mems

**MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems)** — miniature mechanical devices (sensors, actuators, resonators) fabricated using semiconductor manufacturing techniques, bridging the physical and digital worlds. **What MEMS Are** - Tiny mechanicalgical structures (1–100 μm) built on silicon chips - They sense physical quantities (acceleration, pressure, rotation) or create physical motion (mirrors, valves, speakers) - Fabricated using modified IC processes: deposition, lithography, etching, plus special steps (deep RIE, wafer bonding, release etch) **Common MEMS Devices** - **Accelerometer**: Measures acceleration/tilt. In every smartphone (screen rotation, step counting) - **Gyroscope**: Measures rotation rate. Navigation, image stabilization - **Pressure Sensor**: Measures barometric pressure. Altitude, weather, automotive - **Microphone**: MEMS diaphragm + ASIC. In phones, smart speakers, hearing aids - **Digital Mirror (DMD)**: Texas Instruments DLP — millions of tiny mirrors for projectors - **RF MEMS**: Switches, filters, resonators for 5G **Market & Scale** - ~30 billion MEMS devices shipped per year - Every smartphone has 10+ MEMS sensors - Key manufacturers: STMicroelectronics, Bosch, TDK/InvenSense, Analog Devices **MEMS** are the interface between the physical world and digital electronics — they give chips the ability to sense and interact with their environment.