QinetiQ, Tronic Collaborate on MEMS

MALVERN, U.K. -- QinetiQ and TRONIC’S Microsystems SA announce a collaboration agreement, to provide customers with an enhanced technology transition roadmap from prototype to volume. This strategic agreement represents a significant maturation of the MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) supply chain in Europe. Now, new innovative products designed by QinetiQ, with TRONIC'S manufacturing standard designed in from the start, will enjoy a greatly improved chance of success.

The technology teams at both Companies will now be working together to ensure process and design tool compatibility, including full process statistics. This working collaboration now represents an extended team of more than 120 people offering concept feasibility, product design and simulation, right through to industrialization and fully integrated volume manufacture of high value-added components.

This collaboration agreement is very timely with the recent opening of TRONIC'S new custom MEMS manufacturing plant at Crolles, in South East France. QinetiQ’s extensive portfolio of inertial sensors and optical components designs based on SOI (Silicon On Insulator) substrates, which have been developed in their Technology Centre in Malvern UK, represents more than 10 years of leading edge research into MEMS devices and materials. This large asset base of designs and process development is now set for rapid commercial exploitation at state of the art facilities in the new Silicon Valley of Europe. Furthermore, QinetiQ’s designs will benefit from TRONIC'S high-end packaging solutions such as wafer level encapsulation and under vacuum packaging.

Mike Day, business manager for MEMS at QinetiQ, says "QinetiQ's evolution from a research and development company that operates in the MEMS market, to one that can supply products, has been given a real boost by the signing of this agreement. We decided to enter into partnership with TRONIC'S as they are world leaders, capable of delivering a full component fabrication, assembly and packaging service for our cutting edge SOI designs".

Peter Pfluger, CEO of TRONIC'S Microsystems, states.”This modern, open-minded innovative business model can be a real breakthrough for custom MEMS on SOI designs. Both our companies’ customers will finally see some leveraging effects. QinetiQ brings them extensive experience, proven design methodologies and process standardizations; TRONIC'S contributes its new efficient facility and its experience in manufacturing, packaging and testing high value-added custom MEMS components in volume.”

QinetiQ Ltd.

Tronic's Microsystems SA