Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC", NYSE:
SMI; SEHK: 0981.HK) and Microstaq,
developer of the world's most advanced silicon MEMS-based fluid control technology,
today announced the successful function qualification of Microstaq's unique
Ventilum(TM) MEMS-based chip.
"We have received die and run internal testing against our performance
specification," stated Mark Luckevich, VP of Engineering at Microstaq,
"The Ventilum chips received are of the highest grade and we look forward
to our technology being adapted into the HVAC and refrigeration markets."
"This is an exciting milestone that marks SMIC's MEMS technology progress,"
says Chioufeng Chen, VP of Marketing & Sales at SMIC, "MEMS is a potential
market, with the uniqueness of its processes varying on the products and application.
The achievement indicates SMIC has established capability of comprehensive MEMS
process flow."
In second quarter of 2008, SMIC started to offer MEMS foundry service. Now
SMIC has the capability for all major MEMS process flows and related modules.
SMIC has since working closely with customers on MEMS products including Optical
MEMS, microphone, accelerometer, RF MEMS, microdisplay, etc. "We are very
optimistic about the future of MEMS industry," says Daniel Fu, Associate
VP of Technology Development on MEMS at SMIC, "SMIC is committed to providing
MEMS service at various levels. We are now working with technical partners on
monolithic CMOS-MEMS integration, as well as WLP (Wafer Level Packaging). In
addition, we have started coordination with several China universities and institutes
to develop MEMS platform process, helping customers to streamline MEMS design
and prototyping with shorter time-to- market."
Microstaq's new Ventilum chip technology is the industry's latest advancement
in state of the art electronic valves. Not only does the Ventilum valve use
less energy than traditional valves, but when integrated with advanced sensing
and controls, Ventilum technology reduces energy consumption in air conditioning
systems by up to 25 percent.