May 4, 2011 — DelfMEMS, RF MEMS player, has delivered custom samples to telecom operator NTT DOCOMO Inc. DelfMEMS provided arrays of custom micro electromechanical system (MEMS) ohmic switches to enable tunability into radio frequency (RF) frontend modules (FEM) for mobile applications. Voltage, size, losses, isolation, ultra-fast switching time and power handling will be evaluated by NTT DOCOMO according to the 6GHz requested specifications.

DelfMEMS is setting up an open technology platform to propose a new integrated micro-mechanical building block based on a new IP portfolio that solves RF MEMS ohmic switch issues. MEMS switching can reduce power consumption and bill of materials (BOM) by minimizing losses between the antenna and active devices of a FEM.

"We are working on a very basic approach" for RF MEMS, said Olivier Millet, CEO. NTT DOCOMO’s validation of these custom MEMS arrays should increase data transfer and decrease power consumption from handsets to base stations. Current insertion losses of DelfMEMS’ MEMS switches are better than advanced SOI or SoS technologies, added Millet, saying that the company is continually looking to decrease them, lower costs, and shrink sizes.

DelfMEMS develops and markets radio frequency switches based on MEMS technology. Learn more at www.delfmems.com.

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May 3, 2011 — COMSOL Inc., developer of the COMSOL Multiphysics modeling and simulation environment for scientists and engineers, announced that SB Microsystems has achieved COMSOL Certified Consultant status.

SB Microsystems provides engineering expertise in micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfluidic device design, simulation, prototyping, testing, and fabrication. It offers particular expertise in medical and scientific sensors and instrumentation in which micro-scale miniaturization and low power consumption are critical criteria for its clients’ success.

"SB Microsystems enables us to better serve our users developing microfluidic devices as well as those researching and developing new products leveraging MEMS-based technologies in such emerging fields as implantable biological sensors, miniature analytical instruments, and sensors for point-of-care medical testing," said Bernt Nilsson, senior VP of marketing, COMSOL.

SB Microsystems provides research, development, and consulting services for clients both public and private worldwide. The company works with clients at any step within the MEMS and microfluidic device development and fabrication lifecycle. Additional services rendered include process design as well as detailed design ranging from final mask-level layout, circuit design, and CAD drawings of traditionally machined parts. SB Microsystems also maintains in-house testing facilities that can meet requirements ranging from simple acceptance testing through to complete bench-top and environmental characterization.

"Many of our projects begin with theoretical proof-of-concept and continue right on through the formalization of agreements with semiconductor foundries and vendors," says Brian Jamieson, president of SB Microsystems.

A key to SB Microsystems’ attention to good engineering design is its extensive, hands-on experience with such state-of-the-art techniques and tools as the COMSOL MEMS Module, according to Jamieson. The module, which solves problems that couple structural mechanics, microfluidics, and electromagnetics, extends the core capabilities of the COMSOL Multiphysics modeling and simulation environment for the unique engineering problems encountered in the design and modeling of microscale electro-mechanical systems.

COMSOL’s flagship product is COMSOL Multiphysics, a software environment for the modeling and simulation of any physics-based system. A particular strength of COMSOL Multiphysics is its ability to account for multiple physics phenomena simultaneously. Optional modules add discipline-specific tools for acoustics, batteries and fuel cells, chemical engineering, electrodeposition, electromagnetics, fluid dynamics, geomechanics, heat transfer, MEMS, plasma, structural analysis, and subsurface flow.

The COMSOL MEMS Module enables SB Microsystems to address almost all simulations in the microscale domain. "As a COMSOL Certified Consultant," says Jamieson, "we are able to offer manufacturers and developers of highly miniaturized sensors and instruments certified expertise in the modeling and simulation of the coupled mechanical, thermal, and electrical phenomena inherent in MEMS and micro-fluidic devices."

COMSOL Certified Consultants produce ready-to-run models and reports as well as in-depth analyses of simulation results. The collective expertise of the COMSOL Certified Consultant group covers a breadth of applications and has resulted in the commercialization of many patented products. For further information about COMSOL Certified Consultants, visit www.comsol.com/company/consultants.

SB Microsystems helps its clients develop highly miniaturized medical and scientific sensors and systems using modern micro-fabrication technologies such as MEMS. To contact SB Microsystems for further information, visit www.sbmicrosystems.us.

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May 3, 2011 — Solid State System Co., Ltd (3S), an IC design house, released engineering samples of its wafer-level micro electromechanical system (MEMS) microphone. SSSM100 is a tiny analog output CMOS MEMS microphone manufactured under standard CMOS process and wafer level packaging (WLP) technology.

Differing from most of the other MEMS microphones that need separate chips, SSSM100 has successfully integrated the MEMS sensor and the amplifier onto one single chip. 3S expects the resulting small form factor to give users flexibility in design. Engineering samples are available.

Solid State System Co., Ltd (3S) provides IC design and related test equipment for Flash Data Storage Controller ICs, Multi-media ICs, as well as a line of non-volatile Memory ASICs, and now MEMS. Learn more at www.3system.com.tw

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April 28, 2011 — Samsung Electronics Co. in 2010 recaptured the top spot from Nintendo Co. as the largest buyer of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors for mobile phones and other consumer electronics like tablets, while Apple Inc. grabbed second place to move within striking distance of number 1, according to new research from Jérémie Bouchaud of IHS iSuppli.

The finalized rankings show that Samsung last year bought approximately $200 million worth of MEMS sensors, which went mostly to its mobile handsets, a considerable increase from $137 million that the company spent in 2009. Also the top spender for consumer and mobile MEMS in 2008, Samsung finished as runner-up in 2009, muscled out by Nintendo.

Jumping from third to second spot was Apple, not far behind Samsung with $195 million in spending. For its part, Nintendo fell to third with $125 million after a brief stay at the top in 2009. LG Electronics remained at fourth with $97 million, followed by Sony Corp. moving into fifth with $95 million.

Rounding out the top 10, in descending order:

• Nokia Corp. with $83 million;
• Sony Ericsson with $41 million;
• Mitsubishi Electric with $38 million;
• Motorola Inc. with $35 million;
• And Canon Inc. with $32 million.

Figure. Top consumer and mobile MEMS purchasers (millions of USD). SOURCE: IHS iSuppli April 2011.

Four companies on the list had lower MEMS expenditures in 2010 than in 2009:

• Mitsubishi suffered the biggest drop at 33.3%;
• Nintendo with 11.5%;
• Motorola with 10.3%;
• Sony Ericsson with 4.7%.

The consumer and mobile MEMS segment is the largest sector of a broad, sprawling MEMS industry, which also boasts of thriving individual markets for wired communications, industrial, military and civil aerospace, automotive and data processing.

As the top buyer of consumer and mobile MEMS, Samsung’s shopping bag included bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters from Avago Technologies and TriQuint Semiconductor, followed by accelerometers from Bosch Sensortec, Kionix and STMicroelectronics, according to information provided by IHS iSuppli’s Teardown Service.

Other important MEMS items purchased by Samsung last year included microphones from Knowles Electronics, gyroscopes from STMicroelectronics, and digital light processing (DLP) chips for pico projectors from Texas Instruments.

Apple proved to have the highest growth in consumer and mobile MEMS expenditures, up 116.7% from $90 million in 2009. The MEMS sensors bought by Apple last year included 3-axis gyroscopes from STMicroelectronics for the iPhone 4, iPod Touch, and — toward the end of 2010 — the iPad 2 tablet. Apple also bought accelerometers for the above three devices as well as for the iPod Nano and MacBook computer. In addition, BAW duplexers came from TriQuint for the iPhone and iPad 3G; while Analog Devices Inc., Knowles and AAC Inc. (using die from Infineon Technologies) provided Apple with MEMS microphones for the iPod Nano 5th Generation, iPhone 4 and Apple headsets and the iPad 2.

Apple is responsible for creating new MEMS markets for consumer electronics and handsets far beyond its own consumption, IHS believes. The first iPhone made it popular for handsets to use accelerometers — devices that provide auto-screen rotation and gesture-based command functions — and was a market worth $304 million in 2010. The iPhone 4 also employed gaming-style gyroscopes, a $49 million market in 2010 that will jump to more than $100 in handsets. Likewise, the MEMS industry owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Apple for single-handedly reviving the tablet, a hotbed for MEMS projected to be worth more than $200 million by 2015.

Nintendo’s third-spot finish this year was marked by the company’s MEMS expenditures on single- and dual-axis gyroscopes from InvenSense, intended for both the Wii Motion Plus remote controller as well as for Nintendo’s newly released 3DS handheld device featuring 3-D gaming. Nintendo also bought single-axis gyroscopes from Epson Toyocom, as well as accelerometers from STMicroelectronics and Bosch Sensortec for the Wii and 3DS.

LG Electronics, staying put in fourth place this year, purchased MEMS mostly for its handsets. The company also obtained BAW filters from Avago; microphones from Knowles; accelerometers from Bosch Sensortec, Kionix, Freescale Semiconductor and STMicroelectronics; and toward the end of the year 3-axis gyroscopes from InvenSense and STMicroelectronics.

Sony’s one step move up from sixth place in 2009 placed it second, after Apple, in yearly MEMS expenditure growth, up 55.8% from $61 million in 2009. Sony bought gyroscopes as the company’s highest spend, sourced from various players and fitted to the Sony Move remote controller for the PlayStation 3 game console.

Suppliers to Sony included STMicroelectronics for single-, dual and 3-axis gyroscopes; Sony itself for the dual-axis version; and Murata, Epson Toyocom and STMicroelectronics for the single-axis gyroscope in the Dualshock controller for the PlayStation 3. Accelerometers also were needed for the Sony Move and Dualshock from Kionix, with STMicroelectronics serving as a second source.

Learn more at http://www.isuppli.com/MEMS-and-Sensors/Pages/Consumer-MEMS-The-Sky-is-the-Limit.aspx?MWX

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April 28, 2011 — Researchers at Oregon State University have found a way to use magnetic "nanobeads" to help detect chemical and biological agents, with possible applications in everything from bioterrorism to medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and water and food safety.

The sensor tech will be developed into a handheld, portable sensor that provides a whole diagnostic laboratory on a single chip. The research could revolutionize the size, speed and accuracy of chemical detection systems around the world.

Figure 1. Immunoassay based sensor: How the new sensor technology developed at Oregon State University might work using magnetic beads. (Graphic courtesy of Oregon State University).

New findings on this microfluidic sensor were recently reported in Sensors and Actuators, and the university is pursuing a patent on related technologies. The collaborative studies were led by Vincent Remcho, an OSU professor of chemistry and associate dean for research and graduate programs in the OSU College of Science, and Pallavi Dhagat, an assistant professor in the OSU School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Other OSU researchers working on this project include Tim Marr, a graduate student in electrical engineering, and Esha Chatterjee, a graduate chemistry student.

The scientists tap into the capability of ferromagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles to detect chemicals with sensitivity and selectivity. These ferromagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can be incorporated into a system of integrated circuits (ICs) to instantly display the findings.

Because the nanoparticles are made of iron, they can be used as a signaling device with support of magnetism and electronics, providing immediate access to the information, said Remcho.

According to Dhagat, this should result in a powerful sensing technology that is fast, accurate, inexpensive, mass-producible, and small enough to hold in your hand. Existing assays are often cumbersome and time-consuming, using biochemical probes that require expensive equipment, expert personnel, or a complex laboratory to detect or interpret.

Figure 2. The technology developed at Oregon State University uses ferromagnetic "nanobeads" to develop a powerful, small new type of sensor. (Graphic courtesy of Oregon State University)

In the new approach, tiny nanoparticles could be attached to these biochemical probes. When a chemical of interest is detected, a ferromagnetic resonance is used to relay the information electronically to a tiny computer and the information immediately displayed to the user. No special thin films or complex processing is required, but the detection capability is still extremely sensitive and accurate.

Rapid detection of chemical toxins used in bioterrorism would be possible, including such concerns as anthrax, ricin or smallpox. The work has been supported by a four-year grant from the Army Research Laboratory, in collaboration with the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute.

Routine and improved monitoring of commercial water treatment and supplies could be pursued, along with other needs in environmental monitoring, cargo inspections, biomedical applications in research or medical care, pharmaceutical drug testing, or even more common uses in food safety.

The concept has been proven in the latest study, the scientists say, and work is continuing with microfluidics research to make the technology robust and durable for extended use in the field.

Courtesy of David Stauth, http://hdl.handle.net/1957/20494

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