Microtechnology and Nanotechnology

Whenever you use an automatic door lock in a car, a cell phone, or a microwave oven, you are witnessing advances in microtechnology. Miniaturized circuits enable technology to operate on a dramatically smaller scale, work more efficiently, and improve performance.

Microtechnology takes massive amounts of information and condenses it in a very small area, such as a silicon wafer or the microchip used in computers and mobile phones. The result: Countless new miniature products with complex engine rooms — medical devices, automobile computer systems, security and defense products like night-vision systems, airplane autopilot systems, logistics systems, even children’s toys.

Nanotechnology — technology at one-billionth of a meter — is taking the application of science and technology at the micro level even further. It explores how to make devices even smaller than a microchip. Researchers and scientists imagine a future with spy planes the size of insects and biotech implants that correct deficient genes. While nanoscience is still largely research and discovery, microelectronics at the nanoscale may be one its first applications, transforming the potential size and manufacturing of electronic devices.

Microtechnicians span a broad range of industries, from medicine to entertainment to defense. They usually have a common background of engineering and material sciences.

Additional resources:
Regional Center for Nanofabrication Manufacturing Education
http://www.cneu.psu.edu

Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center
http://www.matec.org


Common Jobs:
- Laboratory Technician
- Testing and Packaging Technician
- Fabrication Technician