Development scientists from the institute for micro- and nano-technology of the TU limenau, Germany, have developed a tiny "hook and loop fastener” for fastening semiconductor chips. This is a needle structure in silicon that functions in a similar manner to a hook and loop fastener. This fine structure is created by roughing up the surface of the component. For this purpose the silicon is bombarded with loaded particles until long pointed needles are formed. Pressed together, the needles wedge into each other and give the components a tight seating. Because of the similarity to a grass structure, the scientists also talk of silicon grass. There are 4 million needles to the square millimetre and these are 20 thousandth millimetre long and half a micrometer wide. The hook and loop connection can be pushed together and removed five times at any temperature.