Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)
Providing world class “Foundry MEMS enablement” solutions to address the complex needs of MEMS Sensors and Actuators
Tower Semiconductor offers global high-volume MEMS manufacturing solutions to enable applications such as high-end accelerometers, gyro, oscillators, switch, mirror, audio sensors and actuators, radio frequency MEMS tuners, infra-red pixel array sensors, power management controllers (ASIC), and on drive and control chips (companion CMOS chips).
Tower Semiconductor’s MEMS capabilities target high performance antenna tuning and switching for mobile wireless, infrared measurement for sensor devices in consumer imaging, security, automotive, industrial, and military applications.
Collaborative Partnership
Focused on a collaborative partnership model and applying its foundry experience, Tower Semiconductor offers MEMS processes and a customer-oriented team, enhancing its customers’ ability to create and bring to market more highly integrated analog products.
MEMS Foundry Capabilities
Tower Semiconductor works with top tier established companies, as well as start-ups, to bring new technologies from idea to volume production, with over 15 years of high volume MEMS manufacturing capabilities, in its worldwide 200mm and 300mm manufacturing facilities.
Wafer Process Capabilities:
Etch
Multiple Systems and fabs with Deep Reactive Si etch, deep oxide, thick metal etches
- Deep trench isolation
- Si MEMS on SOI <1μm, 10 – 100μm
- Deeper etches (> 100μm till full wafer thickness)
- Thick metal, deep via, TSV
Release
Multiple Tools and methods:
- Dielectrics, polymers, group IV materials (e.g. Si)
- Gas or vapor methods
- Stiction free technology
Special Substrates and materials
- Glass, SOI, FZ wafers
- SSP & DSP
- Metals like Cu, Al, W, Ti, Ta, …
- Magnetic materials
- Low stress Poly-silicon layer, Low stress SiN layer
Deposition
- Metal PVD, CVD, Evaporation, Plating
- Dielectric PECVD, SACVD, HDP
- ALD
Photolithography
- 4X Stepper, 1X Aligner
- Back side alignment
- Very thick photoresist thickness
Monolithic Integration
Same wafer:
- CMOS + MEMS
- BiCMOS + MEMS
- HVCMOS + MEMS
- Glass substrates
Wafer Bonding
- Fusion bonding
- Hybrid bonding
- Other CMP, Grinding
- SEM, AFM, Stress, XRA
Manufacturing
- ISO standards
- CMOS manufacturing line disciplines for MEMS
Control Chip Technology
- ASIC, ROIC, Controller…
- CMOS for charge pumps