These three structures provide some feasible designs for microseconds and actuators that eventually perform the desired task in most of smart structures. However, the main issues with respect to implementing these structures are the choice of materials that are to be used in fabricating these devices and the micromachining technology that may be used. To address the first issue, we note that in all of the three structures proposed, the sensing and actuation occur as a result of exciting a piezoelectric layer by the application of an electric field. This excitation brings about sensing and actuation in the form of expansion in the diaphragm, in the free-standing beam in the microbridge structure, or in the cantilever beam. In the former two cases the expansion translates into upward curvature in the diaphragm or in the free-standing beam, thus, resulting in a net vertical displacement from the unexcited equilibrium configuration. In the cantilever case, however, and upon the application of electric field, the actuation occurs by a vertical upward movement of the cantilever tip.

Evidently in all three designs the material system structure of the active part (diaphragm, free-standing beam, or cantilever beam) in the microactuator must comprise at least one piezoelectric layer and conducting electrodes for the application of electric field across this layer. Piezoelectric force is used for actuation for many of the applications mentioned earlier. Micromachining is employed to fabricate the membranes, cantilever beams, and resonant structures.

Our current research is aimed at exploring the inter-relationship of quantum mechanics, chemical design and synthesis, and molecular mechanics at the level of individual molecules. Research is highly interdisciplinary combining the skills of synthetic chemists, theorists, and nanoscale scientists, particularly in the area of imaging and spectroscopy. The research is quite fundamental and has a clear long-range goal: programmed functionality of a single molecule. Possible areas of future application include quantum computing, molecular machines, and high-density peta-bit memories.

We are developing single molecule-mediated smart drug delivery systems using the untapped silicon micromachining and fabrication technologies.