Dr. Gisbert Hölzer, X-FAB

”MEMS are an engineering product in great demand worldwide, and for that reason we are currently expanding our manufacturing capacity for this highly innovative corner of the technology market. In pursuit of the goal, we are also improving our design support products in the MEMS development field as an assistance to our customers. As well as our previous standard products, we shall be able in future to offer process design kits (PDK) for MEMS technologies. Along this route, our path has been smoothed by the close cooperation and company of IMMS in the MEMS2015 research project.

Firstly, IMMS designed test structures enabling material parameters to be analysed so that MEMS structures could be more accurately simulated. Secondly, IMMS developed a specific design flow strategy for accelerometers which can be used in the design and simulation of sensors that have a variety of purposes and features. The design flow makes use even at this stage of the first elements of a MEMS PDK. The sensors have already been manufactured using X-FAB foundry technology and their features measured at IMMS. The verification measurements are now being incorporated into X-FAB's MEMS technology development. In our shared discussions around the project, IMMS has frequently been a source of new ideas, for instance concerning MEMS layout verification.

For many years as we followed our ‘More-than-Moore’ roadmap, IMMS has been a support to us, acting as our most important research partner. The Institute melded together in sovereign fashion its skills in ASIC design and in micromechanics during the MEMS2015 project. And in the future, too, we look forward not only to making use of the expert, confident and collaborative skills of IMMS but also to benefitting from the Institute's high competence in organising publicly funded projects. We are already counting on continuing our successful cooperation with IMMS in the sphere of MEMS development and have applied for a successor project.”