The harsh environment robust micromechanical technology (HERMiT) program: Success and some unfinished business

This invited paper summarizes the history behind the creation, execution, and eventual success and commercial impact of DARPA´s Harsh Environment Robust Micromechani-cal Technology (HERMiT) program. Originally proposed in late 2002 as a program to explore micro-scale environmental control via new packaging technology, the HERMiT program morphed into a vehicle to explore and address reliability and long-term stability issues for microelectromechanical devices, such as RF switches, high-Q resonators, and gyroscopes. In the end, packag-ing indeed surfaced as an important key to achieving the best cycle lifetimes seen to date for RF MEMS switches, as well as unprecedented frequency stability for micromechanical resona-tors that eventually enabled some of the MEMS-based timing oscillator products now shipping in volumes approaching 100 million parts per year.