Many industrial branches other than automotive industry may benefit from MEMS technology. Most of them require custom-designed MEMS in mid-scale volumes, which are at present not available at acceptable costs. A modular MEMS packaging and interface concept may contribute to less costly solutions with faster time to market. A 3D stackable packaging concept, the Top-Bottom Ball Grid Array TB-BGA, which includes electric, fluidic, optic, and communication interfaces, is proposed. Several realization technologies (LTCC, 3D-BGA, , StackPack) as well as first applications are discussed.
Modularization of MEMSFor more than ten years, MEMS technology has been seen as a promising technology, igniting a revolution similar to that engendered by microelectronics in recent years. Sensors, actuators and signal processing components are to be integrated into miniaturized smart systems, capable of performing tasks which previously necessitated the use of a whole range of processes and complex items of equipment.MEMS technology has demonstrated its economic strength in batch fabrication of large volumes of more or less identical devices. Microsystems and microelectromechanical components are economically employable in products, where either high production volumes or high added value create favorable conditions for their integration. The cost-efficient industrial production of packaged MEMS in medium-to-high volumes at rather low prices (~$ 1 0 ) has proved to be successful. Consequently, the MEMS market is dominated by a few devices, predominantly developed for and applied in automotive industry and information technology.However, throughout the last decades, market complexity has increased considerably. Companies are forced to concentrate on ever more specific market segments and constantly strive for shorter development lead-times. The individualization of industrial products demanded by the customer has lead to a great diversity within product ranges [ 11. Many industrial branches would benefit greatly from application adapted MEMS at market-acceptable costs. Then again, initial costs for a small-to-medium-scale fabrication of custom-designed MEMS are beyond reach for most applications.In a given application sector, the majority of anticipated custom-adapted microsystems differ usually only in a few specifications. By choosing a modular approach, the components of such microsystems could be fabricated in much higher volumes. This leads to lower production costs for the components and therefore to reduced production costs for the modular smart sensors and systems. With a minimum of components, a manufacturer can achieve the difficult task of having a very flexible variety of finished products [ 11.