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In the MEMS manufacturing world, the "fabless" model is getting increasing importance in recent years as a way for
MEMS manufactures and startups to minimize equipment costs and initial capital investment. In order for this model to
be successful, the fabless company needs to work closely with a MEMS foundry service provider. Due to the lack of
standardization in MEMS processes, as opposed to CMOS microfabrication, the experience in MEMS development
processes and the flexibility of the MEMS foundry are of vital importance.
A multidisciplinary team together with a complete microfabrication toolset allows INO to offer unique MEMS foundry
services to fabless companies looking for low to mid-volume production. Companies that benefit from their own
microfabrication facilities can also be interested in INO's assistance in conducting their research and development work
during periods where production runs keep their whole staff busy. Services include design, prototyping, fabrication,
packaging, and testing of various MEMS and MOEMS devices on wafers fully compatible with CMOS integration.
Wafer diameters ranging typically from 1 inch to 6 inches can be accepted while 8-inch wafers can be processed in some
instances. Standard microfabrication techniques such as metal, dielectric, and semiconductor film deposition and
etching as well as photolithographic pattern transfer are available. A stepper permits reduction of the critical dimension
to around 0.4 μm. Metals deposited by vacuum deposition methods include Au, Ag, Al, Al alloys, Ti, Cr, Cu, Mo,
MoCr, Ni, Pt, and V with thickness varying from 5 nm to 2 μm. Electroplating of several materials including Ni, Au and
In is also available. In addition, INO has developed and built a gold black deposition facility to answer customer's needs
for broadband microbolometric detectors. The gold black deposited presents specular reflectance of less than 10% in the
wavelength range from 0.2 μm to 100 μm with thickness ranging from 20 to 35 μm and a density of 0.3% the bulk
density of gold. Two Balzers thin-film deposition instruments (BAP-800 and BAK-760) permit INO to offer optical thin
film manufacturing. Recent work in this field includes the design and development of a custom filter for the James
Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as collaboration with the Canadian company ComDEV. An overview of the different
microfabrication foundry services offered by INO will be presented together with the most recent achievements in the
field of MEMS/MOEMS.
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