Archive

A Pooling Of Resources

June 12, 2000

Painfully and quickly, MEMS device manufacturers are discovering that the technology is a multidisciplinary one and a job for no single company. Unlike traditional semiconductor ICs, MEMS ICs require a very precise understanding of many phenomena and an expertise in every facet of the manufacturing process, from the wafer stage to the final packaging and testing stage. As a result, many MEMS device and materials companies are joining forces in partnership programs that should make it easier for engineers to more accurately design MEMS ICs. Ultimately, these allies hope to bring MEMS devices to market more speedily.

This year, Microcosm Technologies has added three more charter members to its Manufacturing Partnership Program (Electronic Design, May 29, 2000, p. 25).

Also this year, Microcosm joined forces with Cronos Integrated Microsystems Inc., a developer and supplier of proprietary MEMS components and component technologies, to create the JumpStart program. According to this agreement, JumpStart design kits will be provided to designers for a low-risk, inexpensive, and efficient turnkey solution to developing and prototyping MEMS devices. Last year, Microcosm formed a strategic alliance with Cadence Design Systems Inc. to assist companies with the development of a wide range of next-generation products that use MEMS/MST components.

Over in Europe, MEMS/MST companies are forming alliances as well to pool their resources. Consider, for example, the EMSIC (the European Microsystem Industrial Cluster). It's comprised of the Dutch Twente MicroProducts with expertise in silicon design and production; the German Elmos GmbH with expertise in ASICs; the German Bartels Mikroteknik GmbH with expertise in polymeric and metallic microstuctures; the Dutch Micro*Montage with expertise in assembly, packaging, and embossing; and the Swiss Elfo AG with expertise in microtooling, electroforming and molding. This cooperative structure was formed to accelerate the development and production of MEMS/MST products.

Obviously, this pooling of resources isn't an isolated incident. It's needed to successfully tackle the multidisciplinary technology to bring MEMS devices to market more rapidly.

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.