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Sunday, January 19, 2014

MEMS Etching Tools - And Their Market Opportunities

By Roy van Rivero


If you are into semiconductor (or have been working in a semiconductor industry) you are probably aware of what MEMS is all about. In simpler terms, it pertains to miniaturized mechanical and electro-mechanical elements made using the microfabrication technology. MEMS is becoming more and more popular today and its growth is expected to continue in the coming years, fueled by the increasing demand of electronic products such as cellphone and other mobile devices.

MEMS products play a crucial role in today's various industries, including the electronics', wherein electronic components are used in various devices most especially the handy ones.

MEMS etching tools - vital to MEMS systems/production

Etching is an industry process that is used for the production of micro-electronic components - for MEMS production. However, this process cannot be done without the help of MEMS etching tools. Here are some specific examples of equipment used in MEMS production:

Wet bench - comes in manual, semi-auto, or fully-automated system, wet bench is utilized for wet cleaning and etching procedures. A wet bench is composed of modules or tanks that contain either cleaning or etching solutions. This equipment manages semiconductor and other high tech components that need to be processed.

Intelligent process station - a technology that provides process control monitoring of wet chemistries used in the wet process. Capabilities of this equipment include concentration monitoring, turbidity control (which identifies the formation of undesirable materials in the liquid tanks), and film thickness monitoring.

Chemical distribution system - designed for the systematic management of chemicals used in the wet etching process. Some of the works it handles include chemical distribution, chemical waste collections, chemical dispense - among other procedures.

Market opportunities of MEMS etching tools

As I have mentioned, the continued expansion of the electronic industry brought about by the rapid increase of the demand for mobile devices also means growth for the MEMS industry. The MEMS sector is forecast to continue to grow in more years to come; in fact, in 2012, the industry's estimated market growth (MEMS equipment market) was at USD 500 million - a huge jump from USD 100 million in 2008. Needless to say, bright days ahead are waiting for those who are in quest for good opportunities in this industry, should the growth trend continue.




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