Micrel has earned a performance rating of 98% in a report that covers the company’s materials and services supplied to a major MEMS supplier in Q4 of 2011.
The latest scorecard is the second performance rating received by Micrel from this customer since increasing MEMS production at its wafer and foundry facility in San Jose, California, in November 2011. The company’s last rating was 97%. The quarterly report is designed to improve Micrel’s materials and services supplied to the customer. Rating parameters are based on on-time delivery (30%), returns (30%), quality events (20%), and quality (20%).
Mircel’s MEMS foundry fab mass produces sensors for this major MEMS designer and manufacturer, which supplies a broad range of sensors and sensor-based systems using leading-edge MEMS technologies and devices. The customer is one of the top 20 MEMS device manufacturers in the world. Micrel's Wafer Fab Division provides MEMS and IC foundry services to military and commercial IC designers as well as to manufacturers looking for a production solution suitable for their specific technology or application requirements.
To ramp up its MEMS production, Micrel invested a substantial amount in capital, purchased an advanced DRIE etch machine, and instigated 3D front-to-back alignment capability. The system accurately etches out deep trenches, large cavities, and through silicon vias needed for present sophisticated MEMS products. The company is one of the 6" fabs in the US that offer MEMS production capability.
MEMS are utilized to fabricate vibration, chemical, temperature and pressure sensors; accelerometers for games, pacemakers, vehicle controls and airbags; switches; and light reflectors. They are also utilized in micro actuators for read/write heads; inkjet print heads; and in all optical switches reflecting light beams.
Source: http://www.micrel.com/