Category Archives: MEMS

October 27, 2011 — China will buy about 10% more micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) in 2011 year-over-year, which is slower expansion than the 33% leap from 2009 to 2010. China’s efforts to dampen inflation are having an effect, shows data from the IHS iSuppli China Research report, which suggests that the market is "expanding at a healthy rate."

China MEMS revenue will reach $1.6 billion in 2011, growing to $2.6 billion in 2015, a 5-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.1%.

Figure. China MEMS consumption (revenues). SOURCE: IHS iSuppli October 2011.

The 33% growth seen in 2010 was driven by an expansion of China’s manufacturing capacity for MEMS-integrating products: mobile phones, automotive electronics, and consumer electronic devices. This, combined with financial incentives from a lending-inclined Chinese government, created an expansion that is unlikely to be repeated, IHS reports.

2011 and future revenue growth will come from 3 major trends: new consumer experiences, falling MEMS production costs, and rising demand for MEMS-heavy mobile electronics (smartphones and tablets). The decrease in production costs, IHS asserts, will result from an increase in suppliers and improvements to MEMS technology and production processes. Production costs will decrease quickly, IHS forecasts.

MEMS microphones, accelerometers and gyroscopes — integrated into mobile/consumer products — will grow the fastest in China’s MEMS market. IHS expects these MEMS to bring $1.3 billion in 2015 revenues, with a CAGR of 21% from 2011 to 2015. Automotive MEMS in China will see a 14% CAGR; industrial MEMS will hit 12% CAGR over the same period.

Read more in China is Ripe for Expected MEMS Market Growth in 2011 and Beyond at http://www.isuppli.com/China-Electronics-Supply-Chain/Pages/China-is-Ripe-for-Expected-MEMS-Market-Growth-in-2011-and-Beyond.aspx?MWX

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Helsinki-based ScanNano,a private Finnish R&D firm that specializes in MEMS technology at the nanoscale, has partnered with STMicroelectronics with the goal of combining RF MEMS and CMOS.

According to Dr. Andrei Pavlov, president and founder of ScanNano Tek, the program is intended to design, prototype and evaluate, MEMS devices, using ScanNano’s Deep Vacuum Gap (DVG) manufacturing technology. In the first-stage, the devices will be directed mainly towards Radio Frequency (RF) applications (e.g. RF switches, variable capacitors and integrated circuits) in the telecommunications market. The program will also evaluate the design and cost benefits expected from using DVG Technology at the commercial production stage.

Pavlov explained that, "Proving out our DVG technology is a critical step in our strategy to grow Scannano into a major designer of advanced Nano-MEMS devices for a wide range of new applications in many different markets."

Pavlov describes deep vacuum gap technology as a unique method of producing highly accurate vacuum gaps within MEMS and NANO devices without the need for multiple fabrication and encapsulation steps. DVG permits the fabrication of structures having nano-gaps which can be as small as a few nanometers in size, or even less than 1nm (e.g., 0.5nm). There can be several nanogaps in one device and the device may have multi-gap or multi-nano-gap structures.

Present technology requires the use of a sacrificial layer and an etching process which limits the minimum size of the gap because it is more difficult to etch thinner sacrificial layer materials underneath the top structure. Accordingly, the sensitivity of the MEMS structure is lower for larger gaps and higher power is needed to control the devices. Furthermore, most traditional MEMS devices require a vacuum in the gap and therefore, require special protection from ambient atmosphere, such as sealing and encapsulation. Because ScanNano’s DVG devices can be produced accurately at the NANO scale, many more devices can be accommodated in the same space, offer lower power consumption and encapsulation is not necessary. Furthermore, the demanding requirements associated with current MEMS/NANO technologies limits the range of qualified manufacturing facilities. On the other hand, ScanNano’s DVG technology permits its implementation in conventional CMOS manufacturing facilities. And because encapsulation is not required, material and manufacturing costs are significantly reduced, explained Pavlov.

October 26, 2011 – Marketwire — Display companies Pixtronix Inc. and Chimei Innolux Corp. (CMI) collaborated on the development of 5"-diagonal micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) display prototypes. The displays use Pixtronix’s proprietary MEMS technology and were built by CMI.

The 5" display boasts over 135% NTSC color gamut, greater than 170 degree view angles, more than 3,000:1 contrast ratio and 24-bit color depth, all at a 75% average power reduction versus LCD displays.

Also read: Qualcomm’s approach to displays

The companies will demonstrate the prototypes at FPD International 2011, October 26-28 in Yokohama, Japan (Pixtronix booth 3502 and CMI booth 3602). At last year’s FPD International, the partners announced a 2.5"-diagonal display. The new MEMS display is four times that prototype’s resolution, and twice the size.

The 5" display suits "the smart phone and tablet markets," said Tony Zona, CEO of Pixtronix. Zona added that the partners will continue to collaborate on performance and commercialization.

The PerfectLight display is an innovative low-power multimedia display for portable devices, achieving over 135% NTSC color gamut, 24-bit color depth, and 100 microsecond shutter response times; all with a 75% power reduction versus LCD displays. In addition, this new class of display offers Application Agility to dynamically optimize image quality and power consumption for all applications, ranging from full speed video to e-reader operation in a single device. The PerfectLight display is based upon Pixtronix’s Digital Micro Shutter MEMS technology, which is built within standard LCD infrastructure and eliminates liquid crystals, polarizers and color filters to enable a highly efficient, programmable display with proven MEMS reliability.

CMI is one of the leading worldwide manufacturers of TFT-LCD display products, including TFT-LCD panels, and total solutions for LCD TV and monitor systems. Its one-stop shopping business model vertically integrates TFT-LCD panel manufacturing expertise with systems assembly capabilities. More information about CMI is available at www.chimei-innolux.com.

Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts and led by experts in the fields of displays, optics and MEMS, the Pixtronix mission is to develop, license and market the perfect display for today’s multimedia lifestyle. The company’s PerfectLight displays combine the best image quality at the lowest power consumption for all applications and are designed to scale from mobile devices to desktop displays through HD televisions. Pixtronix’s investors include Atlas Venture, Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, and Samsung Venture Investment Corporation. For more information, visit www.pixtronix.com.

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October 26, 2011 — North Dakota State University, Fargo, researchers have developed a packaging technology using Thermo-Mechanical Selective Laser Assisted Die Transfer (tmSLADT) to reduce the size and cost of microelectronics packages.

Laser-Enabled Advanced Packaging (LEAP) can be scaled to high volumes, and is a contactless assembly method for ultrathin semiconductor chips onto rigid and flexible substrates. NDSU researchers have successfully implemented LEAP to fabricate a functional electronic device on a flexible substrate.

Figure 1. Microelectronics packaging developed at North Dakota State University, Fargo. Laser-Enabled Advanced Packaging (LEAP) uses Thermo-Mechanical Selective Laser Assisted Die Transfer (tmSLADT).

The technology has been under development by the Advanced Electronics Packaging research group at the North Dakota State University Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), Fargo, N. D., since 2008. The research group is led by Dr. Val Marinov, associate professor of manufacturing engineering; and includes Dr. Orven Swenson, associate professor of physics at NDSU; Ross Miller, research engineer apprentice; and CNSE research staff, graduate students and undergraduate research assistants.

The laser-assisted packaging process selectively and rapidly places ultra-thin (<50

October 25, 2011 — Photonic switch maker CALIENT Technologies Inc. raised a $19.4 million round of venture financing, bringing in new and existing investors, to expand into data center and cloud computing markets and ramp its new portfolio of 3D micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) photonic switching systems and modules for OEMs and system integration partners.

CALIENT is using these funds to respond to market demand for high bandwidth communications in new markets, said Atiq Raza, chairman and CEO of CALIENT, calling out data centers and cloud computing networks as "exciting new opportunities" with "unprecedented growth in server deployments." The new family of modular photonic switching systems and subsystems target enterprise and cloud data centers, as well as subsea cable and government networks.

Also read: Is telecom ready to embrace MEMS-based solutions?

CALIENT is pursuing the new applications sectors with better power efficiency, more modularity in a smaller form factor, and lower cost switches based on its 3D optical MEMS technology. The MEMS mirrors are fabricated using proprietary deep-silicon plasma etch. CALIENT designs and fabricates its systems using the state of art optical MEMS equipment at its corporate headquarters in Santa Barbara, CA. The scalable capacity helps networks grow in speed from 10Gbps to 40Gbps and 100Gbps.

Photonics switches reconfigure high-bandwidth connectivity within and between data center sites to support time-of-day or instantaneous demand variations, or disaster recovery scenarios.

CALIENT Technologies provides 3D MEMS adaptive photonic switches for content networks. For more information, visit at www.calient.net.

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October 24, 2011 — Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and University of Colorado Boulder (CU) developed a low-power microchip combining microfluidics and magnetic switches to trap and transport magnetic beads.

The magnetic particle microfluidics approach has traditionally required continuous power, and heat can be an issue. The demo chip features two adjacent lines of 12 thin-film magnet switches called spin valves, commonly used as magnetic sensors in read heads of high-density computer disk drives. These spin valves have been optimized for magnetic trapping. Pulses of electric current are used to switch individual spin valve magnets “on” to trap a bead, or “off” to release it, moving the bead down a ladder formed by the two lines. The beads start out suspended in salt water above the valves before being trapped in the array.

Figure. Micrograph of magnetic microfluidic chip developed by the NIST and CU. Brief pulses of electrical current in the two orange lines generate a magnetic field to turn individual spin valves (blue bars) on and off, moving a magnetic bead up or down the “ladder.” SOURCE: W. Altman/CU and NIST.

This design creates a "switchable permanent magnet" that requires power only to switch on (for less than a microsecond), said NIST physicist John Moreland.

NIST researchers previously demonstrated that spin valves could be used to trap and rotate particles and recently were awarded two patents related to the idea of a magnetic chip. (U.S. Patent 7,981,696 B2, awarded July 19, 2011, and U.S. Patent 7,985,599 B2, awarded July 26, 2011. Inventors John Moreland, Elizabeth Mirowski, and Stephen Russek. Microfluidic platform of arrayed switchable spin-valve elements for high-throughput sorting and manipulation of magnetic particles and biomolecules.)

Biotechnology and medical diagnostics applications could use the chip in bioassay magnetic tags. The chip demonstration provides a conceptual foundation for a more complex magnetic random access memory (MRAM) for molecular and cellular manipulation. For example, programmable microfluidic MRAM chips might simultaneously control a large number of beads, and the attached molecules or cells, to assemble “smart” tags with specified properties, such as an affinity for a given protein at a specific position in the array. NIST is also interested in developing cellular and molecular tags for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in which individual cells, such as cancer cells or stem cells, would be tagged with a smart magnetic biomarker that can be tracked remotely in an MRI scanner, Moreland says. Automated spin valve chips might also be used in portable instruments for rapid medical diagnosis or DNA sequencing.

Results were published by lead author Wendy Altman, who did the research at NIST as a CU graduate student working on her doctoral thesis. Another author, Bruce Han, was a CU student in NIST’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program. See: W.R. Altman, J. Moreland, S.E. Russek, B.W. Han and V. M. Bright. 2011. Controlled transport of superparamagnetic beads with spin-valves. Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 14, Oct. 3.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Learn more at www.nist.gov.

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October 21, 2011 – BUSINESS WIRE — Scientific & Biomedical Microsystems, LLC, a developer of scientific and medical sensors and systems based on micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) and other microfabrication technologies, was awarded a 5-year Schedule 871 contract by the US General Services Administration (GSA).

The contract will streamline the ability of all United States Federal agencies and contractors to purchase SB Microsystems’ advanced design, fabrication and test services.

Scientific & Biomedical Microsystems also recently added 2 hires, with 2 additional openings available.

Company representatives will take part in Governor O’Malley’s Investment and Trade Mission to India (Nov. 28-Dec. 3)

The Schedule 871 contract takes effect September 27th 2011.

SB Microsystems’ core capabilities include MEMS, microfluidics, embedded systems, precision machining, biosensors and wireless sensor networks. It provides a full scope of early-stage product development services from concept development and detailed design all the way through to prototype fabrication, test, and manufacturing. For more information about Scientific & Biomedical Microsystems, please visit http://www.sbmicrosystems.us/index.html

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October 21, 2011 — Imec engineers fabricated <1 picoliter sealed cavities directly on 200mm silicon wafers, using freestanding thin membranes of nanoporous anodic alumina (PAA). The thin-film vacuum wafer processing technology can package micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) at the wafer level with strong, hermetic results.

Traditional thin-film wafer-level MEMS packaging techniques use lithography-defined release holes to remove the sacrificial layer and form the microcavity between the MEMS and the capping layer, potentially enabling sealing material to leak inside the cavity, onto the MEMS structures.

In Imec’s MEMS packaging method, nanopores serve as release etch holes. The cap layer with nanopores is a freestanding PAA membrane around 2-3µm thick. The cylindrical nanopores boast a 15-20nm diameter, creating an aspect ratio of >100. The high aspect ratio lets these holes close very rapidly during the first stage of sealing.

Figure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of empty PAA-based thin-film packages, together with cross-section schematics (a-e) showing the process steps.

First, a 3µm chemical vapor deposition (CVD) oxide sacrificial layer is deposited, patterned to obtain anchors and supporting pillars for the package. Next, a 1-1.5µm aluminium layer is sputtered. This layer is anodized, using a mask to define the microcavity areas. PAA membranes are typically 50% thicker than the original aluminium layer. Next, the sacrificial oxide layer under the membranes is etched away by exposing the wafer to HF vapour. Finally, the packages are sealed using a 4µm plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) silicon nitride layer.

Imec aimed to perform thin-film wafer-level MEMS packaging with reduced complexity. The wafer-level packaging (WLP) process takes place at low temperatures. It is reportedly simple, non-organic, and RF-compatible (the packages have a negligible impact on RF transmission for signal frequencies up to 67GHz). The dielectric caps are optically transparent, suiting optical MEMS applications.

Imec performs world-leading research in nanoelectronics. Further information on imec can be found at www.imec.be. Also read: Imec: First poly-SiGe MEMS on Cu-backend CMOS

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October 20, 2011 — Boosted by key design wins in Apple Inc. products like the iPad and iPhone, Asahi Kasei Microsystems (AKM) in 2010 retained its position as the world’s largest supplier of silicon magnetic sensors, according to an IHS iSuppli Magnetic Sensors Special Report from information and analysis provider IHS (NYSE: IHS).

IHS estimates that Japan’s AKM in 2010 accrued revenue of $300 million for magnetic sensors, up 58% from $190 million in 2009. This allowed it to reprise its No. 1 rank from 2009, as presented in the figure.

AKM led the market because of huge strides in supplying Hall electronic magnetic compasses, which are used in products like cellphones, tablets, digital still cameras, portable navigation devices and MP3 players.

Also read: Electronic compasses: Strong revenues from nav, gaming, military…

“An important segment of the magnetic sensor market is the digital compass, which has become a standard feature in GPS enabled smartphones and tablets,” said Richard Dixon, senior analyst for MEMS and sensors at IHS. “AKM has scored design wins for its 3-axis electronic compasses in the iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, among other notable smartphone and tablet products. Because of this strong adoption, more than one-third of Asahi Kasei’s overall magnetic sensor revenue in 2010 came from 3-axis electronic compasses.”

The remaining two-thirds came from low-cost switches and sensors for consumer electronics and appliances, in which AKM also has undisputed worldwide dominance.

Top 5 magnetic silicon suppliers by revenue. SOURCE: IHS iSuppli October 2011.

“AKM enjoys tremendous economies of scale in producing commodity Hall devices and integrated circuits that few other manufacturers can match,” Dixon said. “Meanwhile, the high prices for compasses have served to keep the company at the top rank.”

AKM and four other top players together accounted for more than 80 percent of the global market for silicon magnetic sensors, which in addition to compasses are used extensively in automotive applications.

Revenue in 2010 from the Top 5 magnetic silicon suppliers reached a combined $962.0 million, or 82 percent of the market’s $1.18 billion value. The Top 5 consisted of AKM, Massachusetts-based Allegro Microsystems Inc., Infineon Technologies of Germany, Micronas of Switzerland, and Melexis N.V. of Belgium, as shown in the table below.

Second-ranked Allegro Microsystems, which had $264 million in revenue, was also the foremost supplier of automotive magnetic sensors. Magnetic sensors are found in more than 70 automotive applications, including anti-lock brake systems, electronic steering and throttle control, battery management and automatic transmission systems.

Allegro is putting increasing emphasis on higher-value automotive products, such as camshaft position sensors. Allegro is strong in supplying current sensors for battery management in automotive applications. Its revenue growth was strongest among the Top 5, up 75 percent from $151 million in 2009.

The No. 3 company, Infineon, was the leading supplier of automotive wheel-speed sensors. Revenue in 2010 for Infineon amounted to $148 million, up 40 percent from $106 million in 2009. Although most of its revenue comes from Hall magnetic ICs, Infineon is also pioneering an integrated giant magnetoresistive sensor element and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that has higher spatial resolution than Hall sensors, suitable for precision applications like steering-wheel angle measurement. The company has no consumer electronics focus.

Fourth-ranked Micronas, with magnetic sensor revenue of $143 million, was also the top supplier of linear Hall sensors. It has a wide-ranging portfolio—a majority of it in automotive—but also benefits from a growing focus on industrial sensors. Micronas has been developing 3D Hall technology, but lags behind Melexis, a company that already has an established market presence for this new technology. The 3D Hall devices extend the spatial revolution of existing Hall sensors, allowing them to continue to compete against higher-performance magnetoresistive magnetic sensors. Micronas revenue in 2010 was up 36 percent from $105 million.

Melexis, the No. 5 company, concentrates on automotive applications and recently has gained significant presence in the emerging Chinese car markets. With revenue of $107 million, Melexis also supplies commodity Hall switches for cellphone display management applications. The company is unchallenged as the top supplier of acceleration pedal sensors, where its Hall sensors and 3D Hall sensors are deployed in electronic throttle control systems widely used on many cars today. Revenue in 2010 was up 43 percent, the third highest in the group, from $75 million in 2009.

See the IHS iSuppli report "Digital Compasses Pick Up Reins of Magnetic Sensor Market" at http://www.isuppli.com/MEMS-and-Sensors/Pages/Digital-Compasses-Pick-up-Reins-of-Magnetic-Sensors-Market.aspx?PRX

IHS (NYSE: IHS) provides market analysis on energy and power; design and supply chain; defense, risk and security; environmental, health and safety (EHS) and sustainability; country and industry forecasting; and commodities, pricing and cost. Learn more at www.ihs.com.

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October 20, 2011 — At the MEMS Executive Congress 2011, November 2-3, in Monterey, CA, a demo event will showcase MEMS-enabled applications from medical devices to entertainment and computing systems.

MEMS Executive Congress is hosted by the MEMS Industry Group (MIG). This year marks the first MEMS Technology Showcase at the event. Each finalist will get five minutes to wow the audience, who will text-message votes for their favorite demo. Panel moderator Sam Guilaumé, CEO, Movea, will crown the winner at the end of the day.

MEMS Technology Showcase finalists include:

“Red Ridge” from Intel
A new tablet form-factor reference design enabling OEM customers and developers to design and manufacture products using the “Medfield” platform. “Medfield,” Intel’s next-generation, 32nm SoC processor, will support the development of devices with even lower power, smaller footprints, more integration of features and stunning performance. “Medfield” is compatible with the Intel® Wireless Display technology, which eases the sharing of high-definition content wirelessly among a tablet, PC and TV.
ShowWX+ HDMI from MicroVision
A high-brightness, handheld pico projector that lets users project images, presentations and video as large as 100 inches across from an Apple iPhone or iPad or a laptop onto any available surface. With the addition of an HDMI input, the ShowWX+HDMI supports the connection to a broad array of new host devices that have HDMI as their output standard.
The Raisin System from Proteus Biomedical
Combines pharmaceuticals, medical devices, telecommunications and social networking in a seamless solution. The Raisin System delivers a fully integrated wellness experience, combining daily medications with the information, education and motivation consumers and their families need to maximize individual health outcomes. The core enabling innovations of this system are the Proteus Ingestible Event Marker (IEM), the Raisin Personal Monitor and the HealthTiles application environment.
MOD Live from Recon Instruments
An interactive display for the world’s first GPS-enabled goggles. New this fall, MOD Live snap-fits into Recon-ready goggles, delivering sleek graphics and smart optics that are completely non-obtrusive for front and peripheral vision. MOD Live offers real-time feedback, including speed, jump analytics, latitude/longitude, altitude, vertical distance travelled, total distance travelled, chrono/stopwatch mode, a run-counter, temperature and time. MOD Live also integrates with Android smartphones for additional apps and live connectivity, giving access to navigation, resort points of interest, caller ID, text messaging, MP3 playlists, buddy tracking, wireless camera sync, and much more.
MEMS-Based Heart Rate Monitor from R0R3 Devices
A MEMS-based heart-rate monitor which provides advantages over chest strap electrocardiograms (ECG), offering accurate heart-rate measurement for wearers engaging in periodic motion such as running, doing push-ups or jumping jacks. It is also ideally suited for medical applications. The monitor offers an innovative wireless ANT+ communications and conforms to the basic profile for heart-rate monitor for GPS watches, such as Garmin and others. Other models communicate directly with Droid and iPad for remote patient monitoring.
The Air Mini Keyboard from Sunrex
An in-air remote control with integrated keyboard used by the PayTV industry for interactive TV applications and media control. The Air Mini Keyboard is also ideal for PC-connected home theater applications. The new keyboard is currently in production for large OEM customers.
Sys-Evo from Syride
A light (110 g) and compact (12.5 x 10.5 x 2 cm) electronic module for surfboards. Sys-Evo monitors wave height, wave direction, distance traveled, and the duration of the wave. It also monitors the surfer’s actions (waiting time, paddling, riding), providing information on a surfer’s strengths and weaknesses and benchmarking performance relative to the athlete’s own goals and to the competition.

Register for MEMS Executive Congress, a business gathering of MEMS companies and OEMS hosted by MEMS Industry Group, here: http://www.memsindustrygroup.org

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