European companies maintain strong position in packaging, equipment for MEMS.A new industry review by enablingMNT (Berlin, Germany, www.enablingMNT.com) highlights the large regional differences in the business approach of suppliers and service providers for the microsystems market The report, "MST/MEMS Equipment Manufacturers," shows a strong position for German companies involved in this market, while most of their U.S. counterparts are based in California. Another remarkable trend shows small equipment companies leading the move into the microstructures technology (MST See micro systems technology. )/microelectromechanical systems (MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) Tiny mechanical devices that are built onto semiconductor chips and are measured in micrometers. In the research labs since the 1980s, MEMS devices began to materialize as commercial products in the mid-1990s. ) specialized spe·cial·ize v. spe·cial·ized, spe·cial·iz·ing, spe·cial·iz·es v.intr. 1. To pursue a special activity, occupation, or field of study. 2. equipment market, while large, traditional semiconductor equipment companies continue to be hesitant hes·i·tant adj. Inclined or tending to hesitate. hes  i·tant·ly adv. .
In the area of packaging, Europe has a large number of suppliers, while the U.S. seems to handle larger volumes. Finally, several integrated circuit integrated circuit (IC), electronic circuit built on a semiconductor substrate, usually one of single-crystal silicon. The circuit, often called a chip, is packaged in a hermetically sealed case or a nonhermetic plastic capsule, with leads extending from it for (IC) packaging companies, especially from the Far East, adapted their standard high-volume processes to the demands for the MST/MEMS industry, paving the way for affordable, high-volume production. The report estimates the market size for MST/MEMS equipment at approximately $0.73 billion, of which $0.27 billion is for front-end equipment. |
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