Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.0
3.0
Journals
Micromachines
Special Issues
MEMS and NEMS Sensors: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions in...
share announcement

MEMS and NEMS Sensors: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions in Micro/Nano Technologies

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "A：Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 6556

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Meng Nie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
SEU-FEI Nano-Pico Center, Key Laboratory of MEMS of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Interests: MEMS/NEMS design and application; flexible devices
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Kuibo Yin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
SEU-FEI Nano-Pico Center, Key Laboratory of MEMS of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Interests: MEMS; low-dimensional semiconductors; electronic device; smart microsystems; sensor technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

MEMS and NEMS sensors have revolutionized sensing technologies by enabling unprecedented precision, miniaturization, and integration capabilities across industries. These micro- and nano-scale systems are pivotal in driving advancements in healthcare, environmental monitoring, industrial automation, and smart infrastructure. As the demand for smaller, smarter, and more energy-efficient devices grows, MEMS/NEMS sensors face challenges in scaling down to nano dimensions, optimizing performance, and overcoming material and fabrication limitations.

This Special Issue seeks to highlight cutting-edge research addressing these challenges and showcasing breakthroughs in sensor design, fabrication, and applications. Contributions may explore novel materials, innovative fabrication techniques (e.g., nanolithography and 3D printing), or interdisciplinary solutions for integrating sensors with emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and wearable systems. Applications in biomedical diagnostics, environmental sensing, and industrial safety are of particular interest, as are studies on reliability, durability, and energy harvesting in NEMS.

By fostering collaboration among researchers, engineers, and industry leaders, this Special Issue aims to catalyze progress in MEMS/NEMS sensor technology, paving the way for next-generation smart systems and sustainable solutions. We invite submissions that advance both the science and practical deployment of these transformative technologies.

We look forward to receiving your submissions!

Prof. Dr. Meng Nie
Prof. Dr. Kuibo Yin
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • MEMS/nano sensors
  • micro/nano nanotechnology
  • sensor technology
  • material innovations
  • wearable devices
  • nanoelectronics

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

22 pages, 18366 KB  
Article
Hybrid Carbonyl Iron/Iron Oxide Microfiber Textile Membranes with Magnetically Tunable Capacitance Under Compressive Loading
by Ioan Bica, Eugen Mircea Anitas, Octavian Madalin Bunoiu, Liviu Chirigiu and Gabriel Pascu
Micromachines 2026, 17(4), 478; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17040478 - 15 Apr 2026
Viewed by 342
Abstract
Flexible textile membranes were prepared by impregnating woven cotton fabrics with silicone oil (SO)-based suspensions containing carbonyl iron (CI) microparticles and iron oxide microfibers (μFe). The microfibers were obtained by a microwave-assisted microplasma process and then co-dispersed with CI in SO. [...] Read more.
Flexible textile membranes were prepared by impregnating woven cotton fabrics with silicone oil (SO)-based suspensions containing carbonyl iron (CI) microparticles and iron oxide microfibers (μFe). The microfibers were obtained by a microwave-assisted microplasma process and then co-dispersed with CI in SO. In the final membranes, the CI content was kept constant at ΦCI=10 vol.%, whereas the microfiber fraction was 0, 10 and 20 vol.%. The resulting membranes were used as dielectric layers in planar capacitors and examined at 1 kHz under a static magnetic field of up to 150 mT and compressive pressure up to 10 kPa. In every composition, the capacitance rose with increasing magnetic flux density, but both the zero-field capacitance and the field-induced capacitance change became smaller as the microfiber content increased. A monotonic, nearly linear increase in capacitance was also observed under compression over the tested pressure range. Within a simplified parallel-plate and magnetic-stress analysis, the capacitance data were further used to estimate the apparent relative permittivity, together with capacitance-derived indicators of deformation and stiffness. These estimates suggest field-induced stiffening of the membranes and a higher apparent low-field stiffness at higher microfiber loading. The obtained hybrid CI/μFe-based textile membranes can serve as composition-tunable dielectric layers whose electrical response is influenced by both magnetic field and compressive loading, making them relevant for flexible capacitor-based elements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS and NEMS Sensors: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions in Micro/Nano Technologies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 8268 KB  
Article
Enhanced Fringing Field Micro-Moisture Sensor with Elements Optimization
by Xiangrui Meng, Chong Li, Yunlong Lan, Lining Tan and Xiaoxiao Zhang
Micromachines 2026, 17(3), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17030388 - 23 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1102
Abstract
This research demonstrates the principle and optimization methodology to create economic and miniaturized high-resolution micro-moisture sensors. The interdigitated fringe electric field-based moisture measurement principle is firstly investigated to sketch the key parameters of printed circuit board (PCB)-based sensors for further performance optimization. Then, [...] Read more.
This research demonstrates the principle and optimization methodology to create economic and miniaturized high-resolution micro-moisture sensors. The interdigitated fringe electric field-based moisture measurement principle is firstly investigated to sketch the key parameters of printed circuit board (PCB)-based sensors for further performance optimization. Then, a comprehensive study is conducted to analyze parameter variations with conclusions of suggested design rules to achieve higher measurement sensitivity. Two prototypes are designed and manufactured to validate the proposed theoretical contributions. Water droplets are employed to control the ambient relative humidity, which is adopted as the actual moisture variable in this work. A double-correlated sampling circuit is used for capacitance sensing. Both of them demonstrate a linearity of 1% and sensitivity of 0.1 pF/mg levels, but prototype 2 gains a better batch consistency, which is beneficial for commercialization. Further data analysis suggests that the equivalent input–output sensitivity reaches a level of 1.2403 pF/%RH (relative humidity), which is significantly higher than other types of published interdigitated fringe electric field-type moisture sensors. The optimized prototypes also show advantages of miniaturized size, low cost and high consistency, which can potentially impact the industry applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS and NEMS Sensors: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions in Micro/Nano Technologies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2965 KB  
Article
High-Sensitivity Plasmonic Temperature Sensor Based on a MIM Waveguide-Coupled TDSC Resonator
by Yuanyuan Gao, Shubin Yan, Hui Cai, Zhenyang Xu, Chen Chen, Guang Liu and Taiquan Wu
Micromachines 2026, 17(2), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17020198 - 1 Feb 2026
Viewed by 513
Abstract
This paper presents a nanoscale sensor based on a metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide coupled with a composite resonant cavity, where the ring resonator is embedded with triangular, semicircular, and rectangular structural elements. The transmission characteristics and sensing performance of the structure were systematically analyzed [...] Read more.
This paper presents a nanoscale sensor based on a metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide coupled with a composite resonant cavity, where the ring resonator is embedded with triangular, semicircular, and rectangular structural elements. The transmission characteristics and sensing performance of the structure were systematically analyzed using the finite element method. The results indicate that the interference between the continuous mode in the waveguide and the discrete mode in the resonant cavity generates a distinct asymmetric Fano resonance. The optimized sensor achieves a sensitivity of 2960 nm/RIU and a figure of merit (FOM) of 59.79. Experimental verification confirms that the structure exhibits high responsiveness in temperature sensing, providing an effective solution for integrated photonic devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS and NEMS Sensors: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions in Micro/Nano Technologies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 2450 KB  
Article
Design, Fabrication and Characterization of Multi-Frequency MEMS Transducer for Photoacoustic Imaging
by Alberto Prud’homme and Frederic Nabki
Micromachines 2026, 17(1), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17010122 - 17 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1316
Abstract
This work presents the design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) ultrasonic transducers engineered for multi-frequency operation in photoacoustic imaging (PAI). The proposed devices integrate multiple resonant geometries, including circular diaphragms, floated crosses, anchored cross membranes, and cantilever arrays, within compact [...] Read more.
This work presents the design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) ultrasonic transducers engineered for multi-frequency operation in photoacoustic imaging (PAI). The proposed devices integrate multiple resonant geometries, including circular diaphragms, floated crosses, anchored cross membranes, and cantilever arrays, within compact footprints to overcome the inherently narrow frequency response of conventional MEMS transducers. All devices were fabricated using the PiezoMUMPs commercial microfabrication process, with finite element simulations guiding modal optimization and laser Doppler vibrometry used for experimental validation in air. The circular diaphragm exhibited a narrowband response with a dominant resonance at 1.69 MHz and a quality factor (Q) of 268, confirming the bandwidth limitations of traditional geometries. In contrast, complex designs such as the floated cross and cantilever arrays achieved significantly broader spectral responses, with resonances spanning from 275 kHz to beyond 7.5 MHz. The cantilever array, with systematically varied arm lengths, achieved the highest modal density through asynchronous activation across the spectrum. Results demonstrate that structurally diverse MEMS devices can overcome the bandwidth constraints of traditional piezoelectric transducers. The integration of heterogeneous MEMS geometries offers a viable approach for broadband sensitivity in PAI, enabling improved spatial resolution and depth selectivity without compromising miniaturization or manufacturability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS and NEMS Sensors: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions in Micro/Nano Technologies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 3736 KB  
Article
A Reconfigurable Low-Pass Filter Based on Polyurethane Substrate Inspired by the Origami Structure
by Kang Wang, Mingcheng Li, Chuyuan Gao, Yupeng Dong, Yutang Pan, Ming Qin, Meng Nie and Lei Han
Micromachines 2025, 16(9), 1060; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16091060 - 18 Sep 2025
Viewed by 669
Abstract
In this paper, an innovative reconfigurable microstrip RF device design method is proposed, which is inspired by origami structures. The experimental results of the reconfigurable low-pass filter indicate that the maximum origami folding height is 3 mm, resulting in the frequency tuning range [...] Read more.
In this paper, an innovative reconfigurable microstrip RF device design method is proposed, which is inspired by origami structures. The experimental results of the reconfigurable low-pass filter indicate that the maximum origami folding height is 3 mm, resulting in the frequency tuning range of the filter being 524~568 MHz, the return loss is below −15.0 dB and the insertion loss is below 2.5 dB up to 500 MHz. It is demonstrated that the proposed design method for reconfigurable microstrip RF devices is fairly effective through theoretical and experimental research. This work provides a groundbreaking method for reconfigurable RF devices with origami structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS and NEMS Sensors: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions in Micro/Nano Technologies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

34 pages, 1888 KB  
Review
Heteroepitaxial 3C-SiC for MEMS Applications
by Angela Garofalo, Annamaria Muoio, Luca Belsito, Sergio Sapienza, Matteo Ferri, Alberto Roncaglia and Francesco La Via
Micromachines 2026, 17(4), 502; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17040502 - 21 Apr 2026
Viewed by 344
Abstract
Silicon carbide (SiC) has emerged as a highly attractive material for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) operating in harsh environments, owing to its outstanding mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advantages and limitations of SiC-based MEMS, with particular [...] Read more.
Silicon carbide (SiC) has emerged as a highly attractive material for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) operating in harsh environments, owing to its outstanding mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advantages and limitations of SiC-based MEMS, with particular emphasis on the strong interdependence between material structure, mechanical properties, and epitaxial growth processes. The role of defects, residual stress, and crystal quality is discussed in relation to device performance and reliability. Special attention is devoted to cubic SiC grown on silicon substrates, highlighting how growth-induced features influence the mechanical response of micromachined structures. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the quality factor (Q-factor) is presented for 3C-SiC (111)/Si resonators, including the development of analytical models and their validation through numerical simulations performed using COMSOL Multiphysics (Version 6.1). The necessity of incorporating anisotropic loss factors in numerical modeling is demonstrated to be essential for accurately describing the experimentally observed behavior. This review aims to provide design guidelines and modeling strategies for the optimization of SiC MEMS, supporting their further development for high-performance and extreme-environment applications, including pressure sensors, mechanical resonators and high-stress-tolerant sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS and NEMS Sensors: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions in Micro/Nano Technologies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 3453 KB  
Review
Diamond Sensor Technologies: From Multi Stimulus to Quantum
by Pak San Yip, Tiqing Zhao, Kefan Guo, Wenjun Liang, Ruihan Xu, Yi Zhang and Yang Lu
Micromachines 2026, 17(1), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17010118 - 16 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1554
Abstract
This review explores the variety of diamond-based sensing applications, emphasizing their material properties, such as high Young’s modulus, thermal conductivity, wide bandgap, chemical stability, and radiation hardness. These diamond properties give excellent performance in mechanical, pressure, thermal, magnetic, optoelectronic, radiation, biosensing, quantum, and [...] Read more.
This review explores the variety of diamond-based sensing applications, emphasizing their material properties, such as high Young’s modulus, thermal conductivity, wide bandgap, chemical stability, and radiation hardness. These diamond properties give excellent performance in mechanical, pressure, thermal, magnetic, optoelectronic, radiation, biosensing, quantum, and other applications. In vibration sensing, nano/poly/single-crystal diamond resonators operate from MHz to GHz frequencies, with high quality factor via CVD growth, diamond-on-insulator techniques, and ICP etching. Pressure sensing uses boron-doped piezoresistive, as well as capacitive and Fabry–Pérot readouts. Thermal sensing merges NV nanothermometry, single-crystal resonant thermometers, and resistive/diode sensors. Magnetic detection offers FeGa/Ti/diamond heterostructures, complementing NV. Optoelectronic applications utilize DUV photodiodes and color centers. Radiation detectors benefit from diamond’s neutron conversion capability. Biosensing leverages boron-doped diamond and hydrogen-terminated SGFETs, as well as gas targets such as NO2/NH3/H2 via surface transfer doping and Pd Schottky/MIS. Imaging uses AFM/NV probes and boron-doped diamond tips. Persistent challenges, such as grain boundary losses in nanocrystalline diamond, limited diamond-on-insulator bonding yield, high temperature interface degradation, humidity-dependent gas transduction, stabilization of hydrogen termination, near-surface nitrogen-vacancy noise, and the cost of high-quality single-crystal diamond, are being addressed through interface and surface chemistry control, catalytic/dielectric stack engineering, photonic integration, and scalable chemical vapor deposition routes. These advances are enabling integrated, high-reliability diamond sensors for extreme and quantum-enhanced applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS and NEMS Sensors: Innovations, Applications, and Future Directions in Micro/Nano Technologies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-7
Back to TopTop