A Peek Inside the Invensense ITG-3200 Three-Axis Gyroscope

Contributed by St.J. Dixon-Warren and R. Krishnamurthy, Chipworks

Invensense is a leader in the MEMS gyroscope market segment. According to Yole, they experienced nearly 500% growth 2009 over 2008. They now hold the #1 position in the MEMS gyroscope for consumer electronics market.

Chipworks recent had a look inside their new three-axis digital gyroscope, the ITG-3200. The device is built using the Nasiri, single-chip, MEMS process, where the MEMS layer is sandwiched between a fusion-bonded cap wafer and the ASIC. The ASIC and MEMS are bonded using eutectic metal bond. The SEM image in Figure 1 provides a tilt-view of the corner of the MEMS chip, where the MEMS layer can be seen between the cap and ASIC die.

MIG visits Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

Contributed by Karen Lightman, Managing Director, MEMS Industry Group

My journey through Japan continued with a trip up to Sendai (which is 96 minutes north of Tokyo by Shinkansen), at the invitation of Professor Esashi-sensai at Tohoku University. Takeo Oita-san of NDK accompanied me at my visit to Sendai.  We were greeted at the station by Katou Hiroyuki –san and Ms. Emi Ooba, both with the Commercialization Support Sub-section, Industrial-Academic Collaboration Promotion Section, Economic Affairs Bureau, Sendai City.  Their focus is to promote Sendai as the “best location” for R&D. Along with their director, Hiroyuki Miyata, I was very humbled and impressed with their hospitality and graciousness.

MIG at Exhibition MEMS/Micromachine 2010

Contributed by Karen Lightman, Managing Director, MEMS Industry Group

It was my second time in Japan, and this year I was again fortunate enough to attend Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS. This year I put on my “exhibitor cap” and manned the MIG booth – I’m not a big fan of standing around a booth (as anyone who knows me) – so I was very “un-Japanese” and abandoned my booth a lot. It’s way more fun and interesting and entertaining to roam the hall floor and meet/greet new and potentially new MIG members. Thankfully I was parked near the IVAM booth, so my colleagues at IVAM not only supplied me with endless bags of gummy bears, but also had the courtesy to explain where I was. Thank you, Uwe Kleinkes and your staff!

MEMS & Sensors for Smartphones Report: When Sensing Comes Right into your Pocket!

Contributed by Laurent Robin, MEMS Market Analyst, Yole Développement

Yole Développement released a new report dedicated to MEMS devices and sensors for smarphones applications: MEMS & Sensors for Smartphones Report. Yole Développement’s report provides market data on MEMS & Sensors for mobile phones: key market metrics & dynamics including unit shipments, revenues and average selling price by type of MEMS & Sensors, market shares with detailed breakdown for each player.

This analysis also presents application focus on key sensors that are changing the mobile phone industry: new features, technical roadmap, insight about future technology trends & challenges.

3-axis Gyroscope, the new killer product for cell phones

Contributed by Jérémie Bouchaud, Director & Principal Analyst, MEMS, iSuppli

When a sensor makes it into the cell phone market it can consider itself to be in the “big league.” As iSuppli reports in the news section of this issue, Steve Jobs’ recent announcement of the new Apple iPhone 4G featuring a 3-axis gyroscope is certainly good news for the small pool of suppliers of these devices. And, given its trendsetting nature and the way the company helped establish accelerometers in cell phones, Apple could not be a better champion to establish this device among other phone manufacturers.

This article looks at the reasons why the gyroscope has finally “earned its spurs” for mobile phones, and at the applications that will support its implementation in the coming years.