MEMS Investor Journal and MEPTEC are pleased to bring you their 3rd Annual Conference on MEMS Testing and Reliability.
Biltmore Hotel & Suites
Santa Clara, California
Thursday, October 20, 2011
To view the event agenda, please click here. Space is limited - register today!
About the Conference
Program Talks and Speakers
Who Should Attend
Hotel Information
Registration
Exhibit Opportunities
Exhibitors
Media Sponsors
About the Organizers
Contact Information
As MEMS production volumes pick up, there is increased pressure on manufacturers and foundries to reduce costs. MEMS testing has traditionally accounted for 10-45% of the total device costs and can easily affect the profitability level for the device makers. Therefore, MEMS foundries and fabless MEMS companies need to ensure that they have in-house expertise and continual improvement in the area of MEMS testing.
While MEMS testing is similar to IC chip testing in the semiconductors industry, MEMS devices present further challenges because mechanical, chemical and optical parameters must be tested in addition to electrical properties. This event will focus on bringing together the leading MEMS testing experts and relevant equipment suppliers. Additionally, some presence will be given to IC chip test practitioners so that they could also share their best practices with the audience.
Topics will include:
• State-of-the-art MEMS testing and reliability strategies
• Wafer-level MEMS testing
• Post-packaging MEMS testing
• Specific tips and techniques
• MEMS test equipment status and development
By participating in this event, you will ensure that your organization stays current with the latest MEMS testing and reliability techniques; therefore, you will increase yields, decrease waste and increase profitability for your company.
Program Talks and Speakers
(listed alphabetically by last name)
Increased Yield and Reliability of Packaged MEMS Resonator Devices
Carl Arft
Director, Test Development Engineering
SiTime Corporation
High yields and reliability are fundamental to the successful production of any MEMS based device. At SiTime, we have achieved these goals by taking a holistic approach. This includes optimizing all aspects of the product, including the MEMS design, fabrication, assembly, and test. The MEMS resonator design and packaging technology are two keys to achieving high yields and reliability; however, there are additional considerations that are important during the assembly and test process. This talk provides an overview of SiTime's MEMS resonator technology, followed by a discussion of several issues that may negatively affect yield and reliability during the assembly and testing of MEMS resonator devices.
Biography: Carl Arft has been involved with MEMS technology for the last 14 years. His particular areas of focus have been MEMS-based optical devices, MEMS-based timing devices, and production MEMS testing. He received a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Michigan Tech University in 1997, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from University of California, Davis, in 2000 and 2004, respectively. During this time, he was also with C Speed Corp., developing MEMS-based optical cross-connect switch technology. From 2004-2006 he served as Faculty Fellow at UC Davis. Currently, he is the Director of Test Development Engineering at SiTime Corporation.
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Semiconductor Wafer Test Technology and Trends: Lessons for MEMS Test Engineers
Ira Feldman
Principal Consultant
Feldman Engineering Corp.
While basic cantilever probe card technology has remained unchanged since its invention in the late 1960's, there have been many dramatic advances in wafer probe technology and improvements in methodology. Moore's Law and competitive pressures have propelled the state of the art far beyond. Knowledge of both the history and current challenges in semiconductor probe is instructive to those testing MEMS since both the past trends and the technology may be directly applicable to current and future test challenges. A review of currently available technology, industry trends, and test challenges along with non-traditional applications will be covered.
Biography: Mr. Feldman has broad knowledge and management experience related to high volume manufacturing of high technology with in depth expertise in test and micro-fabrication. He is the principal consultant at Feldman Engineering Corp. engaging in a wide range of projects including product generation processes, marketing, and business development. Previously as Vice President of Business Development for Microfabrica, he worked with customers to develop new applications for their EFAB technology to create sub-millimeter, 3D, fully-assembled micro-machines and precision parts of unprecedented scale and performance. Before Microfabrica, he drove product development at the probe card manufacturer NanoNexus as the Director of Products and Applications and Director of Design Engineering. Mr. Feldman also managed a global team of engineers at Agilent Technologies (now Verigy-Advantest) that integrated Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) into end customers' high volume manufacturing facilities. And at Hewlett-Packard he drove the successful manufacturing introduction and ramp up of several generations of high end mini-computers. Mr. Feldman earned his BS in Engineering and Master of Engineering degrees from Harvey Mudd College.
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Operational Reliability of RF MEMS Relays
Daniel Hyman
President
XCOM Wireless, Inc.
Discussion will include performance and reliability requirements for RF MEMS switching devices across a wide range of applications from automated testing through consumer wireless. Test methods and qualification data for the automated test equipment, instrumentation, and government radio markets will be detailed. Cold-switching and hot-switching lifetime under varying load conditions, RF and DC repeatability, allowable performance variance over time (i.e., soft failures), and environmental ruggedness requirements will be discussed. Emerging consumer applications in handset power amplifier and antenna tuning typically have significant differences in reliability requirements, which will be highlighted in a discussion on RF MEMS industry trends.
Biography: Dr. Daniel J. Hyman, Ph.D. serves as the President and Chief Technology Officer of XCom Wireless, Inc. Dr. Hyman served as the Chief Executive Officer of XCom Wireless, Inc. Dr. Hyman is recognized as a Worldwide Expert in RF MEMS technology. Dr. Hyman was part of the Hughes RF MEMS technical design team for five years. He also lectures frequently in the field, has published numerous articles, and has six patents related to RF MEMS devices and applications.
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The Role of Test Data Analysis in Taking MEMS Devices from Initial Characterization to Volume Production
Dan King
Senior Applications Engineer
Galaxy Semiconductor Solutions
As MEMS devices proliferate into high volume and high reliability applications, the analysis of ATE test data becomes increasingly important as a means to perform extensive device characterization, accelerate yield ramp and optimize yield vs. defects per million (DPM) rates. This presentation will examine applications for test data analysis used by three different MEMS suppliers at different points in the product lifecycle, and recount some of the techniques used and lessons learned. Applications include device characterization and test limit determination, consolidated yield calculation, including test and retest data, and DPM reduction through automated outlier removal using Part Average Test (PAT).
Biography: Dan King is currently a Senior Applications Engineer at Galaxy Semiconductor Solutions where he works closely with customers to help deploy automated yield management and device characterization solutions. Prior to joining Galaxy, he was a product development engineer at Medtronic working on pacemakers and defibrillators. Dan began his career at Motorola where he received the designation of Six Sigma Black Belt while working on process-related problems for cell phone chips. Dan holds a BSEE degree from Northeastern University.
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Optical Measurement Techniques for MEMS Characterization
Eric Lawrence
MEMS Business Development Manager
Polytec Inc.
Advanced optical measurement techniques are necessary for the characterization of MEMS during the development process. In this presentation, optical testing and evaluation techniques commonly used for MEMS testing are reviewed. Conventional optical measurement tools (interferometers, image capture techniques) have inherent limitations in resolution. On the other hand, use of Laser Doppler Vibrometry enables dynamic response measurements with resolution down to the sub-nanometer level. This presentation details state-of-the-art measurement capabilities available for full field optical measurement and 3D visualization of MEMS devices. A range of characterization studies are presented that exemplify use of these optical techniques. This includes measurements of a MEMS comb drive actuator, micro mirror array, RF switch, accelerometer, AFM tip and cantilever structure.
Biography: Eric Lawrence is the MEMS Business Development Manager for Polytec Inc. in Irvine, CA. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Physics from University of California, Santa Barbara and Physics Master's Degree in from CSULB. His background is in laser optics. Eric has been at Polytec for 15 years and specializes in the use of Laser Doppler Vibrometry for dynamic characterization of MEMS.
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Automotive MEMS Pressure Sensor Reliability Testing
Tom Nguyen
Founder and CEO
AVsensors, Inc.
This presentation will focus on MEMS pressure sensor reliability testing for automotive pressure sensors in the harsh environment. Specifically, four main subjects will be discussed -- media compatibility, thermal stress, mechanical stress, as well as ESD and EMI. In terms of media compatibility, a MEMS pressure sensor must be able to withstand the media, such as transmission oil, engine oil, and gasoline. Regarding thermal stress considerations, severe temperature could cause damage, instability, or drift of the sensor due to the effect of materials' thermal coefficient of expansion. With mechanical stress, the instability, vibration and shock could cause damage and reliability of MEMS pressure sensor and its components. For ESD and EMI, due to the noisy environment under the hood, the pressure sensor must withstand electro mechanical interference, or EMI.
Biography: Tom Nguyen has over 20 years of engineering, operations, and business development experience in the MEMS and semiconductor industry. Before the founding of AVsensors, Mr. Nguyen served as a Director of Engineering and Operations at S3C, Inc. a subsidiary of Nagano Keiki group companies a leading manufacturer in industrial and automotive pressure sensors. Prior to S3C, Inc., Mr. Nguyen held a variety of management and technical positions over at Lucas NovaSensor, Integrated Sensor Solutions, ICSensors, Merit Sensor System and Celerity Research where he designed and developed many of the pressure sensors and transducers products. Mr. Nguyen has published several technical papers relating to the testing and probing of high density and high pin counts semiconductor devices using MEMS technology and he is an author and co-author of several patents in wafer probe test technology and MEMS pressure sensor packaging technology.
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Bonding Reliability Testing for Wafer-Level Packaged MEMS Devices
Michael Shillinger
VP of Operations
Innovative Micro Technology, Inc.
Reliable wafer-level packaging (WLP) requires hermetic bonding that seals the MEMS devices from the outside environment, which must be tested and verified. Unfortunately, legacy test protocols fail when applied to the measurement of micron-sized volume of cavities, where MEMS devices typical reside. As a result, specialized test methods with higher resolution and accuracy have been developed over the years. Six of these testing methods will be discussed in this presentation – membrane deflection, radio isotope, cumulative helium leak detection (CHLD), Q measurement testing, and pressurized steam testing.
Biography: Michael Shillinger has 25+ years of operations management experience, including high-volume wafer manufacturing. Previously Mr. Shillinger was the VP of Operations at Applied Magnetics Corporation, managing multiple wafer fabs and personnel for volume production of 6" wafers, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He has also held the position of VP of Process Engineering and Assembly Technology. Michael received his Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio.
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Cost of MEMS Testing: A Strategic Perspective
Mårten Vrånes
Director, MEMS Testing and Reliability
Consulting Services Group
MEMS Investor Journal, Inc.
MEMS devices require testing at several stages in the production flow. They are tested at die level in wafer form and at final test in package form. Electrical probing of wafers is used to screen out faulty devices before they can be built up in final packages with the associated value-added processing and material. Final test is used to trim and calibrate the sensor often by exposing the device to physical stimuli mimicking real world applications. Physical stimuli such as humidity, pressure, motion and others are inherently slower than electrical parameters and as result, more costly. This presentation will discuss costs associated with MEMS testing and real-life examples of how to minimize test costs.
Biography: Mr. Mårten Vrånes has a long track record as an engineer, operations manager and company founder. His career in the MEMS industry began in Norway, at SensoNor, ASA, where he was instrumental in new product introduction and ramp-up of automotive sensors (specifically TPMS) into high-volume manufacturing. Tasks ranged from product characterization, custom test system development and production yield improvement. As the Director of Test Operations and Product Engineering at the prestigious Bay Area start-up, LV Sensors, Inc., Mr. Vrånes was responsible for sourcing the entire multi-million dollar final test production park and for setting up the necessary infrastructure designed to test more than 10 million sensors per year. In 2009, he founded Consensic, Inc. and received Series A funding for the development of a micro-barometer. At Consensic, Mr. Vrånes has personally designed and developed the entire test system platform – ranging from MEMS die characterization to low-volume production test systems. Mr. Vrånes holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering (EE) from both Agder University, Norway and Fachhochschule Kiel, Germany, a Master’s Degree in Computer Integrated Manufacture (CIM) from Swinburne University of Technology, Australia and an MBA from the University of Queensland, Australia. He resides in Marin County, California with his wife and three young children.
(additional speakers to be announced)
Who Should Attend:
• CTOs
• CEOs
• VPs of Engineering
• MEMS test managers and engineers
• MEMS foundry managers and engineers
• MEMS production managers and engineers
• MEMS design managers and engineers
A block of rooms are being held as space is available at the Biltmore Hotel at a special rate of $99.00. Call 408-988-8411 to reserve your room. Be sure to mention MEMS Investor Journal and MEPTEC in order to secure your special rate.
Please complete the registration form and make the payment via credit card. If you have any questions or wish to pay by check, please email Bette Cooper at [email protected] or call at 650-714-1570. Event reminder, location map and other information will be sent to you by October 14.
To ensure a more exclusive and intimate networking environment for both the exhibitors and the attendees, the exhibits will only be open to conference attendees. For $1,095, the exhibit package includes:
• Two (2) conference passes
• 6' table, draped
• Two (2) chairs
• 11"x17" custom tabletop sign with your logo and company description
• Company logo and description in the conference proceedings
• Company logo and description on the conference website
• Company logo and description on several dedicated emails (to 25,000+ subscribers on the combined MEMS Investor Journal and MEPTEC lists)
• Printed conference proceedings
Exhibit space is limited. Go to the registration page to sign up today!
AVSensors is a California Silicon Valley company, founded in 2010, with over 100 years of semiconductor and MEMS pressure sensor experience. We offer high performance OEM pressure sensors, transducers, and transmitters which are guaranteed hermetically seal and hostile media compatible. Our pressure sensor products do not require isolation from the media by oil-filled membranes, resulting in a higher performance, higher reliability and the possibility to miniaturize without any loss of accuracy due the oil-filled cavity. Our low cost OEM pressure sensor can be manufactured in standard packages or can be customized to fit any specific application by our Custom Engineering Team. Our patented MEMS packaging technology revolutionize today's technologies by replacing o-ring, welding, and oil-fill. For more information, please go to http://www.avsensors.com.
E‐tec Interconnect is an established supplier of precision sockets and contactors for MEMS development and test applications. Custom requirements are welcome: we can accommodate virtually any footprint including "mixed pitch" and "non‐Jedec" modules. Top and bottom openings can be modified to satisfy a variety test set‐ups including open cavity probe and thermal emission microscopy. Standard features include: pin pitch from 0.3mm through 1.5 mm, pin counts up to 2000 and test speeds to 40 GHz. SMT, thru‐hole and solderless mount options are available as well as various closure styles. Our socket products are engineered and manufactured by Swiss craftsmen, they are competitively priced and expedited delivery is available. For further information, please email us at info‐US@E‐tec.com, call 408.746.2800 or visit www.e‐tec.com. Your inquiry will receive our prompt attention.
Galaxy Semiconductor Solutions is a leading provider of test data analysis, yield management and DPM reduction software for the semiconductor industry. Galaxy products are used by over 2500 test and product engineers worldwide to help increase device yields, reduce defects and improve engineering productivity. Galaxy products are easy to learn and use, and offer a very short time-to-benefit plus a compelling return on investment. Free trial software can be downloaded at www.galaxysemi.com.
IMT offers the most complete MEMS foundry services in our fully automated 30,000 sq ft, 6" fab. IMT's extensive product experience includes DC and RF switching, drug discovery/delivery, microfluidics, cell sorting, inertial navigation, optotelecom, IR, and others. IMT's wafer-level packaging and through silicon via technologies are production proven for the next generation 3D packaging and interposer applications. IMT is ISO 9001 certified. We bring our customers' MEMS to volume production. For more information, please go to www.imtmems.com.
Johnstech International is the leading manufacturer of Test Contactor solutions and services for the global semiconductor industry including MEMS, High-Speed Digital, RF/Microwave, and Precision Analog applications. The company's patented technologies were first introduced to the market in 1992, and now 20 years later, Johnstech is still helping characterization and test floor engineers reduce risk, shorten development and test time, and improve first pass yields. Johnstech also provides test floor, electrical modeling, thermal modeling, and load board optimization services. Johnstech is headquartered in Minneapolis, with worldwide sales and service centers in California, Japan, Singapore and the Philippines. For more information, please call 612-378-2020 or visit www.johnstech.com.
MEM Hitech specializes in MEMS contract manufacturing services. We offer a variety of services in wafer saw, wafer inspection, MEMS packaging assembly and test. We provide turn-key services, first class manufacturing and engineering support. For more information, please go to http://www.memhitech.com.
Polytec is a world leader in optical measurement systems, featuring the state-of-the-art Micro System Analyzer (MSA-500) system for MEMS characterization. The MSA system incorporates three key technologies: scanning laser Doppler vibrometry for out-of-plane deflection shape, strobe video microscopy for in-plane motion and white light interferometry for static shape measurements. Our instruments are used throughout the MEMS research community. To learn more, please go to www.polytec.com or call us at 949.943.3033.
Unisem Group (www.unisemgroup.com) is a global provider of semiconductor assembly and test services for many of the world's most successful electronics companies. Unisem offers an integrated suite of packaging and test services such as wafer bumping, wafer probing, wafer grinding, a wide range of of leadframe and substrate IC packaging including leaded, QFN, BGA and FlipChip packages, and high-end RF and mix-signal test services. The company's turnkey services include design, assembly, test, failure analysis, and electrical and thermal characterization. With approximately 10,000 employees worldwide, Unisem has factory locations in Ipoh, Malaysia; Wales, United Kingdom; Chengdu, People's Republic of China; Batam, Indonesia and Sunnyvale, California, USA. The company is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Micronews Media includes a website, www.i-micronews.com, a bi-weekly magazine Micronews, and the five Technology Magazines: MEMS Trends, 3D Packaging, PV Manufacturing, iLED and Power Dev'. MEMS Trends, our MEMS focused media, provides in-depth analysis with a strategic eye on the markets, technologies, products, players, key events, etc. For more information and subscription, please visit the website www.i-micronews.com.
The MEMS and Nanotechnology Exchange (MNX) has been providing services to the U.S. research community since 1999. We have completed over 2300 unique development and fabrication projects for our customers. We have thousands of MEMS and Nano process technologies available in our advanced processing facility, along with technical assistance from experienced and talented fabrication and process development engineers. MNX can provide a complete range of services to researchers who need a trusted partner at any project phase, including early-stage development, design and modeling, prototype fabrication, or transition to manufacturing. Contact us at www.mems-exchange.org to ask how we can help you quickly and affordably transform your concept from prototype to production!
Electronic media continues to expand as industry professionals seek daily updates on news shaping the semiconductor and microelectronics packaging market. The daily e-mail newsletter and website provide all the news in an easy to read format. We search the industry news, so you don't need to. Subscribe today at semiconductorpackagingnews.com.
Test, Assembly and Packaging Times (TAP Times), published digitally 10 times per year, is an independent, international publication that covers integrated circuit test, assembly and packaging. It is edited and produced near Silicon Valley by Ron Iscoff, one of the industry's most experienced technical journalists. Next year TAP Times' frequency will be increased to 11 times per year. Please visit taptimes.com to subscribe.
Cancellation Policy:
• Substitutions from the registrant's organization are allowed at any time, free of charge
• Cancellations made 30 or more days before the event will be refunded minus a 10% processing fee
• Cancellations made 5 to 29 days before the event will be refunded minus a 50% processing fee
• No refunds will be issued for cancellations made 0-4 days before the event (e.g. after October 16, 2011)
• No-shows to the event will not be refunded
• All requests for cancellations must be made in writing (email or fax) and received by the dates listed above for a refund to be issued
• MEMS Investor Journal is not responsible for refunds for hotel accommodations or travel expenses
MEMS Investor Journal, Inc.
MEMS Investor Journal was founded in 2003, currently has 16,700+ subscribers and is the largest MEMS publication in the world. We cover the most notable MEMS industry and academia developments to ensure that our subscribers explore and take advantage of the latest business development, investment, commercialization and partnership opportunities. We also report on the newly granted MEMS patents. To connect with MEMS Investor Journal, please visit www.memsinvestorjournal.com or email [email protected].
MEPTEC
MEPTEC (MicroElectronics Packaging and Test Engineering Council) is a trade association of semiconductor suppliers, manufacturers, and vendors concerned exclusively with packaging, assembly, and testing, and are committed to enhancing the competitiveness of the back-end portion of the semiconductor industry. Since its inception 30 years ago, MEPTEC has provided a forum for semiconductor packaging and test professionals to learn and exchange ideas that relate to packaging, assembly, test and handling. Nine years ago they introduced a MEMS event to educate their semiconductor industry members on MEMS packaging and other issues. Through our monthly luncheons, and one-day symposiums, and an Advisory Board consisting of individuals from all segments of the semiconductor industry, MEPTEC continuously strives to improve and elevate the roles of assembly and test professionals in the industry. For more information about MEPTEC visit www.meptec.org.
Dr. Mike Pinelis
MEMS Investor Journal, Inc.
734-277-3599
[email protected]
Bette Cooper
MEPTEC
650-714-1570
[email protected]
Copyright 2011 MEMS Investor Journal, Inc.
