  Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) are nano-to-micrometer scale mechanical
resonators coupled to electronic devices of similar dimensions. NEMS show
promise for fast, ultrasensitive force microscopy and for deepening our
understanding of how classical dynamics arises by approximation to quantum
dynamics. This article begins with a survey of NEMS and then describes certain
aspects of their classical dynamics. In particular, we show that for weak
coupling the action of the electronic device on the mechanical resonator can be
effectively that of a thermal bath, this despite the device being a driven,
far-from-equilibrium system.
