Dec 2 2009
Semefab (Scotland) Ltd. (Glenrothes, Scotland) has started building its CMOS3 wafer fab to support front-end processing of MEMS structures. Semefab, with financial support from Scottish Enterprise and the United Kingdom government's Technology Strategy Board, is spending £6 million (about $11 million) to create a 0.5-micron capable CMOS facility, to support its MEMS manufacturing capability.
The CMOS3 fab will include a 1,200 square meter class-100 cleanroom capable of fabricating 0.5-micron structures. The combination of CMOS3 with the already operational MEMS2 fab on the site will allow a full wafer flow for 6-inch diameter wafers for integrating CMOS and MEMS technologies, Semefab said. Semefab has contracted Merit Merrell Technology to build the cleanroom and to complete the hook-up of all fabrication tools. The CMOS3 is scheduled to become operational during June 2010.
Semefab is a 20 year old manufacturer of ASICs, ICs and other electronic components but it has now larger concluded a mutliyear transition to move it to MEMS manufacture.
"The contract to create an operational CMOS fab will complete Semefab's operational commitment to provide an open access MNT [micro and nanotechnology] development model and a viable route to commercialization for academia and global industry," said Ian McNaught, MEMS business manager for Semefab, in a statement.
"CMOS3 is being built primarily to support the CMOS-compatible component of the MEMS structure. The wafers will then transition from CMOS3 to MEMS2 for final fabrication. CMOS3 will also be used to integrate non-MEMS technologies with MEMS structures," McNaught told EE Times.
"Semefab has a diverse process portfolio and we see several opportunities to integrate technologies. The three-axis accelerometer is the first application where we integrate CMOS control circuitry on the proof mass and then complete the fabrication in MEMS2."
Ewing Thomson, project director with Merit Merrell Technology, said: "Merit was delighted to extend the working relationship with SemeFab following the successful conclusion of the MEMS2 Fab. The CMOS3 project is currently ahead of program with the structural steel mezzanine being completed one week ahead of schedule."