The vantage point, published.
The full MEMS Journal archive — 74 articles across two decades of sensors, MEMS, and microtechnology.
Nanusens raises $2.1 million to develop NEMS devices in CMOS process
The company's NEMS based sensors are made using standard CMOS processes and mask techniques. In the Nanusens process, the inter metal dielectric (IMD) is etched away through the pad openings in the passivation layer using vapor HF (vHF) to create the nano-sensor structures . The holes are then sealed and the chip…
MEMS foundry Micralyne partners with Microplex to deliver metal TSV wafers
Micralyne , a MEMS foundry and sensors supplier, announced this week a collaboration with Microplex based in Placentia, California to develop and manufacture custom wafers with metal TSVs . The joint development of this technology leverages the specific expertise of each company to enable a metal TSV solution for…
MEMS manufacturing: Materion acquires Heraeus Target Materials for $30 million
Materion Corporation announced this week that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of the target materials business of the Heraeus Group , of Hanau, Germany, for approximately $30 million . The acquisition strengthens Materion's position in precious and non-precious target materials for MEMS,…
MEMS manufacturing: ULVAC Technologies increasing market penetration with plasma ashing system
ULVAC Technologies , a supplier of production systems, instrumentation, and vacuum pumps for technology industries has been selected by a global MEMS inertial sensor manufacturer to deliver an ULVAC ENVIRO-1Xa advanced plasma ashing system for running critical low-temp descum processes and high-temp bulk…
Fiber laser bonding for MEMS applications
We recently spoke with Antti Peltonen , Sales Manager at Primoceler, about his company's fiber laser bonding process. In this detailed interview, Antti compares fiber laser bonding to traditional approaches such as anodic, fusion, and adhesive bonding techniques. He also provides pros and cons for Primoceler's…
MEMS foundry APM forms strategic partnership with UMC to enhance service capabilities
United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), a global semiconductor foundry, and MEMS foundry Asia Pacific Microsystems (APM), this week announced a collaboration to provide enhanced MEMS manufacturing services for mutual customers. UMC will leverage its 8-inch and 12-inch production capabilities with APM's 6-inch…
MEMS and IC manufacturing: intuition and the art of production tool development
by Ray Zinn Founder and CEO, Micrel Intuition is perceived to be second sight , clairvoyance, the supposed ability to perceive future or distant events . It is a word tossed about too casually in Silicon Valley , as though we manufacture mediums, not microchips . Entrepreneurial intuition does exist, but it isn't…
MEMS testing: eight fabrication problems you cannot see with a microscope
by Felix Beyeler, Ph.D. CEO, FemtoTools If you are working in academic research, the field of MEMS development can be very exciting, but it can also be quite stressful. You will spend long hours in the cleanroom and your professor is constantly pushing you to finalize the prototype fabrication in order to start…
MEMS foundry IMT partners with Silicon Catalyst
Innovative Micro Technology (IMT), the largest pure-play MEMS manufacturer in the United States , announced this week the signing of a partner agreement with Silicon Catalyst , reportedly the world's only startup incubator focused exclusively on semiconductor solutions. The partnership with Silicon Catalyst offers…
MEMS foundry Micralyne announces plans for growth, leadership changes
Following its acquisition by FTC Technologies , MEMS foundry Micralyne announced this week plans to expand its MEMS solutions and services business in 2016. Building on its current base of customers in several industries, the company plans to provide solutions based on its experience in MEMS chip design, packaging,…
Electroplating tools for MEMS applications: making sense of the current landscape
As the main semiconductor industry marches forward, the push to increase substrate sizes and automate production for high-volume runs continues. Given these trends, the lower volume MEMS applications that are made on smaller substrates sometimes get left behind. Electroplating tools exemplify this trend. Semitool…
CEA-Leti demos MEMS fabrication on its 300mm production line
In what may be a first for the MEMS industry , CEA-Leti has manufactured micro-accelerometers on 300mm wafers, a development that could lead to significantly lower MEMS manufacturing costs . Leti's fabrication platform, orignally developed with 200mm technology, is currently being transferred to an industrial…
Wafer level packaging for MEMS and IC applications
Advanced packaging , especially at the wafer level, is becoming increasingly important for MEMS and 3D stacking applications. FlipChip International ( FCI ), based in Phoenix, Arizona, is one of the service providers in this segment. FCI is an interesting company because they compete with larger players such as ASE…
MEMS ecosystem in Korea: an overview of key companies and organizations
Even with the presence of the consumer electronics giant Samsung and a strong R&D community, Korea’s MEMS ecosystem remains quite small. Among the top MEMS makers, not a single one is based in Korea. However, because of Samsung’s increasingly strong presence in the consumer electronics business, as well as the…
X-FAB expands MEMS manufacturing capabilities with two new dedicated MEMS fabs
X-FAB Silicon Foundries announced this week that it has reached a major milestone in further expanding its MEMS manufacturing capabilities in two of its German locations , Erfurt and Itzehoe. According to the company, driven by increased customer demand for MEMS manufacturing services, the expansion includes two…
MEMS foundry Rogue Valley Microdevices acquires Intel cleanroom equipment, announces expansion
Rogue Valley Microdevices (RVM), a MEMS foundry service provider, announced this week that it has acquired cleanroom equipment from the 10,000 square foot decommissioned Intel facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The company said that it is planning a large expansion of its fabrication facilities. Rogue Valley…
Smart sensors: packaging, testing, and reliability
by Randy Frank President, Randy Frank & Associates All the advances and research occurring in micromachining would lead one to believe that breakthroughs in these areas will be sufficient to revolutionize sensing . Unfortunately, the problems associated with the basic sensor packaging are compounded when the sensor…
SPTS acquires XACTIX to expand MEMS etch offering
SPTS Technologies, a supplier of advanced wafer processing solutions for the global semiconductor industry and related markets, announced this week that it has acquired XACTIX, a provider of xenon difluoride (XeF2) based release etch technology. XACTIX is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Manufacturing MEMS…
Micrel expands MEMS foundry capabilities
Micrel, an IC and MEMS foundry services provider based in Silicon Valley , has recently made moves to expand its MEMS services offering. The decision seems to be appropriate and timely, because of the limited number of MEMS production sites in the US. Founded in 1978 , Micrel has a long track record of sustained…
memsstar appoints new CEO, plans further expansion
memsstar , a Scotland-based provider of etch and deposition equipment for semiconductor and MEMS applications, announced this week the appointment of Tony McKie as its CEO. The company said that McKie is tasked with capitalising on the company's experience and reputation in the semiconductor and MEMS markets to…
MEMS foundry Tronics returns to strong growth with $15.2 million revenue in 2011
Tronics is reporting that it is growing strongly again. After an uninspiring 2009 and 2010 , business started picking up in late 2010, and remained very healthy throughout 2011 . The company had a revenue of $15.2 million in 2011, with a net profit of $1.24 million . Tronics said that it secured important new…
Silicon-germanium (SiGe) technology for MEMS and NEMS fabrication
by Xavier Rottenberg, Ph.D. Research Engineer, IMEC Much of the future growth in the MEMS market is expected to come from products that are still in the early stages of development, or are yet to be invented. There is a considerable potential for new products in which innovative MEMS are integrated with highly…
Through substrate vias: opportunities for CMOS MEMS and 3D integration
TSVs , or through substrate vias, have become an increasingly important building block for CMOS MEMS integration, as well as for stacking of multiple IC chips . In this interview, we spoke with Tomas Bauer , VP of Sales and Business Development at Silex Microsystems about his perspective on the latest TSV trends .…
MEMS foundry IMT appoints new CEO
Innovative Micro Technology (IMT), announced this week that Craig Ensley has joined IMT as President and CEO effective immediately. He succeeds Dr. John Foster , who is resigning from the company to become the CEO of one of IMT's major customers . Mr. Ensley brings over 30 years of executive leadership and…