MEMS Engineering Services...
Micro-Electro-Mechanical
Systems (MEMS)
Our
experience in MEMS goes back to 1981 when Tom Roberts,
our CEO, completed the electro-mechanical design of
the first integrated MEMS product to gain wide spread
acceptance as a commercially sold OEM Product. The GC
was an out growth of a silicon micromachining R&D
project featured on the cover of the April 1983 issue
of Scientific American Magazine.
MEMS,
Product Design:
SMP Tech, Inc.'s engineering specializes in the methodology
of product development. It is recognized that few products
justify long, expensive programs of investigation. Most
product-related problems which manufacturers face have
been encountered at another time and place, in another
industry. This is also true when designing products
based on microelectromechanical systems.
What
is Microengineering?
Microengineering
refers to the technologies and practice of making three
dimensional structures and devices with dimensions in
the order of micrometers. The physical effects of mechanical
structures are significantly different in MEMS devices
when compared to macroscopic devices.
Microelectronics:
Microelectronics
is producing electronic circuitry on silicon chips and
is a very well developed technology. MEMS devices are
mass-produced using batch-fabricated methods used in
the semiconductor industry.
Micromachining:
Micromachining
is the name for the techniques used to produce the structures
and moving parts of microengineered devices. The goal
of the MEMS industry is to integrate microelectronic
circuitry into micromachined structures, to produce
completely integrated systems. Such systems would have
the same advantages of low cost, reliability and small
size as silicon chips produced in the microelectronics
industry.
Photolithography:
Photolithography
is the basic technique used to define the shape of micromachined
structures. The technique is essentially the same as
that used in the microelectronics industry.
Micromachining
Techniques:
Micromachining
is the most prominent MEMS technique. Silicon is the
primary substrate material used in the production microelectronic
circuitry. Therefore, it is the most suitable candidate
for the eventual production of microsystems.
LIGA:
LIGA
is a technique that can be used to produce molds for
the fabrication of micromachined components. Microengineered
components can be made from a variety of materials using
this technique. However, it does require an X-ray source
from a synchrotron. LIGA, a German acronym that stands
for Lithographic Galvonoformung Abformung, (or lithography,
electroplating, molding) is a high aspect ratio (height
: width) MEMS technology with many promising applications.
LIGA allows the use of materials such as metals and
plastics -- opening the door for many different types
of structures and devices.
LIGA
allows tiny parts and structures to be created with
very high precision using batch fabrication methods.
LIGA structures typically have an aspect ratio of greater
than 10 to 1, very precise geometries, and smooth, vertical
sidewalls.
Interesting
MEMS Links:
News
Letters and Organizations
MEMS
TechNet and MUMPs email Newsletter:
If you would like to be added to the mailing list send an e-mail to
mems@mcnc.org.
MEMS
Bay Area Journal Club:
The
Bay Area MEMS Journal Club is an informal forum for
professionals with an interest in the MEMS field. Meetings
are held in the evening on the first Wednesday of each
month and typically follow an open-discussion format
in which group participation is encouraged. Topics span
from fabrication technologies to applications of MEMS.
If you are interested in leading a discussion, or would
like to know more about MEMS Contact: Rolfe Anderson
at 650-210-1206,
randerson@aclara.com
Back to Medical
Services
For
Additional Information Contact SMP Tech, Inc. at:
ARoberts@smptech.com
220 Vineyard Court, Suite 100 Morgan Hill, California
95037-5461
Phone: 408.776.7776 Fax: 408.776.7772
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