Dean Spicer, Collin Twanow, Micralyne Inc. and Peng Yang, and Hisham E. El-Masry, CMC Microsystems
Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based MEMS processes have demonstrated impressive usage growth in recent years. Compared to surface micro machining on polysilicon fabrication, SOI processes have the added benefit of smoother surfaces and sidewalls, as well as lower issues related to reduced residual stress in the silicon. These are essential material characteristics for many MEMS applications targeting high yield, including optical MEMS devices for display and telecommunications. Micralyne recently developed a SOI-based MEMS process platform, MicraGEM-Si, and has made this process available to companies and researchers as part of a cost effective Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) prototyping service through a partnership with CMC Microsystems. This platform is ideal to develop devices such as micro mirrors, optical switches, resonators, inertial and biosensors.