MEMS packaging IP and market status

Early MEMS devices employed packages developed for conventional semiconductor microelectronics. Today, MEMS packages reflect the unique environment, mechanical, chemical and thermal requirements of MEMS devices themselves. A casual search of on-line databases reveals nearly 40,000 patents worldwide containing the words ¿MEMS¿ and ¿package.¿ While not all relevant, the number of IP documents easily overwhelms researchers, investors and IP practitioners. Similarly, a landslide of press releases, advertisements, and published technical articles leaves the impression that a mature MEMS packaging market exists. The authors systematically analyze the relevant IP and organize it by generic technology categories. A unique mapping methodology provides greater understanding of the landscape of IP in the MEMS packaging arena across a wide range of considerations including geography, IP development and ownership trends, infrastructure implications and application concepts. The authors also present a simple valuation of IP within the MEMS packaging field based on citation analysis. After a survey of leading edge market activities from around the world, the presentation concludes with a critical assessment of the challenges and outlook of MEMS packaging that identifies specific technical issues and market opportunities critical to the future of MEMS applications.