MEMS accelerate auto test

According to recent market reports, shipments of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are set to double over the next five years. Researchers also cite the automotive sector, with several high-volume safety products, including air bags and tire-pressure monitoring systems, as being the primary application field for these devices.

MEMS represent the integration of mechanical elements, such as sensors, actuators, and accelerometers, with electronics on a common silicon substrate. The electronics get manufactured using standard semiconductor processes, while the mechanical parts are micromachined by etching the wafer or adding structural layers on the silicon. These systems-on-a-chip enable the development of smart products by adding perception and control to established computational microelectronics.

Test engineers must be engaged throughout the semiconductor fabrication process, the parallel micromachining processes, the implantation in specific components, and the assembly of the automotive subsystem. In practice, MEMS mimic traditional industrial age movement, positioning, regulating, pumping, filtering, and controlling actions on a microscopic level. With MEMS already well-established in air-bag deployment, bumper sensing, and tire-pressure regulation, automotive and aerospace applications for these systems abound while test personnel ensure quality and reliability at six-sigma levels.