In order to help provide access to advanced MEMS technologies, and lower the barriers for both industry and academia, MCNC and ARPA have developed a program which works to provide users with access to both MEMS processes and advanced integration techniques. The two distinct aspects of this program, the MUMPs and Smart MEMS, will be described in this paper. The Multi-User MEMS Processes (MUMPs) is an ARPA-supported program created to provide inexpensive access to MEMS technology in a multi-user environment. MUMPs is a proof-of-concept and educational tool to aid the development of MEMS in the domestic community. MUMPs technologies currently include a 3-layer polysilicon surface micromachining process and LIGA processes that provide reasonable design flexibility within set guidelines. Smart MEMS is the development of advanced electronics integration techniques for MEMS through the application of flip chip technology.

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This paper will describe a new approach to the integration of electronics with MEMS, or Smart MEMS. Flip chip solder bumping of integrated circuits is routinely used for packaging purposes and has now been extended to the placement of electronics in close proximity to MEMS devices. The flip chip approach separates the fabrication of the MEMS and electronic devices, allowing both the IC's and MEMS to be fabricated of many different substrate materials, not just single crystal silicon. The close proximity of the electronics to the MEMS devices is very desirable to improve signal to noise performance, and provide higher levels of systems integration. This new approach provides batch fabrication capability as opposed to the serial hybrid approach, without having to fabricate the electronics and MEMS on the same chip. Results on the attachment of surface micromachined structures to glass and silicon substrates will be reported.

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