title: Creation of functional micro/nano systems through top-down and bottom-up approaches.
abstract: Mimicking nature's approach in creating devices with similar functional complexity is one of the ultimate goals of scientists and engineers. The remarkable elegance of these naturally evolved structures originates from bottom-up self-assembly processes. The seamless integration of top-down fabrication and bottom-up synthesis is the challenge for achieving intricate artificial systems. In this paper, technologies necessary for guided bottom-up assembly such as molecular manipulation, molecular binding, and the self assembling of molecules will be reviewed. In addition, the current progress of synthesizing mechanical devices through top-down and bottom-up approaches will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Tak-Sing
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Branden
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brough
authors.forename: Chih-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D040761:Biomimetic Materials; D032701:Biomimetics / Q000379:methods; D003460:Crystallization; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D053841:Electroosmosis / Q000379:methods; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D008868:Microtubule Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D012492:Salts / Q000737:chemistry; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D008868:Microtubule Proteins; D012492:Salts; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D004247:DNA