Singapore, 7 July 2011 – The Institute of Microelectronics (IME), an Institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) has inked an agreement today with Touch Micro-System Technology (tMt), a trusted 8-inch micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) Taiwanese foundry partner to harvest 8-inch focus integrated efforts from lab-to-fab transition spanning the MEMS supply chain.
This collaborative effort seeks to refine areas in IME’s three-party collaboration model for MEMS prototyping and mass production in a wide spectrum of applications spanning the medical, consumer electrical and industrial sectors. IME’s engagement with fabless or fablite partners in research and development, along with tMt’s mass production capabilities, have identified an integrated solution in successfully developing full-service opportunities that reduce cost pressures and fill the gap from concept to product.
Prof. Dim-Lee Kwong, the Executive Director of IME, commented: “The technological landscape is constantly evolving and this serves as a timely development in IME’s mission to expand our expertise and technical know-how in enhancing the value of our services to our industry partners in enabling them beyond R&D and prototyping. tMt’s salient functionalities have fostered a dynamic relationship in breaking new technology ground and pave the way towards productisation and mass production.”
“We have progressively grown with our customers - from the initial stage of a co-development model to being a platform provider in specified applications, building a good high volume production base with much success. In this awakening to explore more opportunities and accelerate growth potential, tMt actively seeks partnership with strategic collaborators with core competencies. IME’s strategic location, diversified talent pool and knowledge-intensive 8-inch manufacturing processes have enabled a systematic development of innovative technologies, making it a partner of choice,” said Dr. ChiHui Lin, President of tMt.
About MEMS
MEMS are a class of enabling technologies that are revolutionising silicon-based micro-electronics through use of micro-machining technology. The integration of MEMS into high volume CMOS manufacturing facilities, and the promise of monolithic integration of CMOS + MEMS, allow lower cost production of devices with integrated electronics and moving parts. These devices have and will continue to enable novel performance unachievable by other means. Everyday examples include accelerometers for airbag sensors or handheld gaming devices, extremely high performance switches for communications, fluidic devices used in inkjet printer heads, and micromirrors for digital light projection. These four examples include highly diverse physics for the MEMS sensor, spanning mechanical motion sensing, tuning of high speed radio frequencies, actuation of fluidic valves, and optical reflection and tuning, respectively, for the products mentioned above.
About the Institute of Microelectronics (IME)
The Institute of Microelectronics (IME) is a research institute of the Science and Engineering Research Council of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Positioned to bridge the R&D between academia and industry, IME’s mission is to add value to Singapore’s semiconductor industry by developing strategic competencies, innovative technologies and intellectual property; enabling enterprises to be technologically competitive; and cultivating a technology talent pool to inject new knowledge to the industry. Its key research areas are in integrated circuits design, advanced packaging, bioelectronics and medical devices, MEMS, nanoelectronics, and photonics. For more information, visit IME on the Internet: http://www.ime.a-star.edu.sg.
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation-driven Singapore. A*STAR oversees 14 biomedical sciences, and physical sciences and engineering research institutes, and seven consortia & centre, which are located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis, as well as their immediate vicinity. A*STAR supports Singapore’s key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. It also supports extramural research in the universities, hospitals, research centres, and with other local and international partners.
About tMt
Touch Micro-System Technology (tMt), which was spun off from Walsin Lihwa MEMS Business Unit, was founded in year 2004. Followed with Walsin Lihwa Group’s technology & industrial roadmap, tMt has become one of the few specialized 8-inch MEMS Foundry in the world.
Starting in the year 2000, which was in Walsin MEMS Business Unit, tMt has offered customers a range of integrated services from joint development to foundry production. It has cooperated with over 30 global MEMS companies to develop and produce various types of chips, including the pressure sensor, motion sensor, MEMS microphone, micro-mirror, and many more.
To become a world-leading MEMS foundry manufacturer, its continuous effort includes steadily accumulating know-how techniques, developing various process platforms, such as CMOS-MEMS platform, RF-IPD platform, solid-state lighting packaging platform, and offering customers a thorough knowledge of manufacturing solutions.
For tMt
Media Contact:
CS Yang
Marketing Division
Touch Micro-System Technology
DID: + 886-3-288-9422 EXT. 8239
Email: CS_Yang@tmt-mems.com
For IME
Media Contact:
Bernadette Lee
Science and Engineering Institutes
for Institute of Microelectronics
DID: +65-6770-5376
Email: leehmb@scei.a-star.edu.sg
