Silicon Microstructures Moves Into High-Volume MEMS Pressure Sensor Manufacture With Six-Inch Fab Line.MILPITAS, Calif. -- Silicon Microstructures, Inc. (SMI (1) (Storage Management Initiative) The initiative developed by the SNIA in 2003 to create a single standard interface for storage management technologies used by multiple vendors and networking communities. ), a leader in silicon pressure sensor A pressure sensor measures the pressure, typically of gases or fluids. Pressure is an expression of the force required to stop a gas or fluid from expanding, and is usually stated in terms of force per unit area. A pressure sensor generates a signal related to the pressure imposed. design and manufacture, today announced production levels of more than 40,000 pressure sensors per day on its recently installed six-inch wafer 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. manufacturing line. The company's pressure sensors - including its ultra-small SM 5108, measuring only 0.65 x 0.65 mm2 - are used extensively in automotive, medical and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning air conditioning, mechanical process for controlling the humidity, temperature, cleanliness, and circulation of air in buildings and rooms. Indoor air is conditioned and regulated to maintain the temperature-humidity ratio that is most comfortable and healthful. (HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) In the home or small office with a handful of computers, HVAC is more for human comfort than the machines. In large datacenters, a humidity-free room with a steady, cool temperature is essential for the trouble-free ) markets. The sensors range from low-pressure devices that measure human respiration to high-pressure devices designed for tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS (Transaction Processing Monitor System) A TP monitor from Fujitsu Services, formerly ICL, that is used in conjunction with its IDMSX database system. TPMS supports up to 16,000 online users. See IDMSX. ) and scuba diving scuba diving Swimming done underwater with a self-contained underwater-breathing apparatus (scuba), as opposed to skin diving, which requires only a snorkel, goggles, and flippers. Scuba gear was invented by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Émile Gagnan in 1943. air tanks. The upgrade and qualification of the six-inch line was completed without an interruption in production. Besides being able to accommodate larger wafers, the manufacturing line contains new equipment that enables more precise and clean cassette handling, etching and depositions for higher performance and reliability. The company's longstanding expertise in pressure sensor development and production has resulted in highly stable processes that can be adapted for multiple products, while allowing rapid turnaround times. Attention to design-for-manufacture and process control has enabled the company to offer greater integration and size reduction for various devices. "The demand for cost-effective, accurate pressure sensors is growing across multiple markets and our high-volume MEMS production is our response to this need," said Jim Knutti, president of Silicon Microstructures, Inc. "With SMI's increased capacity, we continue to enable new MEMS markets and opportunities and expect to see steady growth over the long term." About Silicon Microstructures, Inc. Silicon Microstructures is a high-volume supplier of standard and custom pressure sensors and other MEMS devices. Customers range from automotive users to medical and industrial system manufacturers requiring precision sensors. SMI's capabilities cover all phases of design, qualification, MEMS manufacture and customer support as well as MEMS foundry services. For more information on the company please visit www.si-micro.com. |
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