Jul 16 2010
An alliance between Affinity Biosensors and a MEMS foundry unit, Innovative Micro Technology (IMT) for mass production of suspended mass resonator (SMR) MEMS chips, which allow the dimensional analysis of particles in fluids resolved using femtogram. These chips are an integral part of Archimedes particle measurement system belonging to Affinity Biosensors.
The SMR MEMS device has gained a Gold award in Pitcon 2010, for being the best new product and also it has been identified and certified by 2010 R&D 100 Awards as being one among the 100 latest and vital technological devices.
Even though it was made initially at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT gets the credit for fine tuning it and also creating a unique operation called sub-m Torr vacuum, wafer-level packaging (WLP) for large scale manufacture. A dimensional analysis of the particle is done by Archimedes System, as the particle travels via a micro fluidic passage which is built inside a resonating cantilever. When the particle reaches the cantilever’s tip, its mass is calculated, by finding out the resonance frequency change. Femtogram resolution can be done, only if the cantilever has a large Q-factor, which is obtained by enclosing the cantilever in high-vacuum WLP.
Affinity Biosensor’s CEO, Dr. Ken Babcock has said that, the IMT foundry had all the necessary proficiency and equipments required to refine and manufacture the sensors, which makes it indispensable.
The complex MEMS devices are made in IMT, using effective technological programs like WLP along with 3D micro fluidics and silicon vias, to decrease uncertainties and hazards in the program and evolve an easy production process. This helps the IMT products to reach the markets quickly.
According to IMT’S CEO, Dr. John Foster, complex technology is needed to produce even such easy designs or models like SMR chips, and that IMT uses its profound expertise and regular operations in micro fluidics to reduce the time taken to produce the chips, and thus provides a valuable service to Affinity Biosensors and its other customers.
Source link: http://www.affinitybio.com