Three principal components of Sandia's microchem lab can fit inside a snow pea pod.

Sandia is a world leader in the technology required for development, fabrication, and production of microelectronic and photonic devices. Integrated microelectromechanical systems – structures on a microscopic scale – will revolutionize our industries and our economy. Distinguishing strengths include:

• Materials development, device design, and fabrication technologies for silicon and compound semiconductor devices
• Advanced packaging technologies
• Process and equipment design for integrated circuits

Sandia's pioneering work in this area spans the silicon era. Award-winning developments include:

• Extreme ultraviolet lithography
• Micromachines (including applications for better air bags and modular microtransmissions)
• New microlaser techniques for medical and communications applications

Sandia's accomplishments in microelectronics include a data encryption chip that is ten times faster than previous chips, and a surface acoustic wave sensor for detection of biological agents.