MEMS Journal -- The Largest MEMS Publication in the World

DelfMEMS raises $10.5 million, hires new CEO

A group of European investment funds announced an investment in DelfMEMS, a developer of MEMS based switching solutions for applications in the RF communications field.  The funding of $10.5 million, of which $4.5 million from the FSN PME, will enable DelfMEMS to accelerate the commercialization of its products.  The company also announced the appointment of Guillaume d'Essautier as CEO.

MEMS for tunable RF applications: has the time finally come?

Everybody seems to be using their mobile phones for their business and social lives these days, so each new model brings increasingly more features to our portable devices. The problem is that all these new uses bring an explosion of frequency bands that must be packed into one portable device. This can lead to dropped calls and slower web browsing, frustrating users. The answer, according to San Jose, Calif.-based Cavendish Kinetics, is the company's tunable RF MEMS technology that provides 3G and 4G networks with improved RF communication. The company has raised a $10 million financing round with Qualcomm and other investors. We recently caught up with Dennis Yost, Cavendish Kinetics' CEO, to learn more.

RF MEMS switch market: overview and emerging trends

Expectations of the use of RF MEMS devices for mobile phone applications have gone through many cycles of hope and disappointment.  We may now be finally entering in the mass adoption phase with the first high-volume application, WiSpry’s MEMS based tunable impedance matching device, incorporated in one of Samsung's new phones.

RF MEMS devices promise to bring significant benefits to both consumers and cell phone network operators.  These benefits include fewer dropped calls, faster data transmission rates, improved reception and enhanced power efficiency.  Use in mobile phones and tablets is projected to expand the RF MEMS market by a factor of 200 by 2015, according to IHS iSuppli.  Sales of RF MEMS devices are expected to increase from $720,000 in 2011 to a projected $150 million in 2015.

DelfMEMS, an RF MEMS switch developer based in France, is expected to be among the players in this rush to commercialize RF MEMS devices for handset and tablet applications.  MEMS Journal recently interviewed Olivier Millet, founder and CEO of DelfMEMS.  We discussed the challenges involved in integrating RF MEMS devices into handsets, viable insertions points, product roadmaps, and competition from MEMS and non-MEMS technology providers.

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.

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.

Tronics to manufacture RF MEMS switches for DelfMEMS

DelfMEMS announced this week that since early 2011 it has collaborated with Tronics' MEMS fab in Dallas, Texas on the RF MEMS switch process transfer and platform qualification.  With steady progress made over the past six months, DelfMEMS and Tronics say they will be able to address the high capacity needs of RF module makers for the cellular handset market.  DelfMEMS, based in France, said that its selection process among US, European and Asian MEMS foundries was undertaken in late 2010 and the company then identified Tronics as the best positioned company to meet DelfMEMS' RF switch technology process requirements.  Tronics' thin film capping solution and business sourcing channels were also attractive.

An overview of RF MEMS technologies and applications

by Jacopo Iannacci, Ph.D.
Researcher, MEMS Research Unit of FBK

RF MEMS devices are microsystems manufactured in a suitable technology platform, typically characterized by having movable micro-parts capable of reconfiguring the RF characteristics of a device.  Some RF micro-components are categorized as RF MEMS devices despite not having any movable or deformable parts.  This is because such devices are manufactured in a surface or bulk micromachining technology, or in a combination of both, and such techniques are considered as the de-facto standard for the realization of RF MEMS devices and components.  In this article, we review all of the main categories of RF MEMS lumped components and networks, and also specify their purpose, functionality, typical applications, as well as pros and cons compared to the traditional implementation of the same devices.

Automated test equipment: can MEMS switches compete?

As production volumes grow and competition increases in the IC and electronics industries, switching is becoming an increasingly critical component for the automated test equipment (ATE) system makers.  Simply put, test costs are growing and therefore produce a negative affect for the profitability of manufacturers.  MEMS based switches are now becoming a viable and advantageous alternative to traditional technologies such as electromechanical relays, reed relays and semiconductor switches.  We recently spoke with Dr. Dan Hyman, a leading industry expert and President of XCOM Wireless, about the current state of the ATE industry and his expectations for the future.  In this comprehensive interview, Dr. Hyman presents his views on the current status of ATE switching including main industry trends, device costs as well as upcoming technology developments.

DelfMEMS delivers custom RF MEMS samples to NTT DOCOMO

DelfMEMS, an emerging RF MEMS technology company, reported this week that it has successfully delivered custom samples to NTT DOCOMO, the Japanese mobile operator.  DelfMEMS has provided arrays of custom MEMS ohmic switches to enable tunability into RF front-end modules, or FEMs, for mobile applications.  DelfMEMS said that voltage, size, losses, isolation, ultra-fast switching time and power handling will be evaluated by NTT DOCOMO according to the requested specifications which cover a frequence range of up to 6 GHz.

RF MEMS switches for MRI, satellite and electronic instrumentation applications

New RF MEMS metal-contact switches developed at the University of California, San Diego could make their way into MRIs and other medical equipment, satellites, and electronic instrumentation such as spectrum analyzers and signal sources.   This new RF MEMS technology was  recently featured and won the top prize at UCSD's  Research Expo 2011.  This brief video outlines the basics of the new technology.