MEMS and microsystems based on low-temperature cofired ceramics: A cost analysis

Low temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC) is an emerging technology for production of micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) and micro system technology (MST) components. Due to its inherent advantages including hermeticity, bio-compatibility, high- temperature and -frequency applications as well as thermal matching with Si, LTCC is a potential technology for realizing special application oriented MEMS products. These products include microfluidic and electrical interfaces, inertial-element integration and bio/ chemical compatibilities. Special packaging techniques for micro-fluidic applications like micro- pumps, -valves, -mixers and -flowmeters which can be realized using LTCC have been discussed. An economic analysis is necessary to implement microsystem packaging concepts in LTCC. The building blocks for the above consisting of sensing layers, fluidic components, signal conditioning layers, micro-controller and memory devices are not generally available in the market. The equipment manufacturers and system manufactures who want to support product innovation and also potential manufacturers of micro-building blocks need to know the profitability and risk analysis through a quantified cost model, in order to justify their decision and investment process. Moreover it provides the system and equipment manufacturers the evaluation for feasibility of such micro-systems to market-acceptable prices. A cost-model is therefore developed, presented and analysed.