Immense progress on the miniaturization of devices has been made over
the last 25 years, with the microelectronics-industry predicted to rep
resent 10% of world trade by the year 2000. Questions are raised as to
whether such small devices can operate increasingly more effectively
and at ever reducing manufacturing cost. The implications of the prese
nt rate of progress, the limitations of the materials currently being
used, and the potential of radically new routes for manufacturing meso
scopic systems are discussed.