MEMS Journal -- The Largest MEMS Publication in the World

Si-Ware launches development platform for MEMS inertial sensors

Si-Ware Systems (SWS), a provider of IC and MEMS based solutions for industrial and consumer applications, announced this week that it has launched its inertial sensor development platform.  According to the company, the platform is a tool for sensor developers that can be used to evaluate an inertial sensor, such as a gyroscope or accelerometer, to understand the behavior of the sensor and its performance with complete interface electronics.  The platform utilizes SWS's inertial sensor interface ASIC which is configurable and reportedly has already been used in conjunction with multiple accelerometers and gyroscopes.  Si-Ware said that the ASIC features an ultra-low noise front-end, and a highly configurable open and closed loop operation, as well as high voltage capabilities.

Silex developing magnetic MEMS

Silex Microsystems, recently ranked by Yole Développement as the world's largest pure-play MEMS foundry, announced this week that it has been awarded a nearly $450,000 research grant from VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems, to develop cutting-edge ferromagnetic materials for use in MEMS devices powering next-generation smart phone applications.  Silex reportedly was one of the companies chosen out of 340 applicants for this award.  "Magnetic MEMS is a key material for future MEMS products because it enables multi-axis sensor integration," said Dr. Thorbjörn Ebefors, Chief Technologist at Silex Microsystems.

RF MEMS for smartphones: what are the best opportunities?

As smartphones and tablets continue to drive the sales of MEMS devices for consumer electronics, most of the focus thus far has been on inertial sensors – MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes.  Additionally, MEMS based microphones and pressure sensors are seeing continually increasing adoption.  RF MEMS technologies, on the other hand, have not been incorporated in any smartphone or tablet device in high volume until very recently.  WiSpry, a leading RF MEMS component maker, is the first company ever to ship RF MEMS in volume for a smartphone OEM – the company’s first customer is Samsung and shipments began in September 2011.  We recently spoke with Jeff Hilbert, WiSpry’s President and Founder, about the ongoing RF MEMS developments and opportunities for smartphone applications.  In this detailed interview, Mr. Hilbert discusses the key business drivers for RF MEMS use in consumer electronics, current “pain points” for smartphone OEMs, most viable insertion points, competing technology alternatives, bill-of-material impacts, as well as the competitive landscape.

Digital vs. analog MEMS microphones

Driven by their widespread use in top-selling mobile devices like Apple's new iPad and iPad 2, market revenue for digital MEMS microphones is set to overtake the analog segment next year for the first time ever.  Revenue for digital MEMS microphones will reach $315 million in 2013, compared to $261 million for the analog MEMS equivalents, according to IHS iSuppli.  The market this year still will favor analog MEMS microphones, which are projected to achieve revenue of $267.4 million compared to $226.1 million for digital.  However, digital MEMS will gain the upper hand in 2013 when analog's share dips below 50 percent.

MEMS foundry Tronics returns to strong growth with $15.2 million revenue in 2011

Tronics is reporting that it is growing strongly again.  After an uninspiring 2009 and 2010, business started picking up in late 2010, and remained very healthy throughout 2011.   The company had a revenue of $15.2 million in 2011, with a net profit of $1.24 million.  Tronics said that it secured important new foundry and custom MEMS contracts during the year and its revenues grew significantly in its three key regions: Europe, United States, and China.  With a strong balance sheet that includes more than $4 million cash and a debt-to-equity ratio below 30 percent, Tronics said it is well positioned to continue its expansion in 2012 and beyond.  A 20-30% growth is expected in 2012 with further improvement of the company's profitability.  According to Tronics, a very substantial portion of the 2012 revenues is already firmly secured.

Silicon-germanium (SiGe) technology for MEMS and NEMS fabrication

by Xavier Rottenberg, Ph.D.
Research Engineer, IMEC

Much of the future growth in the MEMS market is expected to come from products that are still in the early stages of development, or are yet to be invented.  There is a considerable potential for new products in which innovative MEMS are integrated with highly miniaturized electronics.  In small packages that miniaturize existing larger tools and extend their use and functionality, or that bring a totally new functionality that cannot be implemented otherwise.  Some of the many domains where MEMS will become prevalent are sensing, localization, and visualization applications for personal consumer electronics, optical switching and processing chips, or sensors and actuators for medical and wellness applications.

Gyroscopes become top consumer and mobile MEMS device

Gyroscopes were the top revenue generator in 2011 in the dominant consumer and mobile segment of the MEMS market, thanks to record sales of Apple's iPhone and iPad devices from during the final quarter of last year.  Gyroscopes netted $655.4 million in 2011, up a notable 66 percent from $394.5 million in 2010, according to an IHS iSuppli report.  Long a runner-up in its category, gyroscopes finally displaced accelerometers last year to become the revenue champion in consumer and mobile MEMS.  Gyroscopes will continue to reap top revenue honors in the next few years, projected to take in $1.1 billion by 2015, well ahead of accelerometers at $705 million.

MEMS based wireless sensors: how to power them?

Currently, the primary way to power MEMS based wireless sensors is a conventional battery.  In addition, vibrational and thermal energy harvesters are starting to see limited use in some cases.  Other approaches for power generation include micro fuel cells, as well as microscale combustors that burn hydrocarbons and then convert the motion of the micro-rotor to electricity.   In this interview, we spoke with Professor Jeongmin Ahn at Syracuse University about the current state of microscale combustor research, existing challenges, and emerging approaches.  In addition to discussing microscale combustors, Professor Ahn also provides comparisons to conventional batteries, energy harvesters and micro fuel cell technologies.

ISSYS receives $1.5 million grant for the development of MEMS based pediatric cardiac implants

Integrated Sensing Systems, Inc. (ISSYS) and the University of Michigan announced that they have received a $1.5 million National Institute of Health (NIH) grant titled "Novel Micro-Implant To Measure Intracardiac Pressure In Congenital Heart Patients."  Dr. Martin Bocks, a pediatric cardiologist at the University of Michigan and the project's medical principal investigator, stated that "we are extremely excited to continue working with ISSYS to develop a wireless, implantable pressure sensor for our patients with complex forms of congenital heart disease. This pressure sensing implant has the potential to greatly improve the care we provide to our most complex patients and will provide us with unprecedented opportunities to learn more about their unique physiology."

Through substrate vias: opportunities for CMOS MEMS and 3D integration

TSVs, or through substrate vias, have become an increasingly important building block for CMOS MEMS integration, as well as for stacking of multiple IC chips.  In this interview, we spoke with Tomas Bauer, VP of Sales and Business Development at Silex Microsystems about his perspective on the latest TSV trends.  In particular, Tomas discusses TSV process parameters and sizes, existing and emerging applications, integration challenges, fill material comparisons and costs.  He also discusses other materials for TSV substrates such as glass and silicon-glass hybrids.

MEMS foundry IMT appoints new CEO

Innovative Micro Technology (IMT), announced this week that Craig Ensley has joined IMT as President and CEO effective immediately.  He succeeds Dr. John Foster, who is resigning from the company to become the CEO of one of IMT's major customers.  Mr. Ensley brings over 30 years of executive leadership and semiconductor industry experience to IMT.  "We're delighted to have Craig on board," commented Jose Suarez, an IMT Board Director.  "Over the last decade MEMS has emerged as a mainstream technology and now represents one of the highest growth areas in the electronics industry.  Craig's track record leading high growth entrepreneurial companies is a great addition to the company, and will build upon IMT's solid foundation as the leading MEMS manufacturer in the United States."

Automotive MEMS components: the impact of 2011 natural disasters

In an ironic twist, the terrible disasters that struck Japan and Thailand in 2011 actually helped to expand the market for automotive MEMS sensors and actuators, as car electronic systems makers sought to expand their supply chains to mitigate the risk of supply shortages.  Automotive MEMS revenue in 2011 amounted to $2.2 billion, up 16 percent from $1.9 billion in 2010, according to IHS iSuppli.  In a remarkable reprise, last year's growth continued the notable 28 percent expansion that the market saw in 2010 as it accelerated out of the endemic global recession of 2009.  The growth rates for 2010 and 2011 are well above average when compared to the 7 to 9 percent annual expansions in sensor sales that took place regularly before the last recession.

MEMS foundry Silex joins $17.5 million program to develop RF solutions for 4G mobile systems

Silex Microsystems, the world's largest pure-play MEMS foundry, announced this week that it has joined an international European Union-funded program aimed at developing a new technology platform for advanced RF solutions for 4G base stations and mobile handsets.  The program, "Energy-efficient piezo MEMS tunable RF front-end antenna systems for mobile devices," or EPAMO, is developing new technologies to realize future high performance RF systems, energy efficient mobile communication systems, highly miniaturized and integrated RF components, and cost efficient solutions to the mobile phone industry.  Silex's contributions in this effort include high performance metal through-silicon vias (TSVs) for RF applications, PZT piezoelectric thin film technologies for actuator manufacture, and advanced integrated passive devices utilizing through-wafer processing and advanced materials development.

Magnetics and MEMS: trends, opportunities and emerging applications

Magnetic materials in microfabrication technologies are increasingly being used to enable new MEMS devices and applications.  We recently spoke with Al Sidman, Chief Technical Officer at Advanced MicroSensors, about the ongoing trends and developments that relate to magnetics and MEMS.  In this interview, Al reviews the main applications for MEMS and non-MEMS magnetic sensors, emerging MEMS applications, developments with MEMS actuators based on magnetics, MEMS and CMOS integration challenges, and current market drivers.

ST launches world's first dual-core MEMS gyro

The design of ST's dual-core MEMS gyroscope employs separate output paths optimized for the two different functions in a 4x4x1 mm package.  The device addresses, at the same time, motion and gesture recognition and optical image stabilization for sharper mobile camera photos.  "ST's dual-core gyroscope lights two candles with one flame," said Benedetto Vigna, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of ST's Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group.  "Instead of using two dedicated sensors with significantly different specifications, phone and tablet manufacturers can now simply integrate a single gyroscope for both gesture recognition and camera image stabilization, which enables more reliable performance, sleeker form factors, and lower costs."