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MICRONANOSYSTEMS
Figure 1: MEMS Commercialization Timetable shows on Figure 2: 2007 MEMS Industry Report Card uses fourteen
average that various MEMS products take approximately critical success factors to assess the progress of MEMS
25 years from discovery to full commercialization commercialization over the last decade
moved from a “C+” to a “B” in the past decade. However, I many have started their companies on work that was grounded
believe that we still have a long way to go before the grade will on projects undertaken as graduate students.
attain an “A” status. I would like to address some of the reasons However, Professor Khalil Najafi, recently appointed
why this is so and provide some solutions that might be able to chairman of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
improve the grade. Department of the University of Michigan and Deputy Director
Alternately, the grade for infrastructure has moved from of the National Science Foundation’s Wireless Integrated
“C+” to “A-“. As such, the industry has done an excellent job Microsystems Center (WIMS) said, “We have a history dating
to provide MEMS manufacturers with the tools that they need back to 1988 with our implantable micro neural stimulator of
to be able to be imminently successful, including design and making the packaging of MEMS a very important topic. In the
analysis software, MEMS wafer foundries, specialised mid 90’s, we had two students who did their Ph. D. thesis on
manufacturing, test and metrology equipment and unique MEMS packaging, by 2000 we had 5 and now we have 9. This
materials for MEMS. constitutes approximately 20% of our current total of Ph.D.’s
The question therefore is if the resources are readily available and post-docs.” Other universities have also focused on MEMS
what exactly is the problem?... and I think the answer is in the packaging including the University of Colorado and Georgia
lack of understanding of MEMS suppliers to develop solutions Tech. Another is that packaging is not very “exciting” and was
that are “outside the MEMS chip” and embody signal perceived as a given or a “let’s use a standard semiconductor
conditioning electronics, interconnects, networking capabilities, package”. In addition, most smaller MEMS companies did not
energy sources and most importantly…packaging and asembly. I have the resources to have a broad selection of experts on staff
suggest that MEMS “device” e.g. accelerometers, pressure to create an in-depth multi-disciplinary system solution
sensors suppliers need to take a more systems level approach to approach…they were satisfied with creating the MEMS chip
providing their customers with the best possible solution and and let their customer solve the integration, interfacing,
customers need to understand the limitations and capabilities as packaging and assembly challenges.
well as the cost and time to market of developing a systems level Finally, to design a MEMS device is a very complicated
approach. The outcome of this approach will be to have process. Although there are numerous design software
manufacturers establish better product differentiation and add programmes available to MEMS designers, the complexities of
value (and profit margin) rather than fight it out in a chip design and package and media interaction tend to strap all
commoditised market which stresses price. but the larger MEMS suppliers…therefore these less resourced
companies need to focus on the chip design to be able to survive.
The heart of the problem However, a number of research institutes and universities are
In our research to determine the root cause of the problem, we focusing their efforts on these MEMS-based systems solutions.
have come up with a couple of possible answers. With rare These companies include, Fraunhofer Einrichtung, Electronische,
exception, most of the “pioneers” that have helped create this Nanosysteme Institute ( Chemnitz, Germany); IMEC (Belgium);
industry have come from extensive academic backgrounds and Infotonics (US), University of Texas Arlington’s Automation and
has a specialty in “electrical engineering” which typically has a Robotics Research Institute (ARRI) and the University of
focus on circuits. Their thesis topics were device oriented and Michigan WIMS .
I have proposed a “MEMS-based system solutions” approach as a
viable vehicle for current MEMS device producers and future MEMS
device producers and to encourage them to “think outside the chip”
www.micronanosystems.info December 2008 / January 2009
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