Martina Vogel
advisor to the institute management of Fraunhofer ENAS, strategy coordinator and manager marketing/PR
Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS

Biography
Martina Vogel studied physics at the University of Technology Chemnitz, Germany. She obtained her PhD from the same university in 1994. From 1996 until 2001 she worked as project manager in the GPP Chemnitz mbH. From 2001 until 2006 Martina Vogel was responsible for quality assurance of memory products at ZMD. In 2006 she joined the Center for Microtechnologies of Technische University Chemnitz. Since 2009 she is with Fraunhofer ENAS and works as advisor to the institute management and manager marketing/PR. Since 2015 she works additionally as strategy coordinator of the institute.

Status, Challenges and Opportunities for MEMS and Sensors

Eric Mounier
Principal Analyst, Technology & Market, MEMS & Photonics
Yole Développement

Abstract
The dynamic is very positive for the MEMS markets. And although the market reached maturity, it is still expected to grow at a significant rate for the coming years: 18% in value and 27% in units, over 2018-23 for the global MEMS devices. With new mega trends such as robotic cars, autonomous vehicles, AI, AR/VR, 5G, Industry 4.0, … the demand for sensors will grow as for MEMS. Moreover, it is still a domain with a lot of innovation as new devices are in R&D today (speakers, gas sensors, hyperspectral imagers …). And this wave of innovation is also confirmed by the good 2017 business year realized by most of the MEMS players. The presentation will highlight the present and future of the MEMS markets, and how new applications such as smart vehicles, AI, mobility … will contribute to the business growth.

Biography
With almost 20 years of experience in MEMS, Sensors and Photonics applications, markets, and technology analyses, Dr. Eric Mounier provides deep industry insight into current and future trends. As a Principal Analyst, Technology & Market, MEMS & Photonics, in the Photonics, Sensing & Display division, he is a daily contributor to the development of MEMS and Photonics activities at Yole Développement (Yole), with a large collection of market and technology reports as well as multiple custom consulting projects: business strategy, identification of investments or acquisition targets, due diligences (buy/sell side), market and technology analysis, cost modelling, technology scouting, etc. Previously, Dr. Mounier held R&D and Marketing positions at CEA Leti (France). He has spoken in numerous international conferences and has authored or co-authored more than 100 papers. Eric has a Semiconductor Engineering Degree and a Ph.-D in Optoelectronics from the National Polytechnic Institute of Grenoble (France).

MEMS Production at a Pure Play Foundry

Uwe Schwarz
MEMS Process Development
X-FAB

Abstract
Since about 20 years X-FAB is acting as pure play MEMS foundry. Based on the experiences in the CMOS foundry business X-FAB is organizing the MEMS foundry offer in a very similar way. It results in different so-called open platform process offers for various sensor applications. The processes are described by specifications in the same way as it is usual for CMOS processes since many years. PDKs for MEMS processes are becoming more and more important and complex. On the other side X-FAB is open to develop and to run customer specific programs. It means that very specific MEMS technologies will be developed and transferred into real volume production. The presentation will give an over view about the X-FAB open platform processes and will show, how access to a MEMS foundry will work.

Biography
Uwe Schwarz obtained a degree in Physics at the University in Leipzig in 1988. He joined X-FAB in 1992. He worked first as a development and process engineer on photolithographic processing, and was involved in CMOS technology development programs of the. In 1997 he started the first activities in the field of MEMS process development. He has been deeply involved in the development of a MEMS foundry business at X-FAB.

MEMS - General and Plasma Dicing Process

Bernhard Holz
Process Technology Manager
Accretech Europe GmbH

Abstract
MEMS devices such as Pressure sensors, Accelerators, RF-MEMS, Microphones, Bio-MEMS, Printer heads, etc. are very sensitive and hence require gentle die singulation technique. Such technique needs to be very clean, not generating any particles, preventing mechanical stress, vibrations, or ESD damages, and in particular, it should work without any cooling fluids. As well known from conventional diamond blade dicing all these influences may damage fragile mechanical MEMS structures like membranes, micro holes or sensitive chemical coatings. In contrast to blade dicing and other ablation laser techniques, the “ML laser technology” is using a low energy IR laser beam that is focussing into the Silicon bulk. Hereby a so called modification layer with defined punctual stress profile is generated that works effectively as a hyphenation point. The die separation itself takes place by subsequent dicing tape expansion. Since only a very limited interior region of the wafer is processed by laser beam irradiation, mechanical or thermal damages and die edge chipping can be avoided. Latest ML dicing machine generation and its accessory tools combines fully automatic operation, superior die separation quality with high productivity. The latter is achieved by a newly developed multi-beam laser engine that is built on a high speed machine platform allowing dicing feed speeds up to 1000mm per second. The presentation provides an overview about typical MEMS applications for the ML singulation process, its requirements and limitations, as well as about laser dicing process variants like double side laser irradiation of MEMS wafer stacks and laser irradiation through tape (LTT).

Biography
Bernhard Holz has more than 30 years of experience in production of semiconductor devices, especially in mechanical processing technologies like wafer grinding, polishing and dicing. He made a diploma in mechanical engineering at the Technical University Berlin, afterwards he received a PhD in the field of Silicon wafer manufacturing and sub-surface damage analysis at the PTZ Berlin. From 1994 he worked as R&D Manager for a supplier of wafer slicing and grinding machines. He jointed Accretech Europe in June 1998. As Process Technology Manager he is responsible for customer application support for Polish Grinders as well as Wafer dicing machines. As head of the European demo & application center in Munich he further drives blade and laser dicing process developments, evaluations and services for various European Semiconductor as well as MEMS companies.

Organic Nanofibers as Next Generation Chemical Sensors for Real-time Process Monitoring

Douglas Later
President and CEO
Vaporsens, Inc

Abstract
Early detection of gas phase chemicals can ensure product integrity, and human safety. New types of chemical sensors are being developed that are sensitive, selective and rapid for direct vapor detection of hazardous chemicals. These next generation chemical sensors are based on novel organic nanofiber materials that demonstrate photoconductive and chemiresistive responses to surface adsorption of chemicals. The nanofibers are prepared via self-assembly of building-block, core molecules that are uniquely functionalized with a variety of tail and head groups that enable sensitive and selective binding and electron transfer interaction with different chemical analytes. When placed on a substrate, nanofibers form a porous super-net structure with large surface area and high porosity that can capture target molecules from the air through molecular diffusion and surface adsorption. Upon capture the electron density associated with the nanofiber structures can either increase or decrease resulting in an observable change in electrical conductivity that signals a detection event. For enhanced selectivity nanofibers of different chemical functionality can be deployed in sensor arrays. In addition to selectivity, the nanofiber sensors are also highly sensitive. Certain chemical species have been detected at the low parts per trillion (ppt) level. Nanofiber sensors are particularly sensitive to amines, aldehydes, volatile organic compounds, and toxic industrial chemicals. Vaporsens, Inc. has developed autonomous nanofiber chemical microchip sensors and sensor arrays that can be deployed in small portable detectors and/or fixed distributed networks. Nanofiber chemical sensors can deliver lower limits of detection and faster response times than other commercially available chemical sensors.

Biography
Douglas Later is a business leader and Ph.D. analytical chemist with 30 years of experience in both small and large businesses, including several high-tech startup companies. Doug's corporate leadership roles and experience are in the areas of business development, research and development, design and engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance/quality control, regulatory compliance, customer service, marketing, and sales in analytical instrumentation and chemical manufacturing settings, as well as a service laboratory environment. His experience also includes international and national expertise in collaborative research and development, engineering, technology licensing, distributor agreements, marketing, and joint-venture business development. Dr. Later has proven communication skills with more than 250 technical and business publications and several hundred technical and business presentations in the various fields of chemistry and biology including book chapters, journal publications, published proceedings, government reports, regulatory methods, as well as conference, seminar and symposia presentations. He has also been a principal investigator and project manager of government and commercial grants and contracts from federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. National Institute of Health, and U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Robust Magnetic Sensors for Condition Monitoring in availability-oriented Product Service Systems

Rolf Slatter
CEO
Sensitec GmbH

Abstract
Globalization, Industry 4.0 and increasing price pressure are only a few impact factors influencing the competition in the capital goods industry. There is a trend for machine builders to differentiate by creating individual bundles, consisting of technical products and lifecycle-oriented services, called Product-Service Systems (PSS). Smart sensors are a key enabling technology for availability-oriented PSS. Within the German state-funded R&D project “InnoServPro”, Sensitec GmbH is working with a number of partners to develop innovative service products for individualized, availability-oriented business models. One use case studied concerns the condition monitoring of the primary conveyor belt of a potato harvester. A specially-developed magnetic MEMS sensor, based on the magnetoresistive (MR) effect, is capable of identifying damage to steel rods, which are a major component of the conveyor. This information is used to estimate the remaining useful life of the conveyor, in order to plan maintenance optimally and so increase machine available. These new technologies are already progressing to industrial applications. In tobacco cutting machines the cutters are typically re-sharpened at fixed periods. A new MR-based magnetic sensor is capable of monitoring the sharpness of the cutters to allow local, in-process re-sharpening of the cutters without stopping the machine. This solution provides significant benefits, in terms of increased machine availability due to reduced down-time for re-sharpening the cutters. There are also unexpected additional benefits for the machine builder. The magnetic measuring principle can recognize original OEM-cutters so preventing machine down-time due to use of lower quality, non-original components. New magnetic sensors, based on the MR effect, combined with new software functions for smart signal processing are proving an essential enabling technology for new product-service-systems that benefit both end-users and machine builders.

Biography
Dr. Rolf Slatter gained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London. From 1988 to 2006 he was employed at Harmonic Drive AG in Limburg as Production Manager, Sales Manager and ultimately as Director for Sales & Marketing. He also co-founded and was Managing Director at Micromotion GmbH in Mainz from 2001 to 2006. In 2007 he started at Sensitec GmbH in Lahnau as CTO and has been CEO and Managing Partner since 2010. He is also owner of ITK Dr. Kassen GmbH in Lahnau. Furthermore, Dr. Slatter is Chairman of the Board of the Innovation Platform for Magnetic Microsystems INNOMAG e.V., Member of the Board of AMA Association for Sensors and Management and is a member of the Council for Technology of Rhineland-Palatinate.