MEMS Journal -- The Largest MEMS Publication in the World

Fabless MEMS manufacturing: can process drive design?

As the MEMS market forces continue to apply enormous pressures on device makers to reduce costs, companies are continually striving to make their development and manufacturing cycles more efficient.  One approach has been to design around well-defined processes, or at least process modules, to accelerate time to market.  We recently spoke with Alissa Fitzgerald of A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates and Peter Himes of Silex about their joint efforts in this area through a recently announced partnership.  In this detailed interview, Alissa and Peter discuss the emerging trends with fabless MEMS manufacturing, provide an overview of existing commercial MEMS processes, address intellectual property and cost challenges, and explain their approach.

Magnetic sensor market decelerates as automotive demand slows

After two straight years of blockbuster expansion, the market for magnetic sensors experienced lower than expected growth in 2012 due mainly to depressed automotive sales and a diminished industrial sector, according to the IHS iSuppli.  Revenue for semiconductor based magnetic sensor elements, integrated circuits and switches amounted to $1.57 billion last year.  While last year's takings represented a 6.4 percent increase over 2011 revenue of $1.47 billion, growth in 2012 was much lower than the 44 percent surge of 2010 and the 21 percent hike of 2011.  Double-digit expansion had initially been forecast for 2012, but a cooling in the magnetic sensors' most important market of automotive resulted in shaving off growth points, resulting in the annual increase topping out in just the single digits.

MEMS motion sensors: ST and InvenSense patent dispute continues

InvenSense, a leading provider of MEMS motion sensors claimed this week that it won its motion to stay the patent litigation action brought by STMicroelectronics in the US District Court (Northern District of California) due to progress in separate proceedings with the United States Patent Office (USPTO) challenging the validity of all of ST's asserted patents.  InvenSense stated that all of ST's claims asserted in this litigation, initiated by ST, are now subject to USPTO reexamination proceedings.  Reportedly, USPTO has already determined that "substantial questions of patentability" exist for seven of the nine patents asserted by ST, and USPTO office actions have already been issued for four of the patent reexamination requests.  This patent dispute is yet another indication that the market for consumer grade MEMS based motion sensors has become ultra-competitive.