Technology Description

The technology assessed in this Quicklook report is a MEMS sensor (Micro-electrical Mechanical System) that has been created to detect light and pressure changes. MEMS sensors have been available for 30 years, and have been used to support light sensors for infrared imaging, pressure sensors for accelerometers in automobiles, and other areas like pressure sensation in oil and gas exploration. More recent applications are in medical, as well as biotech industries.1

MEMS are essentially very small simple mechanical devices that operate on the nano-level. They are made up of components between 1-100 micrometers in size. These very small mechanical devices are mounted on a wafer that has historically been 6 inches in width, but is moving to 8 inches. Millions of these tiny machines then operate in unison for a particular purpose. Most commonly, MEMS are used to sense the outside world and provide data to microprocessors which then act on that data. Sensations such as vision, balance, movement, touch, hearing, and pressure can be evaluated by MEMS sensors which provide sensation data.

The technology created by the innovators is a non-differentiated MEMS solution similar to many others on the market. Their production processes are unique, but their output is fairly homogenous. The innovator and the CEERI laboratory have a design and fabrication facility at their location and they are able to tailor their MEMS designs for specific application and customer specifications. Their technology has been used mostly for light and pressure changes, which is where most of the investment in the MEMS market has been made over the past 30 years.

They have worked with a variety of Indian companies to take custom MEMS designs and fabricate small volume MEMS devices. They have a number of patents, and processes in place to support older technology designs, and are moving forward to some of the larger 8 inch wafers.

Contact details:

Information Manager
Email: timeis@ficci.com