AFM atomic force microscope
AFRL Air Force Research Laboratories
BIOSes Basic Input Output Systems
CCD charge coupled device
CIMS Center for Imaging in Mesoscale Structures
DES Digital Encryption Standard
EM “Earth Millennium”
ER electro-rheological
FET field-effect transistor
GPS global positioning system
IPO initial public offering
IR infrared
LED light-emitting diode
MEMS microelectromechanical systems
MOSFETs metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors
MR magneto-rheological
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
NTT Nippon Telephone and Telegraph
PPA Provisional Patent Application
QCA quantum cellular automaton
QDC Quantum Del Corporation
RPA Regular Patent Application
RTG radioisotope-thermal generator
RTI Research Triangle Institute
SET single-electron transistor
UV ultraviolet VCs venture capitalists