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 in military and aerospace sectors to see strong growth

The MEMS market for pressure sensors in the high-value military and aerospace segments will enjoy brisk double-digit growth this year, with plenty of room left for future expansion in a broad range of lucrative applications.  Revenue for pressure sensors in both military and civil aerospace applications will reach $35.7 million by year-end, up 20 percent from $29.7 million last year, according to IHS iSuppli.  By 2016, military and aerospace related MEMS takings will reach $45.5 million, equivalent to a healthy five-year compound annual growth rate of 9 percent.

Ultrabooks spur massive growth in MEMS motion sensor sales

Intel's initiative to promote new features like indoor navigation and augmented reality in ultrabooks will spur dramatic growth in the sales of motion sensors for the next-generation notebook PCs, with revenue rising by a factor of 14 during the next four years.  Global sales of motion sensors -- including accelerometers, gyroscopes and compasses -- used in ultrabooks will expand to $117.3 million by 2016, up from just $8.3 million in 2012.  This equates to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 93.9 percent for 2012 through 2016, according to the IHS iSuppli.

MEMSCAP and Hanking Group partner to expand in China

MEMSCAP, a provider of MEMS products and foundry services, announced this week that it has broadened the company's sales network in China by partnering with the Hanking Group.  The collaboration is aimed to expand MEMSCAP's geographic footprint and increase the company's presence in China. The Hanking Group will begin offering training and sales support for MEMSCAP's MUMPs and MEMS Multi Project Wafers (MPW) processes to MEMS design engineers in China.

Apple and Samsung are top consumer and mobile MEMS buyers

Apple and Samsung Electronics remained the two largest buyers of MEMS devices for consumer and mobile applications in 2011, solidifying their command and expanding their influence over the market, according to IHS.  Apple and Samsung last year accounted for a combined 37 percent of the consumer and mobile MEMS space, mainly on the strength of their smartphones and tablets using MEMS devices like accelerometers, gyroscopes, microphones and bulk acoustic wave filters.  Apple, the top buyer, made MEMS purchases equivalent to $499.8 million, or roughly 23 percent, of the $2.1 billion consumer and mobile MEMS market, as presented in the table below.  Samsung, in second place, was worth $291.3 million to the industry, or 14 percent.  Apple's total last year was up 139 percent from $209.2 million in 2010, while Samsung's MEMS expenditure was up 45 percent from $201.2 million for the same period.

Google's Nexus 7 tablet integrates MEMS motion sensors

The entry-level 8GB version of Google's new Nexus 7 media tablet carries a bill of materials (BOM) of $151.75, according to preliminary findings from IHS iSuppli.  When manufacturing expenses are added, the cost increases to $159.25.  The high-end model with 16GB of flash memory has a $159.25 BOM, for a total cost of $166.75.  When additional costs are considered, IHS iSuppli estimates that Google will at least break even on sales of the 8GB model, priced at $199 -- and will make a modest profit on the 16GB version, which is priced at $249.

Piezoelectric MEMS oscillators: comparison to quartz crystals and capacitive MEMS solutions

Integrated Device Technology (IDT), has recently released its new piezoelectric MEMS, or pMEMS, based oscillators.  According to the company, crystal oscillators are complicated to manufacture and unreliable compared to pMEMS.  IDT's new devices are more convenient, accurate and feature low-jitter timing references – perfect, IDT says, for communications, consumer, cloud computing and industrial applications.  We recently spoke with Harmeet Bhugra, Managing Director of the MEMS division of IDT.  In this interview, Harmeet compares pMEMS technology to crystal oscillators, as well as other types of MEMS based timing solutions.

MEMS timing chip maker Sand 9 raises funding from Intel Capital

Sand 9, a MEMS technology company developing precision timing products for wireless and wired applications, announced this week that it has raised a total of $23 million in its Series C financing round led by Intel Capital with significant participation from Vulcan Capital.  Intel Capital and Vulcan Capital join existing investors Commonwealth Capital Ventures, Flybridge Capital Partners, General Catalyst Partners, Khosla Ventures and CSR.  Sand 9 will use funds to ramp volume production as they go to market and to rapidly expand their product portfolio.

Bosch retains lead as top automotive MEMS supplier

Bosch GmbH Automotive Electronics of Germany retained its position as the world's top supplier of automotive MEMS in 2011, according to an IHS iSuppli report.  Booking $625 million in revenue last year, Bosch's 19 percent expansion from $524 million in 2010 outpaced the 14 percent growth of the automotive MEMS industry as a whole.  It was also $339 million ahead of its nearest rival, No. 2 provider of MEMS, Denso Corp. of Japan, which grew 9 percent to post revenue of $286 million.  Bosch, Denso and the rest of the automotive MEMS Top 10 enjoyed combined revenues in 2011 of more than $2.0 billion, up 11 percent from $1.8 billion the year before, as shown in the table below.