Oct. 10, 2006 — Silicon Microstructures Inc. (SMI) of Milpitas, Calif., announced production levels of more than 40,000 pressure sensors per day on its recently installed six-inch wafer MEMS manufacturing line.

The company’s pressure sensors — including its ultra-small SM 5108, measuring only 0.65 x 0.65 mm2 — are used extensively in automotive, medical and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) markets. The sensors range from low-pressure devices that measure human respiration to high-pressure devices designed for tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) and scuba diving air tanks.

The company said the upgrade and qualification of the six-inch line was completed without an interruption in production. Besides being able to accommodate larger wafers, the manufacturing line contains new equipment that enables more precise and clean cassette handling, etching and depositions for higher performance and reliability.

SMI says it is using highly stable processes that can be adapted for multiple products, while allowing rapid turnaround times. It says that attention to design-for-manufacture and process control has enabled the company to offer greater integration and size reduction for various devices.

SMI’s services cover all phases of design, qualification, MEMS manufacture and customer support as well as MEMS foundry services.