MEMS devices and sensors in standard CMOS processing

Despite the usual approach of requiring a specific process and package for each MEMS device, it is possible to use standard CMOS plus a minimal post-processing, doable in any mainstream CMOS fab, to build many different types of MEMS devices and sensors. In addition to the ultra-low cost, high volume manufacturing capability, multiple sourcing and integration with other functions, this approach has the added benefits of smaller size and profile, improved performance and reduced time to market. These advantages come from the availability of many structural layers and several different materials in the process, which gives many additional degrees of freedom to the designer, enabling novel design concepts and new devices.