Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd. (SPP), a leading manufacturer of high-precision industrial products, has broadened its role in the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) manufacturing ecosystem with the launch of MEMS Infinity, a 150 mm and 200 mm wafer foundry that meets growing customer demand for concept design and evaluation all the way through prototyping and mass production.
Featuring a 20,000 square-foot cleanroom located in the industrial and technology hub of Amagasaki, MEMS Infinity can manufacture various MEMS devices, including electrostatic and electromagnetic sensors and actuators. MEMS Infinity is also one of the industry’s few foundries offering a portfolio of PZT thin films, piezoelectric materials that transduce electrical energy to mechanical energy and vice-versa — making them ideally suited for high-performance actuators as well as for ultrasonic transducers and acoustic sensors, among other emerging technologies.
“SPP is building on three decades of experience in the MEMS industry,” said Mr. Masahiko Tanaka, managing executive officer, SPP. “By the mid-1990’s, SPP acquired STS in the UK, which was manufacturing silicon deep reactive ion etch (Si-DRIE) equipment for fabricating MEMS. And by the late 1990’s, our company manufactured and sold MEMS accelerometers, and later high-precision MEMS gyros, under the name of our affiliated company. With the unveiling of MEMS Infinity, our new foundry service will accelerate the commercialization of high-quality MEMS devices that meet the most rigorous requirements of fabless companies globally.”
The overall market for MEMS sensors is surging. By 2028, Yole Intelligence predicts it will reach US$20B, with high-growth markets such as automotive, aerospace, industrial and medical — all of which MEMS Infinity serves — accounting for nearly half that revenue.i In contrast with captive fabs — which exclusively manufacture MEMS components for the company of which they are part — full-service, commercial MEMS foundries, such as MEMS Infinity, play an especially critical role in the marketplace: They serve a broader range of companies in many markets, promoting innovation and providing access to proprietary MEMS technology platforms.