Category Archives: MEMS

(December 7, 2010 – MARKET WIRE) — Boston Micromachines Corporation (BMC), provider of MEMS-based deformable mirror (DM) products for adaptive optics systems, has signed a consulting agreement with Bridger Photonics to quantitatively assess a new MEMS membrane deformable mirror design using Boston Micromachines’ facilities.

Bridger Photonics was awarded a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a commercial prototype of an aberration compensated focus control device. This device, based on MEMS technology, will allow the user to deflect a deformable membrane mirror in a controlled manner in order to select a desired focal length. The device also features active control of low-order aberrations. This technology will enable the next generation of biomedical imaging devices for microscopy applications by enabling focus control and aberration correction in a simple, compact and low-cost sensor.

"The two companies’ technologies complement one another very well, so the fit is natural," said Peter Roos, president and chief executive officer at Bridger Photonics, Inc. "We are excited to capitalize on BMC’s proven expertise and knowledge in the field of deformable mirrors."

"Progress in deformable mirror technology has inspired innovative researchers to make advances in fields such as astronomy, microscopy, retinal imaging, and laser communication," said Paul Bierden, president and chief executive officer at Boston Micromachines. "We are pleased to provide our extensive DM technology knowledge to Bridger Photonics to support its effort to expand the role of MEMS DM technology in wavefront correction for scientific advancement."

Boston Micromachines Corporation (BMC) provides microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based mirror products for use in commercial adaptive optics systems. By applying wavefront correction to produce high resolution images, BMC devices can be used for imaging biological tissue and the human retina and to enhance images blurred by the earth’s atmosphere. For more information on BMC, please visit www.bostonmicromachines.com.

(December 6, 2010) — ALLVIA, through-silicon via (TSV) foundry, will present its latest analysis on silicon interposers and embedded capacitors during the 3D Architectures for Semiconductor Integration and Packaging Forum in Burlingame, CA, December 9-11. Dr. Nagesh Vodrahalli, vice president of technology and manufacturing at ALLVIA, will present a discussion on December 9 titled "Silicon Interposers with TSVs and Embedded Capacitors for Advanced Logic Applications."

His discussion will address:

  • Drivers and status: VLSI packaging and 3D technologies
  • Silicon interposer as the next logical step in the evolution of VLSI packaging
  • Implementation of silicon interposers with embedded capacitors

ALLVIA  offers services for prototyping and full volume production of both front side and back side TSVs and have integrated embedded capacitors on silicon interposers, a key interface between a silicon device and an organic substrate needed for managing high interconnect densities.  Capacitance values higher than 1,500 nF/cm2 have been achieved for the embedded capacitors developed for delivering power to the devices.  3D integration with ALLVIA’s through-silicon via technology allows much closer access to high value capacitors than previously possible, leading to a much higher level of electrical performance.
 
3D Integration & Packaging Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Hotel in Burlingame, California, Dec. 8-10, 2010. See http://techventure.rti.org/
 
ALLVIA is a through-silicon via (TSV) foundry for prototyping and full volume production of both front side and back side TSVs to the MEMS and semiconductor industries as well as silicon etching, copper plating, photolithography, CMP, etc. For more information, visit www.allvia.com

(December 3, 2010 – BUSINESS WIRE) — SUSS MicroTec (FWB:SMH)(GER:SMH), equipment and process supplier for the semiconductor industry and related markets, entered into a joint development and exclusive license agreement with Rolith Inc. to develop and build nanostructuring equipment using a nanolithography method developed by Rolith. Availability of a high-throughput cost-effective technique for nanostructuring over large areas of substrate materials brings new possibilities to renewable energy and green building markets.

Rolith’s patent pending nanolithography technology is based on a proprietary implementation of near-field optical lithography using cylindrically shaped rolling masks. Sub-wavelength resolution is achieved by phase-shift interference effect or plasmonic enhancement printing structures. Continuous mode of operation will allow high throughput and low cost production. Rolith’s "Rolling Mask" nanostructuring system has potential to reach less than $2/m2 cost in production environment.

"We anticipate the technology will enable the next generation of advanced products, such as high efficiency 3D solar cells, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), smart glass, and superior quality coatings with anti-reflective/anti-glare/self-cleaning/anti-fog qualities," said Boris Kobrin, Ph.D., CEO and president of Rolith.

"Our recent achievements with nanoimprint lithography systems have made us a leading expert for structuring substrates in MEMS and nano applications," stated Frank Averdung, president and CEO, SUSS Microtec.

SUSS MicroTec supplies equipment and process solutions for microstructuring in the semiconductor industry and related markets. For more information, please visit www.suss.com.

Rolith is developing advanced nanostructured products for renewable energy and green building markets using proprietary nanolithography technology. For more information: www.rolith.com.

(December 3, 2010) — Brewer Science Inc. opened new offices in Tokyo, Japan, and Seoul, Korea. The company also operates offices in Taipei, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. The expanded Asian presence will serve the semiconductor, MEMS, and LED industries.

Our new offices are located at:

  • Brewer Science Japan, G.K., Level 28, Shinagawa Intercity A, 2-15-1, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan 108-6028.
  • Brewer Science Asia, Ltd., Korea Representative Office, 30th Floor ASEM Tower, 159-1, Samsung-dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Korea 135-798.

Brewer Science products include ARC anti-reflective coatings, ProTEK protective coatings, WaferBOND bonding materials, the ZoneBOND thin wafer processing system, OptiNDEX high refractive index materials, OptiStack multilayer lithography systems, and Cee benchtop processing equipment.

Brewer Science provides process solutions, material solutions, and equipment for applications
in semiconductor, advanced packaging, MEMS and sensors, HB LEDs, and energy devices. Learn more at www.brewerscience.com

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by Richard Dixon, iSuppli

December 2, 2010 – With the exception of the consumer/mobile MEMS market, the high-value MEMS space is the fastest-growing technology sector in MEMS today — ahead of the inkjet and automotive markets. High-value MEMS are attractive because the sensors often sell at much higher prices that for, say, consumer markets, often being designed for harsh environments or with high precision or reliability in mind. Specifically, we define high-value MEMS as sensors and actuators for applications that are outside the high-volume consumer electronics and automotive volume markets — instead, they address the industrial, medical, energy, optical telecom and aerospace-defense segments.

The volumes for high-value MEMS are usually much lower than consumer of automotive MEMS markets, but the applications are highly fragmented and sufficiently diverse to allow over 100 sensor component supply companies to do business. In addition, this sector has been capitalizing on a gamut of hot-button issues ranging from global warming to aging populations, and the market is set for very rapid growth in a large number of highly diverse segments.

Revenue for high-value MEMS is projected to reach $1.6 billion in 2010, up 29.7% from $1.2 billion in 2009. By 2014, high-value MEMS revenue will hit an estimated $2.6B, equating to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.8% when measured from the starting year of 2009.

As seen in Figure 1, industrial applications, which include sectors as disparate as building automation, oil discovery, waste-water monitoring, HVAC, and semiconductor manufacturing dominate, accounting for approximately 51% of all high-value MEMS revenue projected for 2010. It is also the fastest growing category with 21% CAGR from 2009-2014.

Medical electronics are in second place with a healthy 13% CAGR out to 2014, military and civil aerospace categories are third, with a more conservative 7% CAGR to 2014, while wired (optical) communications brings up the rear; the resurrection of the fiber optical networks after the telecom overcapacity bubble of 2000 drives this market afresh, and brings 17 % CAGR over the 5 years out to 2012.

Figure 1: Industrial applications lead the markets for high-value MEMS. (Source: iSuppli)

Global trends help to underpin an attractive market

The rapid growth of high-value MEMS comes in the wake of global trends that have positively impacted the market, particularly those associated with green energy and global warming. Saving and finding energy, and reducing CO2 emissions, are some of the key challenges of our century. MEMS ICs can help reduce energy consumption in many industrial processes, in residential heating systems, or in transportation.

MEMS devices help find energy, e.g. the especially low-noise floor accelerometers used in "geophones" that map the ground during for oil/gas exploration, or accelerometers and gyroscopes used to position the drills during measurement-while-drilling for oil. The impact for the MEMS market for "building automation" and "energy and power" applications is 30% and 26% CAGR respectively from 2009-2014.

Major changes such as an aging population and growing obesity issues in many countries (leading for example to diabetes or other disorders) are impacting the medical MEMS market. These and other factors are among the motivations for making treatments less invasive or for monitoring the movements of the elderly. MEMS used in insulin pumps increase the efficacy and comfort of insulin drug delivery, for instance, while accelerometers monitor elderly people, tirelessly watching their movements, their position or presence in a bed, if they fall, and so on.

Pressure sensors monitor gases during surgical operations or the treatment of sleep apnea. Accelerometers and gyroscopes assist surgeons by removing shake during precise operations. Emerging applications include implantable wireless pressure sensors, which are showing great promise in monitoring tell tale pressure buildup following heart surgery and are used for post-op monitoring of aneurisms. As a result markets for medical diagnostics and drug delivery devices enjoy 34% and 32% CAGR respectively from 2009 to 2014.

Figure 4: Implantable wireless pressure sensors are showing great promise in monitoring tell tale pressure buildup
following heart surgery.

BRIC countries are on the rise, and while the MEMS industry is still in its infancy in China, it is turning into a major consumer in a number for applications: flow sensors for residential metering, a growing airspace industry, and fiber-optic communications. In fact, fiber deployment in China is currently boosted by government stimuli, and by and large pulls the global optical MEMS market for telecom at 17% CAGR over the next five years.

Another fortuitous feature of the MEMS industry is the continual emergence and eventual proliferation of new devices, e.g. micro-valves which are at once the actuation valve and sensor useful in building automation HVAC. Meanwhile, staple products MEMS pressure and flow sensors help reduce energy consumption in all kinds of industrial processes — doping of water in swimming pools, residential heating and hydronic transportation systems, to mention just a few — by monitoring and adjusting parameters for different loading conditions.

Diversity = supply opportunity

In addition to the robust expansion expected for the years ahead, the high-value MEMS market is characterized by the large number of market niches in play. iSuppli has identified and currently tracks approximately 110 device and application cases in the various high-MEMS segments. And while the top 20 suppliers for the overall MEMS market account for 79% of total value, the top 20 suppliers in high-value MEMS account for only 60% — leaving more market opportunities for many suppliers to compete in the space.

A large number of disparate applications offers many opportunities
for suppliers in high-value MEMS. (Source: iSuppli)

The high-value MEMS food chain

A wide variety of suppliers populate this sector:

  • System companies with their own MEMS production, e.g. in aerospace applications including (Honeywell, BAE, Finmeccanica, Goodrich…), and in medicine (GE Sensing, Honeywell and Caliper), semiconductor testing (Formfactor, MJC…), printing (Epson, Fujifilm Dimatix…).
  • Large independent sensor suppliers like VTI and MEAS, as well as semiconductor companies with significant sensor business such as ADI, Freescale, Omron…
  • Many smaller specialized suppliers, e.g. Colibrys, MEMSCAP, Silicon Designs, Leister, Dexter… and start-ups e.g. C2V, Polychromix, Neosense, not to mention many fabless start-ups with great potential for medical applications, e.g. CardioMEMS, Debiotech, etc.

In conclusion, iSuppli is very excited about the opportunities in the less "sexy" side of MEMS — a quiet revolution that belies a very active and growing scene able to support a large number of companies.

Richard Dixon received his doctorate in semiconductor characterization from Surrey University and degree in materials science from North Kent University, and is senior analyst for MEMS at iSuppli, Spiegelstr. 2, 81241 Munich Germany; ph +49-89-207-026-070, e-mail [email protected].

(December 2, 2010 – BUSINESS WIRE) — This week at SEMICON Japan, Tegal Corporation (Nasdaq: TGAL), maker of specialized production solutions for the fabrication of advanced MEMS, power ICs and 3D ICs, will launch a new member of its ProNova family of high-density inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactors for the company’s deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) series wafer processing products. The ProNova2 is targeted for fast-growing 200mm MEMS and 3D IC applications.

It is designed to improve on etch rates of comparative tools and increase DRIE productivity and yield benefits. In addition to demonstrating sustained high etch rates, the new reactor offers a three-fold improvement in ion uniformity. For some applications, the higher uniformity enables a 40%+ improvement in etch selectivity. The ProNova2 also allows users to adjust selected etch parameters across the ICP reactor plasma and diffusion zones. This allows for better control of etch process performance across the wafer which boosts the silicon DRIE etch flexibility needed for some advanced applications.

The first ProNova2 tool has been installed in a Japanese development laboratory where it is meeting the performance expectations set by Tegal’s France-based R&D team.

Porting established MEMS processes onto 200mm tools and then improving on the baseline process results has been a key challenge for 200mm MEMS fabrication. For silicon DRIE, these challenges include achieving higher etch rates, along with tighter control of tilt angles and etch profiles, and better etch depth uniformity across 200mm wafers. The ProNova reactor family was developed to address all key market requirements identified by the 200mm MEMS community which include Tegal’s 3D IC Through Silicon Via (TSV) commercial partners. With an improved ICP reactor geometry and plasma source design, the ProNova products target better etch depth uniformity and etch profiles, as well as better etch tilt angles across 200mm wafers when compared to traditional ICP sources.

The ProNova2 is immediately available to ship on Tegal 110, 200, 3200 and 4200 DRIE wafer processing systems. It is also compatible as a retrofit with Tegal and AMMS DRIE systems already in the field. As with the first member of the ProNova family, the product supports Tegal’s Super High Aspect Ratio Process (SHARP), which achieves etched feature aspect ratios of greater than 100:1 in production environments.

Tegal will showcase the new ProNova2 at SEMICON Japan 2010, Dec. 1-3 at the Makuhari Convention Center in Chiba, Japan. For more information, please visit Tegal at the Canon Marketing Japan booth, Number 3C-701.

Tegal provides specialized production solutions for the fabrication of advanced MEMS, power ICs and 3D ICs found in products like smart phones, networking gear, solid-state lighting, and digital imaging. For more information, visit www.Tegal.com.

Also read: DRIE from MEMS to wafer-level packaging

Follow Small Times on Twitter.com with editors Pete Singer, twitter.com/PetesTweetsPW and Debra Vogler, twitter.com/dvogler_PV_semi.

(December 1, 2010 – BUSINESS WIRE) — This week at SEMICON Japan, Tegal Corporation (Nasdaq: TGAL), maker of specialized production solutions for the fabrication of advanced MEMS, power ICs and 3D ICs, will launch a new member of its ProNova family of high-density inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactors for the company’s deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) series wafer processing products. The ProNova2 is targeted for fast-growing 200mm MEMS and 3D IC applications.

It is designed to improve on etch rates of comparative tools and increase DRIE productivity and yield benefits. In addition to demonstrating sustained high etch rates, the new reactor offers a three-fold improvement in ion uniformity. For some applications, the higher uniformity enables a 40%+ improvement in etch selectivity. The ProNova2 also allows users to adjust selected etch parameters across the ICP reactor plasma and diffusion zones. This allows for better control of etch process performance across the wafer which boosts the silicon DRIE etch flexibility needed for some advanced applications.

The first ProNova2 tool has been installed in a Japanese development laboratory where it is meeting the performance expectations set by Tegal’s France-based R&D team.

Porting established MEMS processes onto 200mm tools and then improving on the baseline process results has been a key challenge for 200mm MEMS fabrication. For silicon DRIE, these challenges include achieving higher etch rates, along with tighter control of tilt angles and etch profiles, and better etch depth uniformity across 200mm wafers. The ProNova reactor family was developed to address all key market requirements identified by the 200mm MEMS community which include Tegal’s 3D IC Through Silicon Via (TSV) commercial partners. With an improved ICP reactor geometry and plasma source design, the ProNova products target better etch depth uniformity and etch profiles, as well as better etch tilt angles across 200mm wafers when compared to traditional ICP sources.

The ProNova2 is immediately available to ship on Tegal 110, 200, 3200 and 4200 DRIE wafer processing systems. It is also compatible as a retrofit with Tegal and AMMS DRIE systems already in the field. As with the first member of the ProNova family, the product supports Tegal’s Super High Aspect Ratio Process (SHARP), which achieves etched feature aspect ratios of greater than 100:1 in production environments.

Tegal will showcase the new ProNova2 at SEMICON Japan 2010, Dec. 1-3 at the Makuhari Convention Center in Chiba, Japan. For more information, please visit Tegal at the Canon Marketing Japan booth, Number 3C-701.

Tegal provides specialized production solutions for the fabrication of advanced MEMS, power ICs and 3D ICs found in products like smart phones, networking gear, solid-state lighting, and digital imaging. For more information, visit www.Tegal.com.

Also read: DRIE from MEMS to wafer-level packaging

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(December 1, 2010 – PRNewswire) — EV Group (EVG), wafer bonding and lithography equipment supplier for the MEMS, nanotechnology and semiconductor markets, developed a micro-lens molding process that can enable volume production of very-high-resolution (up to 8MP and higher) wafer-level optics for use in smart phones, pico projectors and myriad other applications.

The new Monolithic Lens Molding (MLM) capability, which was developed in-house by EVG’s process development team, is available as an option on the company’s IQ Aligner UV nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) system or can be upgraded to existing equipment. EVG expects to ship its first IQ Aligner with the MLM option in the first half of 2011.

As the size of the camera in mobile phones can be a limiting factor in mobile handset designs, there is an increasing demand for smaller camera modules that can still address the call for higher resolution and cost effectiveness. This has shifted manufacturing of both the CMOS image sensor and the micro-optics stack to the wafer level. At the same time, the evolution of wafer-level cameras toward higher pixel counts to meet higher performance standards is driving the need for more complex optical systems and, consequently, tighter manufacturing tolerances. 

In wafer-level camera production today, glass substrates are typically used as carrier and spacer wafers for the lenses, which are composed of an optical polymer material. The different material characteristics of these components limit resolution and picture quality, which hinder the scalability and quality of the camera modules. EVG’s MLM process overcomes this limitation by eliminating the need for glass substrates. Instead, the polymer is molded between two stamps and then cured with UV exposure by the EVG’s IQ Aligner system.  By omitting the glass substrates, wafer-level optics manufacturers face fewer constraints on the optic and lens stack design—enabling the production of thinner lens wafers and significantly shorter optical stacks.  In addition, since the IQ Aligner molds the micro-lenses using a room-temperature UV-NIL process versus thermal imprinting, a high degree of precision alignment is achieved between the various elements in the optical lens stack—maximizing device performance.

Visit the company in booth #4A-507 during SEMICON Japan, December 1-3, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.

EV Group (EVG) provides wafer-processing solutions for semiconductor, MEMS and nanotechnology applications. More information is available at www.EVGroup.com.

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(December 1, 2010 – Marketwire) — SiTime Corporation, MEMS-based silicon timing product maker, introduced the SiT1052, a MEMS resonator for real-time clock and time-keeping applications. The all-silicon SiT1052 can be integrated inside a plastic package, eliminating all external time-keeping components from an electronic system. The device enables total frequency stability of ±5 PPM in a system. Typical users of the SiT1052 include IC manufacturers of real time clocks, microprocessors, microcontrollers, low power radios, sensor nodes, watches, SmartCards and ASSPs for portable, handheld and consumer applications.

The SiT1052 MEMS resonator is one-tenth the size of the smallest 32.768 kHz crystal device. By using SiTime’s patented MEMS First process, the MEMS resonator is vacuum sealed in silicon, which eliminates the need for ceramic packages and hermetic sealing. Unlike quartz crystals, SiTime’s MEMS resonator die can be combined with a SOC, ASIC or ASSP die using either wire-bonding or flip-chip, and encapsulated in a cost-effective, standard semiconductor plastic package. Customers benefit from this integration with smaller board space, fewer components and faster time to market. Read more about packaging here.

The SiT1052 also enables better frequency stability than quartz, as good as ±5 PPM over temperature, voltage, and process. 32 kHz quartz resonators are known to exhibit significant frequency shifts due to solder down and reflow. Silicon MEMS resonators do not exhibit these characteristics. As a result, customers experience higher performance and reliability as well as simplicity in design and purchasing.

"SiTime addresses resonators, oscillators and clock generators. We have successfully penetrated the $1.5B oscillator market with our revolutionary MEMS-based products that offer unmatched features, exceptional performance, faster availability and lower cost," said Rajesh Vashist, CEO of SiTime. "We are now expanding into the $2 billion resonator market. SiTime has formed partnerships with key, large semiconductor companies who are already integrating the SiT1052 into their high volume chips."

Product lead times are significantly shorter than quartz devices. SiTime’s MEMS resonators can withstand shocks up to 50,000 G and vibration up to 70 G, which is 10 times better than quartz crystals. MEMS resonators also benefit from Moore’s Law and offer a cost trajectory that is significantly better than legacy quartz devices.

The SiT1052 MEMS resonator is available as known good die (KGD) and is currently in production. SiTime provides a complete solution, including resonator die and analog circuit IP.

SiTime Corporation, an analog semiconductor company, offers MEMS-based silicon timing solutions that replace legacy quartz products.For more information, please visit www.sitime.com/products/resonator/sit1052

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by Dr Phil Garrou, contributing editor

December 1, 2010 – The first IEEE International Workshop on Testing Three-Dimensional Stacked Integrated Circuits "3D-TEST" was held earlier this month in Austin TX, chaired by Yervent Zorian of Virage Logic and Erik Jan Marinissen of IMEC.

"The 3D topic is really being picked up by the test community now, commented Marinissen. "At the ITC [International Test Conference] last year coverage of 3D testing was limited. This year we see significant coverage in the main ITC meeting, followed by a this workshop dedicated to 3D Test issues which was attended by nearly 100 professionals."

Marinissen presented the early results of the IEEE Computer Societies standardization study group on 3D Test. The 42 corporate and institute participants include: AMD, ARM, Cadence, Cascade Microtech, Cisco, IBM, IMEC Infineon, ITRI, Mentor Graphics, Qualcomm, ST Micro, Synopsys, TI, TSMC and Verigy. The following standardization needs were identified:

Bob Patti, CTO of Tezzaron, discussed their form of built in self test (BIST) called Bi-STAR. He claims that Bi-STAR tests and compares 2304 bits/clock cycle, "more than 100× faster than can be achieved by any external memory tester." Reportedly Bi-STAR can test and repair bad memory cells, line drivers, and sense amps; shorted word lines and bitlines; leaky bits; and bad secondary bus drivers.

Sanjiv Taneja, VP for front-end design at Cadence, showed a long list of test challenges. Integration of design and test, he offered, is the only way to solve these complex issues, and concurrent optimization for area, timing, power, and testability is the only means to achieve required predictability.

Ken Smith of Cascade Microtech showed details on their high-density MEMS probe card technology, which makes 1g tip forces feasible and very low pad damage (and scrub marks <100nm deep) possible at 40μm array pitch.

 

Such lithographically fabricated probe cards "enable scalability which will lower cost just as IC linewidth scaling has reduced the cost of IC functions," Smith said. "Instead of probe costs being roughly proportional to pincount, the cost of a MEMS probe should be roughly proportional to the probe area."

Chen Hao, test engineer at TSMC, presented an assessment of the failure modes seen when fabricating 3D ICs with microbumps including issues with alignment, TSV voids, impurities at the bonding interfaces, nonuniformity in the insulation liner, and TSV delamination from the substrate due to the thermal stress and warpage.

Besides testing, thermal issues, electromigration, TSV redundancy, and ESD also need attention, Hao added.

Dr. Phil Garrou from Microelectronic Consultants of NC is a contributing editor for Solid State Technology and Advanced Packaging on www.ElectroIQ.com. Read his blog, Insights from the Leading Edge.