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MEMS isn’t NEW


May 30, 2012

Karen Lightman, MEMS Industry Group (MIG), lets us in on the real meaning of MEMS new product development. MEMS are micro electro mechanical systems.

May 30, 2012 — What do you think of when I say the words “MEMS new product development?” Do you envision new categories of newly discovered MEMS hatching somewhere in a university lab? If your answer is “yes,” perhaps you should rethink that — because MEMS isn’t new.  If we are to grow this $9 billion/year industry to a hundred-billion or even trillion dollar industry as some predict, we need to think of new MEMS in terms of how the “regular, everyday” MEMS we have right now are used in development of new end products.  Whether these new MEMS-enabled products come from a combination of market pull and/or technology push, there are challenges and hurdles that the industry must come together to address, now!

That is why we focused the MEMS Industry Group (MIG) Member-to-Member (M2M) Forum® on MEMS “New Product Development” earlier in May — because it is so time-critical for the MEMS industry to come together and address these barriers and challenges to commercialization that are hindering growth. Barriers that I like to call the “stickiness of MEMS,” which include the “S” word of MEMS — “Standards” for things such as testing, packaging…not the sexy, shiny, bright things that are hatched in the lab and then probably never make it to the market.

I invited Len Sheynblat of Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT) to give the keynote, “Sensor Systems Integration Challenges,” which spelled out in very specific terms what the MEMS industry needs to do, specifically, Sensor API Standardization. He shared QCT’s commonly requested sensor vendors: 18+! With 26+ sensor product lines! And on top of this, there are numerous handset and tablet OEMS with different ecosystems: Android, Windows, RIM (which used to be Palm), etc.  They all want to be loved, and this makes developing with MEMS just a smidge complex.

Sounds a bit nightmarish, don’t you think? I sure do, and MIG will be working with our members and strategic partners, including the MIPI Alliance, to address these challenges and issues of the stickiness of MEMS. I urge you to contact me and become active and involved in our M2M Action Item Task Forces.

That’s also why the MIG Technology Advisory Committee (MIG TAC) chose Mary Ann Maher, CEO of SoftMEMS, as the winner of our first-ever white paper competition, because she discussed the important issue of co-design and yes, standards. And because Mary Ann was the evening speaker, she also made the presentation into a drinking game. (Every time she said “co-design,” you were to take a sip; I gave up after the 15th time.)

And as we have every year, since MIG began with DARPA funding, we also had working groups to dive deeper into the conference topic. Our working group leaders (Jim Knutti of Acuity, Mike Mignardi of TI, Jason Tauscher of MicroVision and Valerie Marty of HP) did a fantastic job of moderating the rich discussions we had in the working group breakout groups on “Market Pull vs. Technology Push” and “MEMS Technology Development.” I encourage you to check out the MIG resource library to see the body of knowledge and case studies we’ve gathered; and MIG action item task forces will be forming soon to carry out several of the recommendations.

M2M Forum also featured a panel of speakers expressing diverse opinions and perspectives on new product commercialization — from those involved heavily and not so heavily with MEMS. The panel included: Anne Schneiderman of Harris Beach, an expert in IP law; Stefan Finkbeiner, a MEMS device manufacturing veteran with Bosch/Akustica; Matt Apanius with SMART Commercialization Center for Microsystems, who is well versed in tech transfer from lab to fab; and Ivo Stivoric with BodyMedia, someone who embodies a MEMS supplier’s dream of an end-user company.

My favorite part of the panel was when Ivo described the challenges in understanding/analyzing the “white space in the market.” He warned that as a consumer of MEMS, he oftentimes doesn’t need a new device; he just needs a tweak or two and then wants the device manufacturer to “just go away” so he can go back to his customers. Amen, brother. I want that for you, too. Because the truth is that MEMS isn’t new, and so we need to find the solutions to these challenges to commercialization, and then move on to conquer the other white space in the market.

Contact Karen Lightman, managing director of MEMS Industry Group at [email protected], 412-390-1644. Read her other blogs:

May 29, 2012 — Reporting from Barclays Capital’s BarCap 2012 Global TMT Conference, the company’s analysts say that the light emitting diode (LED) industry remains in oversupply, and 90%+ utilization rates being reported in Taiwan’s LED fabs are a short-lived event.

However, the LED industry is increasingly confident that supply and demand are becoming more balanced from the end of 2012 onward. Lighting demand growth will start in 2013, driving more equipment bookings from Q3 2012 onward. NPD Displaysearch’s latest report supports this point of view: "After a surge in 2010 and oversupply in 2011 that suppressed 2012 fab, LED makers will see a leveling out of supply and demand into better equilibrium."

For now, demand for metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tools remains weak, Barclays reports. “While the precise timeline of an order recovery is still hard to pinpoint, both Veeco and Aixtron expressed confidence in an order recovery in 2013 at the latest,” the analysts report. Total MOCVD tool shipments will gradually recover from the 2012 trough levels of ~300 tools to a more normalized level of ~520 tools per year.

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May 29, 2012 – PRWEB — CrossFiber Inc.’s Quality Management System has been certified to ISO 9001:2008 standards by registrar PJR Inc. CrossFiber provides all-optical photonic switching solutions for data centers and fiber optic telco networks.

CrossFiber’s LiteSwitch photonic switches combine 3D micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) micro-mirrors on silicon, non-invasive beam steering (NIBS), and custom ASICs.

The company was certified to ISO 9001:2008 quality standards in its first attempt. It is important to have strong quality management in place as CrossFiber rapidly ramps production of LiteSwitch products for data center and telco customers, said Hus Tigli, president and CEO of CrossFiber.

ISO 9001:2008 standards provide assurance about a company’s ability to satisfy quality requirements and to maintain and enhance customer satisfaction. These standards are maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and administered by accreditation and certification bodies.

CrossFiber develops and manufactures breakthrough photonic switches. More information can be found at www.crossfiber.com.

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May 29, 2012 — Ricoh Company, Ltd. developed an ink-jet printing (IJP) technique that can produce lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric material in a voluntary pattern shape at 2µm film thickness. Ricoh made PZT material into an ink. Ricoh simultaneously developed a lead-free piezoelectric material, bearing the same deformation properties as the PZT material on a silicon substrate.

Combining both technologies will allow users to manufacture a lead-free piezoelectric device that is functionally equivalent to PZT at a low cost, on a silicon substrate using the additive IJP fab process. (PZT contains lead but is exempted from the EU RoHS Directive banning lead in electronics.)

The IJP technique was used to create an actuator. IJP makes more efficient use of materials and labor than traditional semiconductor manufacturing processes, and can be configured to make diverse products in small lot sizes. It also reduces manufacturing costs and environmental impact, the company reports.

Ricoh controlled ink ejection for drawing precise patterns, modifying hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of a substrate surface, and eliminated discards during firing thick film. This enabled 2µm film thickness, about 50 times that of the film formed with the usual IJP method. There are unique devisals on the nature of a solvent and drying speed control, which are needed to prepare film at a uniform thickness.

Ricoh’s lead-free material has about the same deformation properties (deformation amount when applied voltage) as PZT and could be used as a replacement. It is a system of materials of lead-free barium titanate with tin added (BSnT). This material needs to be fired at high temperature to form a high-quality film. To do so, Ricoh raised the thermal stability of the under layer (electrode layer provided under the piezoelectric material) of the substrate and enabled film formation of BSnT with properties at a practical level on the silicon substrate. Ricoh has adopted a method to use the precursor of BSnT in liquid form, for ink, unlike the conventional powder method. The lead-free material can therefore be used to make micro electro mechanical system (MEMS).

Ricoh will first manufacture a prototype of an actuator, then work on technical solutions, targeting commercialization. Piezo MEMS are used to monitor seismic activity, in information technology, and in other fields.

Ricoh announced both technologies at "The 29th Meeting on Ferroelectric Materials and Their Applications (FMA29)," in Kyoto, Japan, this past week.

Ricoh makes printing technologies. Learn more at http://www.ricoh.com/.

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Below: Surface morphology of the BSnT films fired at different temperatures. The one on the right fired at higher temperature shows larger grain size, indicating better film properties.

May 28, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — VTI Technologies, a leading manufacturer of 3D micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) sensors that has formed part of Murata since January 2012, is now Murata Electronics Oy.

Following the acquisition of VTI Technologies Oy by the Japanese company Murata Manufacturing, VTI has recently changed its company name. The new company name is Murata Electronics Oy. At the same time, the company has adopted Murata’s visual identity with the Murata logo.

"The change of company name and visual identity clearly and strongly highlights the fact that this company is now an integral part of Murata," said Tsuneo Murata, president of Murata Manufacturing. "Our aim is to strengthen the Murata brand worldwide, and this change supports our strategy. VTI has been recognized as a pioneer in MEMS technology, and now we want Murata to be the top-of-mind name also for high-quality MEMS sensors, in addition to other Murata products."

Shinji Ushiro, the new CEO and president of Murata Electronics Oy as of 1 June, added that Murata’s objective is to become one of the main global MEMS companies. "By exploring the market needs and by developing competitive MEMS products, we believe that we can reach this objective."

With the new company name, a new website has also been launched for Murata MEMS sensors: www.muratamems.fi. The website presents MEMS accelerometers, inclinometers and gyroscopes, as well as MEMS sensor elements (die) manufactured by Murata Electronics Oy — the former VTI.

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of ceramic-based passive electronic components & solutions, communication modules, power supply modules and MEMS sensors. For more information, go to www.murata.com.

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May 26, 2012 — Intel Corporation (INTC) will invest more than $40 million over the next 5 years in a worldwide network of university research communities called the Intel Collaborative Research Institutes (ICRI). The ICRI program is based on Intel’s US-based Intel Science and Technology Centers (ISTCs), and will bring together experts from academia and industry to help explore and invent in the next generation of technologies.

"The new Intel Collaborative Research Institute program underscores our commitment to establishing and funding collaborative university research to fuel global innovation in key areas and help address some of today’s most challenging problems," said Justin Rattner, CTO, Intel. "Forming a multidisciplinary community of Intel, faculty and graduate student researchers from around the world will lead to fundamental breakthroughs in some of the most difficult and vexing areas of computing technology."

The three ICRIs will collaborate with their own multi-university communities and other ICRIs, as well as the US-based ISTCs. Each institute will have a specialized focus, but is encouraged to incorporate the unique environments within their region, country and area of research.

The IRCIs include 2 established centers and 3 new ones:

The 2 previously established centers include Intel Visual Computing Institute (Saarland University) and the Intel-NTU Connected Context Computing Center (National Taiwan University).

The 3 new ICRIs include-

The ICRI for Sustainable Connected Cities, United Kingdom. This joint collaboration among Intel, Imperial College London and University College London aims to address challenging social, economic and environmental problems of city life with computing technology. Using London as a test bed, researchers will explore technologies to make cities more aware and adaptive by harnessing real-time user and city infrastructure data. For example, through a city urban cloud platform, the city managers could perform real-time city optimizations such as predicting the effects of extreme weather events on the city’s water and energy supplies, resulting in delivery of near-real-time information to citizens through citywide displays and mobile applications.

The ICRI for Secure Computing, Germany. At this Institute, Intel and the Technische Universität Darmstadt will explore ways to dramatically advance the trustworthiness of mobile and embedded devices and ecosystems. For example, the joint research will seek ways to develop secure, car-to-device communications for added driver safety; new approaches to secure mobile commerce, and a better understanding of privacy and its various implementations. By grounding the research in the needs of future users, the institute will then research software and hardware to enable robust, available, survivable systems for those use cases.

The ICRI for Computational Intelligence, Israel. In a joint collaboration with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the ICRI will explore ways to enable computing systems to augment human capabilities in a wide array of complex tasks. For example, by developing body sensors that continuously monitor the owner’s body, researchers could then pre-process this information and take appropriate actions. The system can continuously monitor human functions from the brain, heart, blood, eyes and more, and send this data to a remote server that will combine them with other data such as environmental weather conditions, along with historical data, and could proactively warn people about a potential headache or dizziness during driving.

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Learn more at www.intel.com.

May 24, 2012 — Mobile phones and tablet PCs each integrate about 5-10 micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) per device. These “New MEMS” — consumer and mobility use MEMS — will benefit from the growth in smartphones and tablets, which will hit 2.9 billion units in 2017, said Laurent Robin, Activity Leader, Inertial MEMS Devices & Technologies, Yole Développement.

“MEMS in cellphones and tablets will grow 19.8% to reach a $5.4 billion value in 2017,” said Robin. The MEMS industry will be largely impacted by global trends in mobile devices: connected devices, video and music consumption, social networking, diversity of users and usages, mobile advertising. This booming demand for smartphones and media tablets can be partly explained by the integration of MEMS sensors, which provide new functionalities, Yole notes.

Figure. Maturity of cell phone MEMS devices in 2012. SOURCE: MEMS for Cell phones & Tablets, Yole Développement, May 2012.

10 new MEMS applications will to be worth more than $100 million in 2017, versus 3 categories of MEMS devices in high-volume production today, Yole says. These include motion sensors, microphones, and BAW filters and duplexers.

Motion sensors include accelerometers, magnetometers and gyroscopes. They are the hottest market segment of MEMS currently, growing quickly with multiple business and technical evolutions. Combo sensors are being introduced, increasing MEMS integration and adding sensor fusion algorithms. Also read: Bosch Sensortec debuts 6DoF MEMS IMU with sensor fusion software

MEMS microphones are replacing electret condenser microphones (ECM), and are enabling new user functionality when multiple MEMS microphones are used per device.

BAW has been popular for many years, Band 2 in particular. New opportunities will appear with some of the bands that will be used in 4G standards

Novel applications will bring more MEMS opportunities in the market — pressure sensors + inertial sensors for location based services, RF MEMS switches for antenna tuning, oscillators to replace TCXO quartz oscillators and for resonators, MEMS auto-focus to replace voice-coil motor (VCM) technology, microdisplays, microspeakers, environmental sensors, touchscreen, joystick, etc., etc. Also read: MEMS alternatives for miniature auto-focus cameras

Top MEMS players have evolved as the market has grown — tripling from 2009 to 2011. STMicroelectronics (ST, STM) was #3 in cell phone applications in 2009 and is now by far the #1 supplier with $477 million cellphone and tablet revenue in 2011. ST dominates the MEMS accelerometer market and had an impressive start with MEMS gyroscopes. InvenSense is challenging ST, and the companies recently became involved in a legal dispute over patents.

ST will become a one-stop supplier as it expands into different MEMS architectures. It lists Apple, Samsung, Nokia, RIM, and HP among its clients. Other large players are very focused on their core markets: AKM is the #2 with $260 million sales of magnetometers for electronics compass solution, Avago is leading the BAW filters and duplexers market with $244 million sales, and Knowles is #4 with $233 million revenues from MEMS microphones.

Many start-ups are about to introduce disruptive technologies for emerging markets (RF MEMS switches and variable capacitors, scanning mirrors for picoprojectors, silicon timing devices, speakers, auto-focus) and current large markets (MCube for inertial sensors, 3S for microphones).

Large semiconductor companies are now eyeing MEMS as well: Fairchild and Maxim already made the move through acquisitions, and others should follow.

As new business models are developing, with some players specializing on a specific part of the value chain (MEMS manufacturing, signal processing) and others offering complete solutions (e.g. combo sensors that integrate MCU and software).

“MEMS for Cell Phones & Tablets” is a new report from Yole Développement, by Laurent Robin, head of MEMS & Sensors market research.

Companies cited in the report:

3M, 3S, AAC Acoustics, Acutronic, ADI, Aichi MI, AKM, Akustica, Amazon, Amkor, Anadigics, APM, Apple, ASE, ASG, ASMC, ASTRI, Asus, Atmel, Audience, AudioPixel, Avago, Bambook, Baolab, Barnes, & Noble, Bluechiip, Bosch Sensortec, BSAC, BSE, Btendo, Carsem, Casio Micronics, Cavendish Kinetics, CEA Leti, Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co, CSR, Dalsa, DelfMEMS, Discera, DXO, EoSemi, EpiCrystals, Fairchild, etc.

Yole Développement is a group of companies providing market research, technology analysis, strategy consulting, media, and finance services. Learn more at www.yole.fr.

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May 24, 2012 – PRWEB — The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has awarded $1,200,000 to MicroGen Systems Inc., to commercialize its proprietary micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) enabled vibrational energy harvesters. This grant comes on the heels of a 2009 NYSERDA investment of $300,000, which helped MicroGen create early prototypes. The start-up originally came to NY because of funding offered by Senator Charles Schumer via the Infotonics Technology Center (Canandaigua, NY).

MEMS-based vibrational energy harvesters create energy to power autonomous and wireless sensors in applications where battery power is impractical due to sensor network size or location, or the form factor desired. They can also be used to recharge batteries. MicroGen uses piezoelectic materials that generate electricity when compressed.

MicroGen, which is based in Ithica and Rochester, NY, is matching NYSERDA’s investment with already acquired outside investment, an in-progress funding round, and investment from founders and management. The sum funding will help commercialize MicroGen’s technology with initial product launches, establish partnerships, and transfer MEMS fab to a foundry. The MEMS chips are being developed at the Cornell Nanoscale Science and Technology Facility, located on the Cornell University Campus in Ithaca, with additional assistance from emc2, the Energy Materials Center at Cornell.

The grant allowed MicroGen to add 3 engineering and business professionals from the MEMS industry. By 2016, MicroGen will be running an assembly plant employing 40 people, the company told the Cornell Chronicle last year.

The MicroGen BOLT product family converts ambient vibration into electrical energy to power sensors and wireless radios used to monitor and reduce energy usage, or enable other functions, in residential, consumer, commercial, industrial, and military uses. Last year, MicroGen and Infinite Power Solutions Inc. demonstrated a complete Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) powered by their products at Sensors Expo and Tradeshow.

MicroGen systems Inc. is developing products based on its proprietary piezoelectric vibrational energy harvester (PZEH) technology to power wireless sensors and recharge mobile devices. Contact: http://www.microgensystems.com.

Since 2007, NYSERDA has provided funding to help New York State companies develop or expand facilities to manufacture innovative renewable, clean energy or energy efficient products.

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May 24, 2012 — Bosch Sensortec, the consumer electronics sensor arm of Bosch, has integrated two triaxial micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors in 1 package, claiming the smallest inertial measurement unit (IMU) to date. An optional geomagnetic sensor creates a 3DoF module. Solid State Technology spoke with Leopold Beer, director of global marketing at Bosch Sensortec, about MEMS integration and the sensor fusion software element of sensing.

The BMI055 combines an acceleration sensor and a gyroscope for advanced consumer electronics applications with six degrees of freedom (6DoF), such as gaming applications in smartphones, tablets, consoles, etc. It is packaged in a 3.0 x 4.5 x 0.95mm LGA.

The BMI055 is enabled by continuing miniaturization of MEMS, Beer noted, adding that Bosch fabs all of its MEMS chips in house with high-volume and high-reliability production.

Power is also important for the 2 MEMS package. The accelerometer and higher-power-consuming gyroscope can operate independently, when sensor fusion is not required.

“The MEMS are full-performance sensors in their own right, because customers are used to a certain set of functionality from accelerometers and gyroscopes,” Beer said, “that cannot be compromised for small form factor.”

The accelerometer features flexible interrupt functionality and integrated FIFO buffer. The gyroscope features an integrated interrupt engine, integrated FIFO buffer, and 4 offset compensation modes. For greater design flexibility, the measurement range of the sensors is programmable:  ±125°/s to ±2000°/s for the gyroscope, and ±2g to ±16g for the accelerometer. The latter also shows a low zero-g offset of typically 70 milli-g. The gyroscope has a 16 bit resolution; the accelerometer’s is 12 bit. The gyroscope boasts stable operation with good TCO and offset compensation. The package offers good signal to noise ratio. I2C and SPI digital interfaces offer versatile communication options.

The BMI055 IMU is released concurrently with Bosch’s custom sensor fusion software BSX2.0 FusionLib that optimizes sensing by combining input from the gyroscope and accelerometer. MEMS manufacturers know the functionality and performance of each type of MEMS sensor best, Beer said. Therefore, MEMS makers are the ideal designers of MEMS sensor fusion software. “The algorithms in MEMS software do more than just drive the chip, they integrate abilities from each MEMS to improve calibration, interference filtering, and more.” Sensor fusion, for example, combines the good angular resolution but high drift of gyroscope MEMS with the slower eCompass, improving accuracy. BSX2.0 FusionLib works with all stand-alone or integrated Bosch Sensortec MEMS devices.

Bosch Sensortec makes MEMS devices for consumer applications, as a division of Bosch. Learn more at www.bosch-sensortec.com.

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May 21, 2012 – PRWEB — Full-service micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) maker Tronics has had China on its roadmap for about 10 years, the company says. In that time, China has moved from a nascent MEMS market to a location where Tronics works for several Chinese customers, especially in gyroscope products.

Tronics has worked with a local partner in the country. Last year, Tronics invested in a joint venture with its Beijing-based distribution partner, naming the JV CHINATRONICS. Also in 2011, Tronics expanded its European headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Grenoble.

The company states that it has “good prospects for continued growth” in China. In 2013, about 15% of Tronics’ overall revenue will come from China.

Tronics supports MEMS projects from design to manufacturing. The company credits its technical skills and experience in gyrometers, and capability to adapt to Chinese business culture, for its expansion in the market.

Tronics notes that local MEMS facilities will draw some MEMS customers in China, but estimates that “a significant window of opportunity” exists for its partnership-based China operations. In one example, Hanking Industrial Group Co., Ltd., recently broke ground on a MEMS manufacturing campus in Fushun City, China.

Tronics is an international, full-service MEMS manufacturer with wafer fabs in France and the US, and representation in Asia. As a spin-off from LETI, Tronics Microsystems originally started manufacturing MEMS in a LETI facility based on the R&D group’s "thick" SOI process, which was transferred to the company. Learn more at http://tronicsgroup.com/.

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