What is a MEMS?

MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) is an abbreviation of micro-electro-mechanical systems.

MEMS is known, in the United States Japan called MEMS, in Europe is called micro-systems. MEMS mainly include micro-institutions, micro-sensors, micro-actuators and the corresponding processing circuit, and other sections, it is in various microfabrication technology integration, and application of modern information technologies of the latest results developed on the basis of high-tech frontier subjects. MEMS technology opens up a whole new technology areas and industries, using MEMS fabrication of micro-sensors, micro-actuators, micro-components, micro-mechanical optics, vacuum microelectronic devices, power electronic devices, such as in the aviation, aerospace, automotive, biomedical, environment monitoring, military, and almost in contact with people in all areas have very broad application prospects. MEMS technology is being developed into a huge industry, just like in the last 20 years in the microelectronics industry and the computer industry for mankind's great changes, MEMS are bred a profound technological change and human society a new round. Current MEMS market leading products for pressure sensor, accelerometer, micro gyroscopes, ink nozzles and hard disk drive first. Most industry observers predict that the future five years MEMS devices sales will increase rapidly, the average annual growth rate of about 18%, and so on to the mechanical and electrical engineering, precision machinery and equipment, semiconductor physics and other subjects of development offers excellent opportunities and serious challenges. MEMS is a completely new and must also take into account a variety of physical field in the field of research and development of hybrid role, relative to traditional mechanical, their smaller size, maximum of not more than 1 cm, or even just a few microns, its thickness is even more tiny. Use of silicon-based materials, excellent electrical performance, Silicon material strength, hardness and modulus and iron, density and thermal conductivity of aluminum, close to the molybdenum and tungsten. Adopted and integrated circuit (IC) similar to generate technology, can be considerable use of IC production of mature technologies, technology for high-volume, low-cost production, so that the price relative to the traditional "mechanical" manufacturing technology increases. Complete MEMS is micro-sensors, micro-actuators, signal processing and control circuits, communication interfaces and power supplies, components of the integrated system of micro-devices. Its goal is to put the information acquisition, processing and implementation of integrated, multifunctional micro system, integrated in a large system, thereby significantly improving the system of automated, intelligent and reliability standards. Follow the system and product miniaturization, intelligent, integrated development direction, we can predict: MEMS will human society a technological revolution, it will be on 21st century science and technology, production and human production quality have a far-reaching impact, is related to the national science and technology development, national security and economic prosperity of a key technology. Manufacturers are constantly of hand-held devices, provides smaller and more functionality of the product. But the paradox is that as technology improves, prices tend to rise also occurs, which causes a problem: the manufacturer had to face conflicting requirements — let product features superior while reducing their costs. Address the problem, one of the methods is to use micro-electro-mechanical system, it is more popular, it allows manufacturers to MEMS could be a product of all capabilities into a single chip. MEMS for consumer electronics products for the ultimate impact not only costs, but also without sacrificing performance of size and weight reduction. In fact, most consumer electronic products by using MEMS components of performance that is already very similar technology. Although MEMS past is limited to the automotive, industrial and medical applications, but according to research firm estimate: "MEMS consumer electronic product sales will reach 15 million for the year 2005". Handheld device manufacturers are increasingly aware of the value of MEMS and the benefits of technology — high volume, low cost, small size, and are turning to the success of the company, its MEMS as cost reductions that will affect the entire consumer electronics world, and not just high-end devices. Domestic MEMS chip (Die) supplier: Shanghai micro-systems, Shenyang instruments, electronics 13 research institutes, such as Beijing, currently micro forming production mainly MEMS pressure sensor chip (Die). MEMS development history MEMS first round of the wave of business began in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when large etching etching of Silicon structure and back pressure sensor diaphragm production. Due to the thin wafer vibration film deformation under pressure, affects its surface varistor alignment, this change can put pressure on the conversion to electrical signals. The circuit includes capacitive sensing accelerometers in mobile quality, is used to trigger airbag and positioning gyro. The second round of the commercial appeared in the 1990s, mainly around the PC and the rise of information technology. TI company under electrostatic micromirror arrays driven inclined to launch a projector, and thermal inkjet print head still. The third round of commercialization can be said to arise from the turn of the century, micro-optics through all-optical switching and related devices become a supplementary fiber optic communications. Although the market now depression, but micro-optics in the long run it will be a strong growth of MEMS. Promote the fourth round of the commercialization of other applications include object-oriented radio frequency passive components, in the silicon chip manufacture of audio, biological and neurons probes, as well as the so-called ' slice laboratory ' biochemical drug development systems and micro-drug delivery system for static and mobile devices.