Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd. (SPP), a leading manufacturer of high-precision industrial products, has broadened its role in the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) manufacturing ecosystem with the launch of MEMS Infinity. Specifically, MEMS Infinity is a 150mm and 200mm wafer foundry that aims to meet growing customer demand for concept design and evaluation through prototyping and mass production.

MEMS Infinity houses a 20,000 square-foot cleanroom located in the industrial and technology hub of Amagasaki. It can manufacture various MEMS devices, including electrostatic and electromagnetic sensors and actuators. Also, MEMS Infinity is one of the industry’s few foundries offering a portfolio of PZT thin films. These are piezoelectric materials that transduce electrical energy to mechanical energy and vice-versa. They are ideally suited for high-performance actuators as well as for ultrasonic transducers and acoustic sensors, among other emerging technologies.

“SPP is building on three decades of experience in the MEMS industry,” said Masahiko Tanaka, managing executive officer, SPP. “By the mid-1990’s, SPP acquired STS in the UK. It was manufacturing silicon deep reactive ion etch (Si-DRIE) equipment for fabricating MEMS. By the late 1990s, our company manufactured and sold MEMS accelerometers, and later high-precision MEMS gyros, under the name of our affiliated company. With the unveiling of MEMS Infinity, our new foundry service will accelerate the commercialization of high-quality MEMS devices that meet the most rigorous requirements of fabless companies globally.”

The overall market for MEMS sensors is surging. By 2028, Yole Intelligence predicts it will reach US$20B. High-growth markets such as automotive, aerospace, industrial and medical — all of which MEMS Infinity serves — account for nearly half.ⁱ Meanwhile, captive fabs exclusively manufacture MEMS components for the company of which they are part. Thus, full-service, commercial MEMS foundries, such as MEMS Infinity, play an especially critical role in the marketplace. They serve a broader range of companies in many markets, promoting innovation and providing access to proprietary MEMS technology platforms.

ⁱ Source: Status of the MEMS Industry report, Yole Intelligence, part of Yole Group, August 2023.