This text provides an introduction, at the level of an advanced student in engineering or physics, to the field of nanomechanics and nanomechanical devices. It provides a unified discussion of solid mechanics, transducer applications, and sources of noise and nonlinearity in such devices. Demonstrated applications of these devices, as well as an introduction to fabrication techniques, are also discussed. The text concludes with an overview of future technologies, including the potential use of carbon nanotubes and other molecular assemblies.

Why write another book on mechanics? There are, after all, a number of excellent texts that describe in great detail the way classical solids behave when acted upon by static and time-varying forces; many of these are cited in this monograph. These texts treat solids as continuous objects, and quantum mechanics does not enter the discussion. Furthermore, the atomic nature of the solid is implicit, but does not enter in a central role. At the other end of the spectrum, texts on condensed matter physics focus on the quantum mechanical nature of the solid; these contain quite clear descriptions...