C2MI’s collaborative model for innovation: The Canadian experience on Lab to Fab development for next generation MEMS

In many cases the obstacle to innovation and economic growth is an ecosystem where products can’t pass smoothly through research, industrial process development, and mass production. Big companies can do it all by themselves, but what about startups and small to medium size companies? In Quebec, Canada, C2MI developed a collaborative model where fundamental research and proof of concept coming from universities as well as companies can be further developed in an industrial environment. Using controlled, repeatable processes and trained operators, C2MI offers prototyping and low-volume production with easy scalability, enabling companies to transition seamlessly from lab to fab.

C2MI is a non-for-profit Innovation center with an open IP philosophy. It is equipped with automated industrial tools in class 10 clean rooms for microfabrication and class 10k-100k clean rooms for packaging. Though the years, multiple next generation MEMS processes have been developed including but not limited to IMUs, pressure sensors, microphones, microspeakers, Piezo-MEMS, biochips, and micromirrors. With MEMS performance being pushed further and further, C2MI, Canada’s largest electronics and microfabrication hub is embracing new trends such as advanced packaging at wafer level for 200 and 300 mm wafers including hybrid bonding, wafer bumping, Cu TSV technology, and photonic wirebonding. Enhancements to SiN-waveguides, sub-100 nm lithography, and new materials processing like LiNbO3 are also of interest. Additionally, being aware of the environmental impact of foundries, C2MI’s development is also focusing on exploring ecofriendly processes and materials as well as optimizing its current operations. Technologies like inkjet printing that could allow a reduction of photoresist consumption, the use of alternative etching gases and biomaterials, and the reduction of water consumption are some examples of the environmental improvements a fab can undertake. In this talk, besides presenting C2MI’s collaborative model, a series of case studies will be presented to illustrate some of the above-mentioned key topics.