The Microsystems R&D Programme of the European Union

H. Forster

European Commission, DGIII

presented at the Second International Micromachine Symposium
Tokyo, 31st October 1996

Abstract

This paper discusses the Microsystems R&D programme of the European Union in the context of European R&D policy, and highlights motivation, challenges and constraints for the activities. It also provides an overview of the programme as it stands, and a brief outlook on expected further developments.

European Union R&D policy

The European Commission runs a number of R&D programmes that are complementary to programmes run by the Union's Member States. All these programmes apply the principle of cross-border collaboration at the project level, that is to say industries and institutes from more than one Member State participate in each R&D project. The programmes increasingly take account of the globalisation of markets and technology, and so companies are encouraged to operate and cooperate on a world-wide scale; to facilitate this, the microsystems programme is open to participation from bodies anywhere in the world. Innovation cycles of products and processes are shortening. Therefore our R&D programmes normally have medium-term objectives that match these shorter cycles. At the same time we keep the long-term perspective in mind and set aside in each programme a certain amount of the budget, say 10%, for longer-term research. Finally, we believe that the largest part of technological innovation stems from the interaction of users and suppliers. Therefore, we organise the programme so as to promote vertical cooperation between users and suppliers of technology.

Motivation for a cooperative microsystems R&D programme

Realising a microsystem requires a multidisciplinary approach. Often, more than one technology is involved, packaging plays a role, and an integrated approach between micro-engineering technologies, interconnect, testing and calibration is necessary. Interfacing between suppliers and users of technology requires special attention
Many potential users consider microsystems manufacturing still too expensive. The choice between different technologies is not evident and requires deep investigation, often along several paths in parallel. The affordable level of miniaturisation is directly linked with market evolution and the market penetration of certain products which are hard to predict. The decision to go for a certain level of miniaturisation presents a higher risk and higher investment earlier in time than companies are accustomed to in the case of more conventional products. The concept of an affordable degree of miniaturisation is an integral part of the product development and needs special attention. Economics often forbid to choose the highest possible degree of minituarisation and hybrid solutions are in most cases still the preferred solution rather than monolithically integrated systems.
Microsystems manufacturing still presents a low level of industrial maturity. There is only a small number of high-volume products, little manufacturing experience, and a lack of specific production equipment. Internal supply within vertically organised large companies is the most common pattern for some of the key industrial technologies, while many processes are often only available at research institutes; different processes offer the same performance; technical solutions and design know-how is not re-used or offered in a re-useable form which leads to unnecessary duplication. These are all signs of an immature industry.
The return on the investment in integration or miniaturisation is often indirect. The major benefits are at system level with an overall reduction in the number of components, the introduction of self test, etc. The microsystems component itself contributes often only marginally to the cost/value of the system. While an accelerometer is sold for 4-5 ECU, the airbag system is sold for 250 ECU. Such a situation favours internal supply and hampers the establishment of independent microsystem foundries.
Microsystems are considered a priority by customers primarily because of the lower cost and higher reliability offered and only secondly because of smaller size or higher performance.
Microsystems are considered a priority in government funded research programmes in Europe, and I assume elsewhere in the world, for two main reasons. First macro-economically: there is no doubt the direct market is growing, although figures vary largely, a projected market of 12 billion ECU in the year 2000 for microsystems appears to be still realistic. Second micro-economically: although these components have only a small value compared to the value of the systems they form part of, they often present the major differentiating factor between the systems. In future all cars will, of course, use accelerometers for airbags and gyroscopes for angular rate detection, all houses will have in-built gas detection systems, and the microsystem in your coffee machine will allow you to have your coffee brewed exactly as you want it. Not to speak of all the many applications in the medical sector.

Challenges and Constraints

In Europe more than 120 research centres, laboratories, or university institutes are involved in microsystems technologies, producing a large variety of innovative processes and device concepts and yielding considerable expertise. This wealth of on-going research is on the one hand a strength, but its diversity may also be a drawback, particularly where a critical mass of resources (both human and monetary) is required to address intensive developments.

Today the global situation in microsystems production is well known. There are two strands of products already on the market:

a few high volume, low cost devices (some millions per year) for example in the automotive market (airbags) or in the medical sector (pressure sensing);
and many lower volume, higher cost devices (a few hundreds to some ten thousand per year) in medical, industrial process control, and the aerospace and defence industry.

In Europe, we have counted more than 350 companies participating in European programmes at Union and national levels; there are somewhat more than 100 companies participating in ARPA's programme in the US and, I understand, more than 30 companies are members of the Micro Machine Center in Japan. I do not know the number of companies participating in industrial projects.

The scope and objectives of programmes in different regions of the world appear to be different, however, and therefore difficult to compare. A first indication of the difference is already given by the different names of the respective programmes. ARPA is calling for Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), concentrating on the microstructures themselves and highlighting the combination of electrical and mechanical properties. In this, they build on silicon expertise. It appears that Japan stresses micro-machines, highlighting the progress in the use of high precision mechanical techniques. The European programme aims at multifunctionality: miniaturised systems comprising sensing and/or actuating functions with processing functions.

Our programme was devised by industrial users as well as suppliers. Its emphasis is on removing barriers to the use of microsystems technologies. As a matter of fact, it appeared that sufficient processes were available. These, however, were not available in a reliable form, or were not reproducible, and often only available in institutes for prototyping. These processes were also not easily accessible to interested users. To secure access to a supply of reliable and reproducible processes for microdevice manufacturing; to have access to flexible packaging, mounting and assembly techniques; to cover the interfaces between the microsystem device, its package, and the outside world in a characterised and interlinked fashion; and to lower the cost of microsystems production (including packaging and interconnect) were the first problems to tackle. Even if monolithic integration could be a long term goal to reach the lowest possible cost, it is not our first priority today.

Programme overview

The first main, and more immediate, objective is to transfer microsystems competence from the research into the industrial environment. This general objective should be reached by the installation in the short to medium term (3-4 years) of the industrial availability of the main microsystems and miniaturisation technologies at affordable prices, and by the stimulation of a broader industrial use of microsystems and miniaturisation technologies.

This first objective is achieved as follows:

by addressing applications with potentially high volume to drive the needed microtechnology to the lowest cost, together with the required industrialisation, reliability and low cost aspects. These activities are accompanied by actions that make the technologies and/or devices accessible for other types of applications and to different users with different volume requirements. This broadening of accessibility is provided by stimulating microsystems manufacturing services; by offering access to the 'volume' processes at the sites of some major companies in a low cost, low risk manner. These concern mainly Multi Project Wafers services (MPW); and post-processing services. A lower cost, lower time-to-market and lower risk is also achieved by offering, together with the aforementioned technologies, libraries of available microdevices and microcomponents, design kits, 'standard' interface circuitry and - where possible - to include the necessary CAD to make designs easier, faster, and more reliable.
Another element is addressed by applications of microsystems with a predictable return-on-investment, even if only smaller volumes are produced. The cost of these microsystems must not necessarily be the lowest and they can be offered by smaller companies, possibly cooperating with or relying on institutes. An industrial supply of the required processes is secured by offering, on an industrial basis, flexible packaging and assembly of the volume based microstructures, together with some specialised techniques or processes by specialised companies. The reason for us retaining such applications in our programme is the leverage effect (demonstration function) such applications have. They should generate more applications in the same field, based on the same microtechnology or microdevice.

The second main longer-term objective is to contribute to the innovation needs of some major application areas which are expected to reach the market in the timeframe 2002-2006 (development time 4 to 7 years depending on the sector). Examples are microsystem developments required for "the car of the future" - prospective production about 2002, to fulfil the needs expressed for innovation forecast in medicine - (healthcare situation 2005-2010); for clean environment prospects (a 2005-2010 outlook); for a totally integrated process control and environment monitoring system for a clean factory; and for the "intelligent house" (from about 2005). Since many of the innovation needs for these applications will follow an evolutionary path from developments underway today, long-term objectives and the medium-term industrial objectives are interlinked.

Our microsystems programme is an integral part of the Union's IT R&D programme (ESPRIT). Materials, processes, and manufacturing processes are covered by the Union's Industrial and Materials Technologies (IMT) Programme. The total budget foreseen in both programmes for microsystems is approximately 100 MECU over 4 years.

Today the university or research centre participation is 35% (based on the resources provided to these organisations) and is decreasing from a 50% participation when we started 3 years ago, indicating a strengthened industrial participation. The actual number of participating universities and institutes remains roughly the same. The contribution of large companies remains constant, however a shift is seen from activities in the R&D centres of these companies to the introduction of activities in industrial production lines

The current content of the programme may be illustrated by way of examples. Let us first address the application-oriented activities.

This picture gives a summary of automotive applications in microsystems.

In the automotive field we completed projects aimed at developing a three-axis surface micromachined monolithic integrated accelerometer. Smart pressure sensors for tire pressure monitoring and an oil pressure sensor for gear box control will come on the market soon, the results of other completed projects. An example of accelerometer and gyroscope using the same surfacing micromachining process are shown in this picture.

In the environmental sector the focus is on gas sensing and biological and chemical sensing for water control. Currently the development of a miniaturised, low power consumption, air quality monitoring station to be used in urban environments in combination with the smart management of road traffic is envisaged, as is the development of a portable instrument to measure oxygen in water.

In the medical sector (summary of applications shown in slide 10) one project develops a low power consumption portable blood gas analysis instrument. Another project is on a microsystem blood pump, fully implantable by minimal invasive surgery, to improve the function of cirrhotic livers together with smart flow, pressure, and temperature control and related power management. Wireless data communication with equipment outside the body is envisaged and first testing on living organisms will take place during the project. Further to these, an implantable infusion pump, a 3D ultrasound imaging probe and an advanced cardiac system for plaque removal are being developed.

Projects addressing some applications in the industrial and consumer fields have also been introduced recently. Developments include a rotary switch based on magnetic sensors for white goods; an odour recognition microsystem integrated into domestic air cleaners, and also into monitoring equipment to detect off-flavour and contaminants for in-line process monitoring of food and beverage packaging; and low power, smart relays for integration into automatic test equipment and security systems. An optomechanical microsystem project for use in the printing industry is also being introduced. An example of a microspectrometer is shown in slide 13.

Moreover, we have a number of application experiments with first users of microsystem technology. These are projects in which usually one user, with the help of one supplier (often an institute), makes a small prototype product based on existing microsystems technology. The challenge is the integration of such technology into a concrete application. Thus, a variety of applications are addressed, ranging between a touch panel, a shotgun simulator, a new module for ink jet printers, an incubator for micro-organisms, a force measuring system, a spygmomanometer for blood pressure measurement, a hydrostatic level sensor, a micro-filtration membrane system, and a photo multiplier microsystem, to name a few.

One year ago, a set of infrastructural activities known as Europractice was launched.

These measures are combining the existing knowledge at the institutes with that available in industrial companies, and offering technologies available at institutes in a more industrial way; and also offering access to existing or planned industrial volume technologies. Topics addressed include not only the micro-engineering technologies to produce the microstructures, but also advanced packaging, assembly and testing, and are offered by a microsystems manufacturing service to the user by a set of clustered companies. These manufacturing clusters concentrate on the provision of MPW services, flexible packaging and interconnect services, silicon wafer post-processing services and small-volume production in a broad range of specialised technologies. Each cluster includes a major supplier covering one volume technology and a set of smaller, more flexible suppliers of complementary technologies (including interconnect) which may not be offered by the major supplier, including at least one institute. The institute and the industrial companies make their offer of technology compatible, assuring a path from prototyping to volume production; and the different suppliers in the cluster will make their technologies interface compatible, offering global solutions to the users. Within these manufacturing clusters the institutes may also provide design, modelling, or testing support, or just training, to the users. The partners in each manufacturing cluster are networked operationally, and the different manufacturing clusters are also networked. Together with these manufacturing clusters, Europractice also provides a support service for customers of these clusters through the introduction of some demonstration activities, and by launching demonstration projects to debug the interface between the customers and suppliers (which also demonstrate the added-value of the service to different users). Together with these, dissemination and promotional activities have been launched to attract potential users. Four main clusters are now in operation, headed by Bosch, Sagem, GEC-Marconi and CSEM, and these are surrounded by over 20 other companies and institutes. All together, these clusters offer a wide range of technologies. An example of a service I have shown for the accelerometer. Another example here is mounting magnetic coils on pre-processed wafers.

Together with this service a set of technology transfer nodes (TTN) spread all over Europe is promoting innovation and the use of advanced technologies in the First Users Action (FUSE) which is helping inexperienced users of microelectronics and microsystems through application demonstration projects.

I would like to conclude with the following remarks.

The implementation of our programme sees an increasing industrial participation and more users are taking part in microsystem development projects incorporating microsystems in their future products. We deem this an encouraging sign. Thanks to the programme, an increasing number of industrial microsystem manufacturers are opening their internal manufacturing lines to allow access to external users with low- and high-volume microsystems production needs. Together with a set of smaller companies they offer access to global microsystem-based solutions in a flexible, cooperative way at reasonably low cost.

We are convinced that the take-up of microsystems technology on a broad scale is imminent. As yet unclear are the modalities and the exact timing of this take-up. We are ready to continue to play our role, that is a catalytic role, easing and accelerating the take-up and fostering innovation.

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