Overview of worldwide MEMS industry and market
摘要
1 Introduction It has been a long history for the MEMS industry to develop to today's scale. MEMS (micro electromechanical system) began in 1960s after the researchers in Westinghouse Laboratories created the 'resonant gate' transistor by etching away material to release a metal beam which can freely movable. The concept of making movable structures by releasing process was slowly taken up in 1970s when commercial pressure sensors appeared, based on bulk etched silicon wafers, and first silicon accelerometer was demonstrated. In 1980s, silicon surface micromachining process was devueloped, again based on sacrificial layer technique to release and to make microstructures movable. It was from 1980s silicon and polysilicon were truly recognised as remarkable materials for micromechnical structures. The term 'MEMS' was coined following the creation of micro comb actuators and electrostatic side drive micromotors. In 1990s, the booming era for MEMS development came. There were explosions of new technologies and new applications. Dedicated MEMS companies sprang up world wide and MEMS became a fast growing industry.