Study of Mechanical Behavior for (A?-O)n Nanorods.- Phase Field Modeling of Solidification and Melting of a Confined Nano-Particle.- Friction-Induced Nucleation of Nanocrystals.- Modeling of Carbon Nanotubes and Their Composites.- On the Tensile Strength of a Solid Nanowire.- Fracture Nucleation in Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes.- Multiscale Modeling of a Germanium Quantum Dot in Silicon.- Nanomechanics of Biological Single Crystals.- Nano/Micro Fluidic Systems.- Mechanical Characterization of a Single Nanofiber.- Atomistic Studies of Flaw Tolerant Nanoscale Structural Links in Biological Materials.- Towards the Integration of Nano/Micro Devices Using MEMS Technology.- Atomic Scale Mechanisms of Stress Production in Elastomers.- Dynamic Indentation of Polymers Using the Atomic Force Microscope.- Fabrication and Simulation of Nanostructures on Silicon by Laser Assisted Direct Imprint Technique.- Structure and Stress Evolution Due to Medium Energy Ion Bombardment of Silicon.- Mechanics of Nanostructures.- Residual Stresses in Nano-Film/Substrate Systems.- Nanomechanics of Crack Front Mobility.- Finite Temperature Coupled Atomistic/Continuum Discrete Dislocation Dynamics Simulation of Nanoindentation.- Static Atomistic Simulations of Nanoindentation and Determination of Nanohardness.- Electric Field-Directed Patterning of Molecules on a Solid Surface.- Dynamics of Dislocations in Thin Colloidal Crystals.- Mesoscopic Length Scales for Deformed Nanostructures.- Rough Surface Plasticity and Adhesion across Length Scales.- Modeling the Effect of Texture on the Deformation Mechanisms of Nanocrystalline Materials at the Atomistic Scale.- Modeling the Tribochemical Aspects of Friction and Gradual Wearof DLC Films.