MEMS for Mobile phones 06

SUMMARY

MEMS devices for mobile phones include:

• Silicon microphone: now at least 2 companies have devices available (Knowles Acoustics and SonionMEMS). The market has reached more than 95 M. units in 2005, 15% higher than our expectations
• 3D accelerometers: for this application also, the market has increased very rapidly with the new use of the inertial sensors, especially on the Japanese market (for GPS positioning) and in Korea (active logo)
• 6 DOF IMU: we see more and more interest from handset manufacturers to have an inertial measurement unit (IMU) for high end mobile phone
• Gyroscope for camera stabilisation and GPS: still under development, as predicted, for a product introduction in 2007 at the earliest
• Microfuel cell: product introduction announcements in 2007 have been made by several Japanese companies. This was in line with our last year estimation. Volume business should start in 2008. MEMS will be a key technology for the fuel cell but also for several other key devices, like microvalves or gaz detectors
• Chemical and Biochip: personal weather station and health care monitor
• RF MEMS: still only one type of product on the market (FBAR from Agilent, Infineon and other companies) with very strong growth of the unit sold... but very strong decrease of the price. Other device announced is the replacement of quartz oscillator by MEMS based oscillator, starting end of 2006
• Enhanced auto focus and micro zoom: now several companies are proposing MEMS based devices, including Varioptic which is the only company close to production; a spin off from Philips named Laquavista has just been created in order to industrialize the electro-wetting technologies from Philips for displays.

Announced since years, MEMS devices are entering step by step into the mobile phone business and they are key devices to leverage these new functions (figure 1). Linked to that, the main industrial companies are now entering the MEMS fields to take part in this growing business. According to our new estimation, the market will reach 750 M$ in 2009.

Compared to our last estimation, the market in units is growing much faster than we expected but on the same time, the market in value is lower than expected: we think now that the 2008 market will be in the range of 550 M$ (compared to our last year estimation of 620 M$).

The price pressure in this industry is just incredible.

Despite analysis done by several other market research firms, Yole Developpement does not see a product introduction for RF active devices before 2008. The technology is still immature: only 2 companies are producing RF switches in volume today (Teravicta and Matsushita Electric Works), for the ATE markets, so mainly high end applications. The devices available have a very low price.

We at Yole Developpement do not think that RF MEMS active devices will be on the market before 2010. Few things are important for MEMS devices to address the consumer markets: Standard package (especially CSP/WLP) Package size : 1.2 mm x 5 mm x 5 mm max (to be included in mobile phone) Small silicon die (less than 2 mm x 2 mm) in a 6'' wafer (i.e. between 3500 to 5700 dies per wafer 6'') Price between $ 1.5 to $ 2 max (less than $ 0.4 for Si microphone) Digital output

The price for MEMS devices for mobile phone is a crucial issue: For microphone, the price of the ECM microphone is less than $ 0.4 For 3D acceleration sensor, the target price is less than $ 1.6 For RF MEMS, the challenge is to be included in SiP/SOC approach, with adapted price MEMS4mobile report is also analysing for the first time new innovative functions, especially MEMS based displays. There is more and more interest from handset manufacturers to use innovative displays based on low consumption and enhanced quality. The road is long to reach industrialization but the needs are important.

The report is describing the different applications and linked markets on a world basis (2004-2008), who is doing what, the expected product launch and also a complete and in-depth technology, specifications and marketing challenges for MEMS to be implemented in mobile phone. This detailed analysis is done per application so that readers can understand the key specifications and system challenges. The report also enclosed an overview of which mobile phone is using what kind of MEMS products, presenting the strategies of the different mobile phone manufacturers toward MEMS. The report is also describing the involvement of the MEMS manufacturers in the applications under analysis. The report is bringing a lot of value both to MEMS manufacturers, suppliers to MEMS manufacturers and system manufacturers in order to understand the business potential, the technology status and who is doing what for strategic and marketing decision makin

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview of MEMS technologies and markets

• - What are MEMS?
• - MEMS industrial infrastructure
• - Overview of MEMS markets
• - Status of the MEMS industry
• - Value added in the MEMS industry

Presentation of MEMS functions be implemented in mobile phones:

• - Human machine interface
• - Replacement of ECM microphone
• - GPS positioning system
• - Versatile RF module
• - Integrated RF module with passive devices
• - Image capture
• - Image stabilization
• - Increased battery life time and capacity
• - Identification
• - TV projection
• - Other innovative functions

Evaluation per application of today and future markets of MEMS in mobile phone (2004-2008) Technology status and major developments

• - Acceleration sensor
• - 6 DOF IMU
• - Silicon Microphone
• - MEMS RF modules and devices
• - Micro fuel cell
• - Gyroscope
• - Bio and chemical analysis
• - MEMS based displays

Who is doing what and status of the developments

• - Technology already on the market
• - New development foreseen
• - Product introduction schedule
• - Product roadmap per application
• - Product roadmap per company
• - Mobile phone manufacturer strategy
• Major bottleneck and challenges
• - Packaging
• - Test
• - Pricing
• - Chip size

Description of the key players worldwide

• - North America
• - Europe
• - Asia

Synthesis and challenges for the future.

The companies under analysis in this report are the following:

• 1. Accelerometer and gyroscope: Analog Devices, Memsic, Kionix, STM, Oki, Hitachi, Fujitsu, BEI Sensors, Murata, Freescale, MEW, Seiko Epson ...
• 2. Silicon microphone: Knowles, SonionMems, Akustica ...
• 3. Micro fuel cell: STM, Samsung, Mitsubishi, Sony...
• 4. RF MEMS: STM, Philips, APM, Discera...