Snedai MEMS Project
MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) Technology
MEMS is Micro Electro Mechanical Systems that are composed of micro parts produced using semiconductor micro fabrication technology. They are small, inexpensive, energy-saving systems used as key components in a range of systems such as automobile, cell phone and etc..
Accumulation of MEMS Technology in Sendai area
Prof. Masayoshi Esashi in Tohoku Univ. is a world authority in this field. Many researchers and R&D institutes in MEMS are accumulated in and around Sendai.
Accumulating MEMS R&D Facilities
Prof. Esashi and Tohoku Univ. launched a “Hands-on access fab.（*）” at Tohoku University’s Aobayama campus in 2010, funded by the Japanese government. Companies can easily access and utilize the facility in the fab. for prototyping or small-volume production, without needing their own MEMS facility.
(*) The fab. is equipped with 4 and 6 inch facilities for semiconductor devices and MEMS. The facilities are shared with other users and managed by its staff based on best policy.
The fab. will not accept contract development like MEMS foundries. Companies which cannot establish their own facility dispatch their employees to operate equipment. Contract development is accepted in Sendai by MEMS foundry, “MEMS Core Co., Ltd.”. In addition, some private MEMS R&D companies, such as Advantest Corp., Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Ricoh Co., Ltd. and others, are located in and around Sendai.
MEMS Park Consortium
Prof. Esashi and City of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Tohoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry and other institutes established the “MEMS Park Consortium” in 2004.
The MEMS Park Consortium provides “MEMS development platform” to worldwide companies which intend to develop MEMS products.
URL http://www.memspc.jp
