MEMS Process Pioneer Acquired by Silicon Laboratories

The Silicon Valley-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) process technology pioneer Silicon Clocks has been acquired by Silicon Laboratories.

Silicon Clocks’ MEMS process technology enables various sensor structures and MEMS resonators to be fabricated on the customary CMOS wafers directly. This method will remove the boutique semiconductor processing requirement. It will also enable new levels for integration, performance, and size through the removal of packaging issues and electrical parasites related to customary solutions used to package an IC and standalone MEMS together.

The CMOS+MEMS or CMEMS technology of Silicon Clocks is aligned with the efforts of Silicon Labs in leveraging its CMOS-enabled timing gadgets in mass volume applications like consumer electronics.

Silicon Laboratories’ Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Business Development informed that the standardized CMOS-based mixed-signal ICs are compatible with the innovative MEMS technology developed by Silicon Clocks, resulting in a new timing product range that optimizes performance and reduces system cost in a small footprint. He also believes that this strategic technology platform has the capability to integrate different MEMS and their related CMOS circuitry on a common monolithic die.
The R&D team of Silicon Clocks will be combined with that of Silicon Labs. The acquisition will also add 20 important patents to Silicon Labs’ patent portfolio.