Developing advanced materials and processes can enable the creation of microsystems (MEMS) with enhanced functionality, and improved performance and reliability. These considerations are of growing importance as MEMS make the difficult transition from research laboratories to full-fledged commercialization. Equally, MEMS designers continue to introduce new device concepts and system architectures which motivate fundamental studies of materials behavior at micrometer- and nanometer length scales. Together, this collection of papers serves as a useful resource for the growing community of scientists and engineers working at the intersection of materials science and microdevices. Firstly it focuses on developing advanced materials specific to sensing and actuation. Section Two presents fundamental studies of the mechanical behavior of microscale and nanoscale structures. Section Three presents new materials and processes that can potentially influence the development of many new and different types of MEMS.
