Category Archives: MEMS

October 2, 2008: Ecliptek Corp. has expanded its EMO family of MEMS oscillator products to include a new MEMS spread spectrum low EMI output surface mount oscillator.

The EMS series oscillators reduce EMI at the clock source, potentially eliminating the use of supplemental shielding enclosures and/or filtering components later down the clock stream. This reduces system costs and improves overall EMI performance. Applications for the EMS series include set-top boxes, medical equipment, scanners, printers, LCD displays, and communications equipment.

Standard specifications for the EMS series include a frequency range of 1MHz to 200MHz; 1.8V, 2.5V, or 3.3V supply voltage; ±50ppm or ±100ppm frequency stability; LVCMOS single ended output; programmable spread percentages of ±0.25%, ±0.50%, and ±1.00% center spread; and -0.5%, -1.0%, -2.0% down spread; spread spectrum enable/disable function; and tri-state or power down options for a high impedance output.


Ecliptek MEMS Spread Spectrum Oscillator. (Source: Ecliptek Corp.)

October 1, 2008: STMicroelectronics has introduced its first automotive-qualified three-axis MEMS accelerometer. The AIS326DQ accelerometer is qualified to AEC-Q100 for automotive applications, and built using ST’s 200mm-wafer MEMS fabrication processes to deliver MEMS technology at competitive prices for system integrators. The device is the first of a range of products spearheading ST’s strategy to bring economies of scale from its MEMS business in consumer to new automotive MEMS applications.

The AIS326DQ meets automotive-industry requirements for non-safety applications, such as vehicle alarms, tracking and monitoring, black-box systems, seat controls, navigation support, and antenna positioning. Its high flexibility and ruggedness also benefit industrial applications such as vibration monitoring in heavy-duty equipment, or shipping-container management and security. Key performance advantages include user-selectable full-scale range of ±2g or ±6g in all three axes, wide temperature range from -40°C to +105°C, and 10,000g shock survivability.

Further capabilities include a data-ready signal to simplify system synchronization, as well as user-configurable inertial wake-up, direction-detection and freefall-interrupt modes. The integrated IC interface is factory calibrated for sensitivity and zero-g level, allowing use without further calibration. An embedded self-test routine is also implemented, which can be activated at any time to verify correct functionality.

September 30, 2008: Bosch Sensortec has opened new regional offices in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China and in Taipei, Taiwan to allow for optimal customer support.

By the end of 2008, the regional office in the “Bank of China Tower” in Shanghai should have 10 employees responsible for sales and application engineering for all of Asia. The firm has had regional offices in Japan and Korea, and also in the US for several years.

Bosch Sensortec is targeting bulk purchasers in the consumer electronics sector in particular with its MEMS sensors for measuring physical inputs, such as pressure, acceleration, angle of inclination, rotational speed or temperature. A number of these firms are located in China and Taiwan, among them those who have specialized in contract manufacturing for costumers worldwide.

September 30, 2008: memsstar Technology , a supplier of etch and deposition equipment to the global MEMS industry, announced the successful installation and process qualification of one of its sacrificial vapor release (SVR) etch systems.

As part of a further expansion of advanced capabilities for microsystems, Fraunhofer IMS has selected and installed the latest memsstar SVR system, to be used in the latest MEMS devices for advanced isotropic etch “release” schemes. The system will be used across a range of devices, materials and designs, and will be integrated with other process steps to offer complete process modules.

“We selected memsstar SVR to get the best MEMS etch process capabilities as well as excellent process control and repeatability,” said Professor Holger Vogt from Fraunhofer IMS.

“The MEMS industry increasingly requires innovative research and manufacturing equipment solutions for release etching and coating, which were not available before memsstar,” stated Mike Leavy, CEO and co-founder of memsstar. “Europe is a world leader in the development of advanced MEMS technology and we are proud to be working with the Fraunhofer Institute on this project.”

Memsstar uses vapor phase single wafer processing for the release etch and surface modification process steps as required in most MEMS devices. With unique CCFT process control technology and an extensive range of chemistries, users get a wide process window and integrated process controls which far exceed other currently available systems and methods. Memsstar systems deliver fast throughput, small footprint, low consumption and emissions, scalable platforms, process controls and high repeatability at a low entry-level cost.


Silicon probes left pristine after release etch on SVR-XE. (Source: memsstar Technology

September 26, 2008 Mouser Electronics Inc. has signed a global distribution agreement with SiTime, a supplier of MEMS-based silicon resonators, oscillators, and complete timing solutions.

“Mouser’s large, worldwide customer base can now utilize SiTime’s high-performance, programmable timing solutions to significantly improve the size, robustness, and reliability of their products while eliminating multiple suppliers,” said Peter Himes, SiTime’s VP of sales. “Mouser is a leader in catalog and online distribution and will enhance the market coverage of SiTime’s products.”

SiTime’s programmable oscillators utilize a proprietary MEMS resonator design in conjunction with a drive circuit and high-performance frequency synthesizer to generate a clock output. The high performance programmable oscillators offer very low jitter and a wide range of programmable frequencies as high as 125 MHz, enabling them to be used in a variety of applications.


SiTime’s SiT8002 programmable oscillator

September 25: STMicroelectronics’ complete free-fall detection solution, which consists of a 3-axis motion sensor and software application, has been chosen to protect the user’s data stored on hard-disk drives in the new Esprimo Mobile family of professional notebooks from Fujitsu Siemens Computers.

ST’s MEMS motion sensor instantly detects any abnormal movement of the PC and prompts the system to stop all reading and writing operations and to quickly move the magnetic head on the hard-disk drive to a safe position, before the laptop hits the ground.

Combining a micro-machined silicon sensor with an electronic interface and system software, ST’s free-fall detection solution helps secure sensitive data integrity.

“We were looking for a motion sensor that is able to respond immediately to any significant changes in direction, speed, and acceleration. ST’s MEMS accelerometers clearly represent a best-in-class combination of these elements,” stated Barbara D’Introno, director product marketing Fujitsu Siemens Computers.

ST’s sensor meets stringent drop-test criteria required in portable electronic devices. Its innovative mechanical design provides very high immunity to vibration and a shock resistance up to 10,000g. The sensor provides acceleration values at a very low noise level with minimized power consumption, which is especially critical in battery-operated portable systems, such as smart phones, PDAs, and laptops.


Three-axis accelerometers in full molded plastic Land Grid Array packages with a thickness less than 1.0mm. From left to right, packages measure 7×5mm2, 5×5 mm2 , 3×5 mm2, 4×4 mm2, and 3×3mm2. (Source: STMicroelectronics)

September 23, 2008: Analog Devices Inc., (ADI) has created a MEMS-based microphone capable of high-fidelity audio/video playback, conference calling, TIA-920-compliant VoIP (voice-over-IP), voice recognition, and other functions.

ADI combined audio applications know-how with MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) technology to design a new family of microphones with the industry’s highest signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) of greater than 61-dB A-weighted. The new omni-directional input microphones are available with digital output or analog output and deliver the industry’s flattest frequency response from 100 Hz to greater than 15k Hz—and with a package size and cost tailored to the design considerations of portable electronics manufacturers.

“After faithfully serving the electronics industry for nearly 50 years, electret condenser microphones are beginning to give way at the edges to silicon micromachined microphones. MEMS microphones have several advantages: they can be manufactured using surface mounting, withstand high reflow temperatures, are easily integrated with CMOS processes and other audio electronics, and they offer improved noise cancellation and immunity to RF and EMI,” said Jeremie Bouchaud, director and principal analyst for MEMS at research firm, iSuppli Corp. “Today, MEMS microphones account for a bit less than 10% of the total market in units, but we expect that shipment will increase by 32% yearly over the next 4 years to exceed 1 billion units in 2012.”

The ADMP421 PDM (pulse density modulated) digital output MEMS microphone is designed for multimedia and VoIP-enabled cell phones, Bluetooth headsets and other systems that rely on high quality digitized voice and audio. The digital output of the new ADMP421 microphone provides high immunity to coupled noise from RF (radio frequency) and EMI (electromagnetic interference) emanating from sources such as WiFi antennas and LCD (liquid crystal displays) clock signals. By eliminating the need for analog signal conditioning, as well as the cable shielding materials commonly required to route analog signals, system designers can optimize the placement of the ADMP421 digital MEMS microphone to improve audio-enhancement features, such as stereo sound and array beam forming. The ADMP421 features 80dB FS PSRR (power supply rejection ratio), Left/Right select, and integrated sleep mode.

September 23, 2008: By the end of the year, Bosch Sensortec will manufacture its newest microelectro-mechanical (MEMS) pressure and acceleration sensors for mobile consumer goods halogen-free as a voluntary environmental protection measure. At that time, halogenated flame retardants, which can release dioxins when exposed to heat, will be replaced by safe materials, a switch that will have no effect on the reliability and service life of the MEMS sensors, the company said in a statement.

Bosch Sensortec is demonstrating its MEMS pressure and acceleration sensors for mobile consumer goods at CEATEC in Tokyo, a Japanese IT and Consumer Electronics Exhibition in October, 2008.


The new analog triaxial acceleration sensors BMA140 and BMA145 extend the product range of Bosch Sensortec of MEMS products.

With its new products, Bosch Sensortec specifically addresses the demands of the consumer electronics markets in regards to technological, economical, environmental and also logistical needs. All sensors are ready to install, calibrated, and can be manufactured, even in extremely large order quantities, at consistently high quality levels and within the prescribed time limit. The sensors fulfill all requirements of the European RoHS Directive.

Burgeoning demand for a host of new products enabled by MEMS devices means the sector will likely see a healthy increase this year despite any general semiconductor slowdown, and will remain on track to maintain its 17% average growth for the next five years.

With hit consumer applications like the Wii and iPhone in high-volume production — and sparking a jump in interest from other consumer gear designers in similar new MEMS-based features — MEMS device production hit 2 billion units in 2007, and looks to jump 25% to 2.5B in 2008. But these consumer market volumes bring consumer price pressures as well, holding total MEMS revenue growth to 14% this year.

As an increasing number of these new consumer designs are ramped to volume production, revenue growth will accelerate to 18%-19% in 2010-2012, even with the price pressure. By 2012, MEMS makers will be shipping 8.1B units/year worth some $15.5B, and nearly half that market will be consumer devices. Major market drivers will include silicon microphones, micro displays, RF MEMS, and even microfluidics for biomedical applications. RF MEMS and silicon microphones alone will account for more than 45% of unit demand from 2011.

Taking advantage of mature semiconductor process technology means MEMS makers can get by with spending a remarkably small 4% of revenues on equipment, and a similar 4%-5% on materials. The $8.0B in MEMS device sales this year is expected to generate $320M in demand for equipment and $380M in material sales. Yole Développement revised its forecasting methodology this year to better take into account how much actual usage of each tool was required for specific MEMS device structures, resulting in lower but more realistic figures than in some past projections.

MEMS equipment sales can also expect healthy 17% average annual growth through the next five years as it keeps pace with strong device market growth. The equipment market will slow to 3% growth this year, but then accelerate sharply as consumer devices now in development move to high-volume production. Equipment sales should see 9% growth next year, then see demand jump 26%-28% in 2010 and 2011.

With MEMS devices reaching real volumes for things like silicon microphones for cell phones, gyroscopes for game controllers, and digital micromirrors for displays, traditional semiconductor equipment suppliers including Tegal, Lam Research, and ASML are starting to pay more attention to this market. At the same time, MEMS tool suppliers will have to start paying more attention to service/support and reliability issues to compete with the big IC suppliers. Conversely, MEMS toolmakers are penetrating semiconductor niches requiring deep etching or wafer bonding, such as through-silicon vias, advanced packaging, and photovoltaics. The severe cost pressures of consumer markets, meanwhile, are driving device makers to smaller geometries, creating requirements — and opportunities — for new kinds of etch and clean technologies.

More closely linked to total wafer starts, materials for MEMS can expect a more stable growth pattern, with 12% CAGR over the five-year period to $603M. Materials sales should increase at close to that long-term rate in 2008, with about 11% growth to $380M.

Application trends

MEMS’ mainstay automotive market will only see modest 3.5% average growth 2007-2012, but a number of consumer-oriented markets are poised for big growth, paced by 30% average annual growth for wireless telecommunications applications, 19% for biomedical applications, and 16% for other consumer gear. Consumer applications — including inkjet heads, inertial MEMS, micro-displays, and emerging devices such as energy harvesting and autofocus systems — will account for more than 40% of the total MEMS device market by 2012.

New MEMS devices hitting the market in 2007 included auto-focus systems, oscillators, and dual-axis gyroscopes. Gyroscopes for cell phones and low-cost micro-mirrors for pico projectors currently present strong emerging business opportunities for MEMS suppliers. Best five-year growth prospects for specific products will be RF MEMS and — somewhat surprisingly — microfluidics for drug delivery at >40% per year.

Silicon microphones will continue to see fast growth (32%), as will microfluidic chips for diagnostics (25%), micro tips and probes (22%), and microdisplays (21%). Defense markets will also average strong 21% five-year growth, from demand for things like high-value inertial MEMS devices for munitions guidance systems.

More analysis of this report from SEMI and Yole Développement appears in the September-October issue of Small Times.

September 22, 2008: Nanoscience Instruments, a distributor of nanotechnology instrumentation, now offers the Nascatec line of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) probes and sensors. The Nascatec line includes NSOM probes, micro/nanogrippers (tweezers), self-sensing cantilevers, AFM probes, and MEMS devices.

“Our goal is to provide the best solutions for current and future challenges in nanotechnology R&D,” said Mark Flowers, co-founder of Nanoscience Instruments, of the decision to offer the Nascatec line.