High-Frequency Nanofluidics: A Universal Formulation of the Fluid Dynamics of MEMS and NEMS

Published

September 23, 2010

Author(s)

Kamil L. Ekinci, V. Yakhot, Sukumar Rajauria, C. Colosqui, D. M. Karabacak

Abstract

A solid body undergoing oscillatory motion in a fluid generates an oscillating flow. Oscillating flows in Newtonian fluids were first treated by G.G. Stokes in 1851. Since then, this problem has attracted much attention, mostly due to its technological significance. Recent advances in micro- and nanotechnology require that this problem be revisited: Miniaturized mechanical resonators with linear dimensions in microns and sub-microns microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), respectively give rise to oscillating flows when operated in fluids. Yet, flow parameters for these devices, such as the characteristic flow time and length scales, may deviate greatly from those in Stokes solution. As such, new and interesting physics emerges with important consequences to device applications. In this review, we shall provide an introduction to this area of fluid dynamics, called high-frequency nanofluidics, with emphasis on both theory and experiments.

Citation

Lab on A Chip

Volume

10

Issue

22

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

NEMS, MEMS, fluid dynamics, AFM

Citation

Ekinci, K. , Yakhot, V. , Rajauria, S. , Colosqui, C. and Karabacak, D. (2010), High-Frequency Nanofluidics: A Universal Formulation of the Fluid Dynamics of MEMS and NEMS, Lab on A Chip (Accessed October 16, 2025)