Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Ultrahigh-Q integrated flame-hydrolysis-deposited germano-silicate resonators on silicon.

Light, science & applications·2026
Same author

Exploring Continuous Pressure Monitoring to Inform Decisions for Pressure Injuries in the Community: Secondary Analysis Using a Mobility and Pressure Exposure Algorithm.

International wound journal·2026
Same author

A Benchtop Evaluation of Cervical Collar Design and Strap Tension.

Medical devices (Auckland, N.Z.)·2026
Same author

A Direction-Dependent Mechanotransduction Model to Convert Fingertip Forces Into Neural Spike Trains for Tactile Feedback.

IEEE transactions on haptics·2026
Same author

Plant-Pollinator Interactions in Grasslands Established on Arable Land.

Ecology and evolution·2026
Same author

How does landscape composition and configuration affect dung beetle communities in Eastern Austrian agricultural landscapes?

Landscape ecology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale
08:17

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Published on: May 25, 2016

9.7K

Controlling Stiction in Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems Using Liquid Crystals.

Oleksandr Buchnev1, Nina Podoliak1, Thomas Frank1

  • 1Optoelectronics Research Centre and Centre for Photonic Metamaterials, ‡Physics and Astronomy, and §Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton , Southampton, SO17 1BJ, U.K.

ACS Nano
|December 28, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Stiction, a key challenge in nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS), can be eliminated by using nematic liquid crystals. This breakthrough enables reliable NEMS operation and introduces active stiction control for advanced nanosystems.

Keywords:
MEMSNEMSliquid crystalsreconfigurable metamaterialsstiction

More Related Videos

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites
12:21

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Published on: February 6, 2016

13.7K
Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light
07:56

Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light

Published on: September 20, 2017

12.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale
08:17

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Published on: May 25, 2016

9.7K
Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites
12:21

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Published on: February 6, 2016

13.7K
Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light
07:56

Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light

Published on: September 20, 2017

12.2K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Physics

Background:

  • Stiction is a major reliability issue in nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS).
  • Existing anti-stiction solutions are complex and difficult to implement.
  • NEMS technology relies on mechanical movements at the nanoscale.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) for eliminating stiction in NEMS.
  • To demonstrate a novel, straightforward method for stiction control in NEMS.
  • To enhance the functionality and reliability of NEMS devices.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental infiltration of NEMS devices with NLCs.
  • Utilizing a NEMS-based tunable photonic metamaterial for demonstration.
  • Testing NEMS performance across the full range of nanoscopic structural displacements.

Main Results:

  • Stiction was successfully eliminated in NEMS by infiltrating them with NLCs.
  • Reliable switching of optical response was achieved in a NEMS photonic metamaterial.
  • The NLC approach provides an active mechanism for toggling stiction control.

Conclusions:

  • Nematic liquid crystals offer a simple and effective solution to NEMS stiction.
  • This method enables reliable operation and introduces active stiction control.
  • The findings are expected to expand NEMS functionality and enable smart nanosystems.