中国能否占领MEMS市场？

在一窝蜂地为平板电脑和智能手机开发国产应用处理器之后，中国企业家现在又得出结论：智能手机中的MEMS器件数目快速增长，这是不容放过的巨大商机。 因此，中国企业又信心十足地转向了MEMS。 市场调研公司Yole Développement列出了20家排名最领先的MEMS厂商，其中没有中国企业的身影，至少现在还没有。新兴的中国MEMS厂商可能集中在低端领域，比如麦克风和压力传感器。 中国初创企业能否成为全球MEMS市场中的风云人物，这是中国微电子产业历史尚未书写的篇章，后事如何，未来10年甚至20年才能见分晓。

单位：百万美元
Source: Yole Developmentk43esmc

在基于CMOS的SoC开发领域，中国无厂设计公司尽管开始的时候经验相对缺乏，但上手非常迅速。该领域的机会造就了几个国内赢家(即展讯、全志和瑞芯微)，他们脱颖而出。但是，大量厂商最终只能相互大打价格战。这一章节提供了一个极好的例子，它充分显示：广泛的可授权IP内核(来自ARM、Imagination和其它一些厂商)、设计、SPICE和掌握更精细节点的代工厂商，给中国无线设计公司创造了前所未有的公平竞争环境。 MEMS可能与此不同。MEMS将考验中国初创企业的耐心、远见，以及他们拥有的IP资源的广度与深度。中国企业在这些方面通常没有优势。 目前，中国只有四家MEMS企业，即美新半导体(MEMSIC)、深迪、上海矽睿科技(QST)和明皜传感(MiraMEMS)。据称还有大量MEMS厂商在中国涌现，主要是因为本地创投公司与企业家对MEMS的兴趣越来越大。

注：红色部分是中国MEMS厂商。
Source：上海微技术工业研究院(SITRI)k43esmc

地方政府也在联手研究机构推动MEMS产业发展。上海微技术工业研究院(SITRI)由中国科学院与上海政府联合建立，致力于开发“超越摩尔”的技术。 上海微技术工业研究院仿效台湾工研院(ITRI)的模式，是一个开放性的创新平台，主要包括8寸微制造线、研发设施、工程中心、供应链伙伴和行业协会等。SITRI还提供专门的投资基金。 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载 本文下一页：老东家的一句话让谢志峰走上MEMS创业路

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{pagination} 上海矽睿科技 据上海矽睿科技有限公司(QST)总经理谢志峰，公司成立于2012年，从一开始就专注于生产“高端磁传感器与MEMS传感器”。 谢志峰是半导体行业的资深人士，职业生涯从英特尔开始，在美国加州从事设计X86处理器。他后来返回亚洲，积累了16年的晶圆代工经验：开始是在新加坡特许半导体，后来到上海的中芯国际。 2011年，年过半百的谢志峰开始感到不安，毅然创立了自己的公司。“我在英特尔工作的时候，老板对我说，如果不是为英特尔工作，我就无足轻重，”他说，“我感觉必须创建一家公司，只是为了向原来的老板证明我可以自立。” 谢志峰看上了MEMS。虽然他不是这方面的专家，但他喜欢MEMS，因为当初这个领域没有什么竞争。

上海矽睿科技有限公司(QST)总经理谢志峰
k43esmc

在做尽职调查的时候，谢志峰偶然发现了上海微系统与信息技术研究所(SIMIT)，该研究似乎拥有不错的陀螺仪技术。 谢志峰发现，几乎世界任何地方的研究所，“对于把技术转化为成功产品必然涉及的可制造性、占位面积和成本都不了解，尤其是转为消费电子市场中的成功产品。” 谢志峰说服SIMIT把陀螺仪技术和相关专利授予QST，换取QST的股份。谢志峰说：“不涉及金钱交换。” 谢志峰随后取得了另一个突破，获得了“全球著名的霍尼韦尔各向异性磁阻(AMR)磁传感器技术的独家、全球和永久授权”。 借助上海华虹宏力半导体制造有限公司的一条生产线，并与这家晶圆代工厂商合作，QST去年秋天得以推出其首款产品：AMR磁传感器QMC6983。QST在霍尼韦尔技术的基础上开发了这款三轴单芯片磁传感器。自从两个月以前开始，这款产品卖出了70万个。 由于存在干扰，智能手机中的压力传感器通常不能很好地用于室内GPS。谢志峰表示，他的公司推出的AMR磁传感器解决了这个问题。该传感器拥有内置自检验功能和温度漂移补偿模块，因此可以实现高精度和更好的可靠性。QST表示，由于具有这种优点，其AMR磁传感器可以用于穿戴式系统和各种其它应用。 但谢志峰承认，要想追上博世和意法半导体等领先厂商，QST和其它中国MEMS企业还有很长的路要走。初创企业不仅要追赶领先者，而且也必须制订长期计划，使自己能够对传感器的发展作出快速反应。 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载 本文下一页：六条进入MEMS市场之前必须了解的事情

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• 谷歌新手机原型将配置3D深度传感器k43esmc

{pagination} MEMS的新模式 Yole Développement最近发表的报告指出：“惯性MEMS一直面临剧烈的市场与技术进化。”在“独立”MEMS器件方面，“6和9轴自由度(DOF)传感器正在组合传感器领域形成新的模式，”该公司写道。正在兴起的一个趋势是，把几个惯性传感器组合在一个封装之中。该报告指出，这类传感器的主要应用是消费领域。主要形式包括加速计与磁力计组合，或者加速计与陀螺仪组合。 比较随意的MEMS观察者认为，中国人对MEMS感兴趣，主要是因为MEMS是一个模块，不会被手机中的大型SoC集成，这样就给他们足够的喘息空间独立生存。 但是，实情远非如此。 谢志峰表示，MEMS市场的进入门槛比多数企业家所认为的要高得多。他一口气列出了六条进入MEMS市场之前必须了解的事情。 ● 第一，每项MEMS技术都要求独特的制造工艺。你不能随便找一家代工厂商生产自己的MEMS。多数代工厂商并不拥有生产你们MEMS所必需的IP。 ● 第二，MEMS要求你有自己的传感器设计。 ● 第三，MEMS也要求传感器与低功耗ASIC配合，低功耗ASIC在弱信号条件下精度很好。 ● 第四，传感器与ASIC必须放置在一个封装之中。但多数代工厂商可能缺乏这方面的经验。 ● 第五，MEMS需要在运动过程中测试。 ● 第六，传感器需要与系统中的主芯片通讯，比如手机中的传感器。但是，每个传感器都是不同的，而且每个手机模块也是不同的。因此，他们的通信方式也不同。 如果说谢志峰在进入MEMS市场之前低估了什么的话，那就是他的公司和现场应用工程师的软件工作量，他们花费了大量精力来微调应用软件。他说，当发现公司生产的MEMS能够在一款手机中完美工作，在另一款手机中却不行时，“我们意识到软件是关键。” 混合与匹配不同的算法以及与不同厂商ASIC集成的传感器，非常复杂性和困难，这是推动MEMS向6D和9D传感器发展的主要是因素。谢志峰解释道：“一站式解决方案让MEMS集成变得更加干净、简单和可靠。” 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载 本文下一页：MEMS未来面临的挑战是“传感器中枢”

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• 深迪惯性传感器产品线路演，迎接多轴化趋势
• 谷歌新手机原型将配置3D深度传感器k43esmc

{pagination} 传感器中枢 MEMS未来面临的挑战不仅是单一封装中的传感器数量不断增加。新出现的一个事物是“传感器中枢”，即厂商给封装中的传感器-ASIC组合增加了一个微控制器。谢志峰解释道，传感器中枢中需要微控制器，主要用于管理功耗。 据谢志峰，以前手机中的主CPU承担了这项任务。但每当传感器需要测量什么东西的时候就唤醒CPU，非常耗电。 除了本周刚宣布的公司首款加速计，QST目前还有一个CMOS集成6D运动传感器(比如3轴加速计+3轴陀螺仪，3轴磁传感器+3轴加速计技术)和9D传感器路线图。 但谢志峰表示，随着传感器中枢的出现，“我们决定提前我们的计划，更早地在MEMS中增加一个微控制器。”原来公司计划是在2015或2016年这么做。 QST有两个选择，可以把MEMS封装外包给一家MCU厂商，或者与一家MCU厂商合作把MCU集成到自己的MEMS之中。QST决定采用后者。谢志峰表示：“考虑到ARM的生态系统，ARM内核将是我们的首要考虑。为了推出专用、低功耗版本，我们也可以考虑MIPS。” 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载 编译：Luffy Liu 参考英文原文：Will China Conquer MEMS?

相关阅读：
• 苹果订单助攻，博世力克ST成MEMS领域第一名
• 深迪惯性传感器产品线路演，迎接多轴化趋势
• 谷歌新手机原型将配置3D深度传感器k43esmc

{pagination} Will China Conquer MEMS? 6 reasons why its barrier-to-entry remains high SHANGHAI, China -- After a mad rush to develop home-grown apps processors for tablets and smartphones, Chinese entrepreneurs are now concluding that the rapidly growing number of MEMS inside a smartphone is too huge an opportunity to pass up. So, it’s on to MEMS… after a (Chinese) fashion. Among the top 20 MEMS players listed by the market research firm Yole Développement, no Chinese vendor shows up — at least, not yet. Emerging Chinese MEMS vendors are likely to be concentrated in low-end MEMS segments such as microphones and pressure sensors. How Chinese startups might become key player in the global MEMS market is a chapter of China’s microelectronics history yet to be written, over the next 10 or even 20 years. Unit: U.S.$ million (Source: Yole Development) In the world of CMOS-based SoC development, Chinese fabless companies, despite relatively little experience in the field, have been able to get rich quickly. The opportunity generated a few domestic winners (i.e. Spreadtrum, Allwinner, and Rockchip) who rose above the pack. Many, however, eventually ended up ruthlessly beating each other up on price. This chapter offered a great example of how broadly available licensable IP cores (from ARM, Imagination, and others), designs, SPICE and access to foundries with finer geometry nodes presented an unprecedented level playing field for Chinese fabless companies. MEMS is likely to be a different story. MEMS will test the patience, long-term vision, and breadth and depth of the IP portfolios held by Chinese startups. All of these qualities tend not to be China’s forté. Today, China has thus far four MEMS pioneering vendors. They include MEMSIC, Senodia, QST, and MiraMEMS. A lot more MEMS players are reportedly coming upon China, largely driven by growing interest in MEMS among local VCs and entrepreneurs. Note: Companies in red are China’s MEMS companies. Source: Shanghai Industrial μTechnology Research Institute (SITRI) There is also the push for MEMS by the local government in conjuction with a research institute. Shanghai Industrial μTechnology Research Institute (SITRI) was established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai government to focus on the development of "More than Moore" technology. SITRI, established after Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) as its model, is an open innovation platform that encompasses an 8-inch micro-fabrication line, R&D facilities, engineering services, supply-chain partners, and industry Association. SITRI also offers dedicated investment funds. QST in Shanghai Enter Joseph Xie, CEO of Shanghai Quality Sensor Technology Corporation (QST) founded in 2012. QST, according to Xie, is focused on producing "high-end magnetic sensors and MEMS sensors since its inception." Xie is a semiconductor veteran who cut his teeth at Intel designing X86 processors in Santa Clara, Calif. He later returned to Asia and accumulated 16 years of experience in foundries -- first at Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing in Singapore, then at SMIC, China’s flagship foundry based in Shanghai. By 2011, Xie, over 50 years old, was getting jittery to start up his own company. “I was once told by my boss at Intel that I was nobody if I had not worked for Intel,” he said. “I felt I needed to start up a company, just to prove to my old boss that I can stand on my own.” Xie set his sights on MEMS. While he’s no expert, he liked MEMS because he initially saw little competition in the field. Joseph Xie, CEO at QST Corp. While doing his due diligence, Xie stumbled across the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology (SIMIT), which appeared to have good gyroscope technology. Almost anywhere in the world, research institutes in general have “no sense of manufacturability, footprint, and cost necessary to turn their technology into successful products -- especially for the consumer electronics market,” Xie observed. Xie initially talked SIMIT into giving QST the research institute’s gyroscope technology and its related patents in exchange for shares in QST. “No money changed hands,” said Xie. Xie got another break when he was able to obtain “exclusive, worldwide and perpetual license of Honeywell's world famous Anisotropic Magneto-Resistive (AMR) magnetic sensor technology.” By leasing a manufacturing line at Shanghai Huahong Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (HHGrace) and working with the foundry, QST was able to announce its first product last fall, the AMR magnetic sensor QMC6983. QST developed the three-axis single chip magnetic sensor based on Honeywell’s technology. The startup has sold 700,000 units of its first product since two months ago. Pressure sensors in smartphones tend not to work well for indoors GPS largely due to interferences. Xie said his company’s AMR magnetic sensor solves this problem, offering high accuracy and better reliability because of its built-in self-checking function and temperature drift compensation module. Touting this advantage, QST says its AMR magnetic sensor can be used in wearable systems and a variety of other applications. Xie, however, acknowledged that there’s still a long way to go before his company and other Chinese MEMS companies can catch up with such leading vendors as Bosch and STMicroelectronics. Startups not only have to play catch-up with the leaders, but they also need long-term plans that enable them to respond quickly to the evolution of sensors. MEMS’ new paradigm Yole Développement’s recent report pointed out, “Inertial MEMS have been subject to dramatic market & technological evolution.” Along with “stand-alone” MEMS devices, “6 and 9-axis degree of freedom (DOF) sensors are creating a new paradigm in the combos business,” the firm wrote. Emerging is a combination of several inertial sensors integrated in a single package. Main applications for such sensors are consumer, said the report. They include accelerometers with a magnetometer or accelerometers with a gyro. Casual observers of MEMS say that the Chinese are interested in it largely because MEMS is a block that won’t get integrated by a big SoC in a handset, thus giving them enough breathing room to stand on their own. That, however, is far from the truth. The barrier to entry in the MEMS market is a lot higher than most entrepreneurs think, said Xie. He rattled off six things anyone needs to know before getting into MEMS business. ? First, each MEMS technology requires a unique manufacturing technology. You can’t just go to any foundry and ask them to produce MEMS. Most foundries don’t have the IPs necessary to produce your own MEMs. ? Second, MEMS requires your own sensor designs. ? Third, MEMS also demand the pairing of a sensor and a low-power-consumption ASIC that works with precision under weak signals. ? Fourth, a sensor and ASIC must be put in a single package. Chances are that most foundries don’t have that experience, either. ? Fifth, MEMS needs to be tested while in motion. ? Sixth, sensors in a handset, for example, need to talk to the main chip in the system. Each sensor, however, is different, and each cellphone module is different. Hence, the way they communicate is also different. If there’s anything Xie underestimated before getting into the MEMS market, it was the amount of software work his company and field application engineers needed to fine-tune the application software. When Xie discovered that his company had made MEMS that worked perfectly in one phone but wouldn’t work in another, he said, “We realized that software was the killer.” The push toward the 6D and 9D sensors has been largely driven by sheer complexity and difficulties in mixing and matching different algorithms and sensors integrated with ASIC offered by different vendors. “A one-stop solution makes MEMS integration cleaner, simpler and more reliable,” Xie explained. Sensor hub Challenges MEMS faces in future aren’t just the increasing number of sensors that must be integrated in a single package. The industry’s new thing is a “sensor hub,” in which vendors add a microcontroller to the sensors-and-ASIC combination in the package. The microcontroller is needed inside the sensor hub, mainly to manage power consumption, Xie explained. Previously, the main CPU in a handset did that job, according to Xie. But waking up the CPU every time sensors need to measure something turns out to be a huge power drain. Beyond the company’s first accelerometer just announced this week, QST today has a road map for CMOS integrated 6D motion sensor (such as tri-axial accelerometer + tri-axial gyroscope, and tri-axial magnetic sensor + tri-axial accelerometer technology) and 9D sensors. But at the advent of the sensor hub, Xie said, “We decided to move up our plan to add a microcontroller to our MEMS sooner.” Previously, it was on the comapny's agenda for 2015 or even 2016. QST has a choice between outsourcing its MEMS package to an MCU vendor and working with an MCU vendor to integrate it into its MEMS. QST decided on the latter. Xie said, "Considering ARM's ecosystem, ARM core will be the first one we will consider. For specialty, low-power version, we may consider MIPS as well."