This book thoroughly reviews the present knowledge on silicon micromechanical transducers and addresses emerging and future technology challenges. Readers will acquire a solid theoretical and practical background that will allow them to analyze the key performance aspects of devices, critically judge a fabrication process, and then conceive and design new ones for future applications. Envisioning a future complex versatile microsystem, the authors take inspiration from Richard Feynman’s visionary talk “There is Plenty of Room at the Bottom” to propose that the time has come to see silicon sensors as part of a “Feynman Roadmap” instead of the “More-than-Moore” technology roadmap. The sharing of the author’s industrially proven track record of development, design, and manufacturing, along with their visionary approach to the technology, will allow readers to jump ahead in their understanding of the core of the topic in a very effective way. Students, researchers, engineers, and technologists involved in silicon-based sensor and actuator research and development will find a wealth of useful and groundbreaking information in this book.
Benedetto Vigna is President of STMicroelectronics’ (ST) Analog, MEMS & Sensors Group, a position he has held since January 2016. He has been a member of ST’s Executive Committee since 2018. Vigna joined ST in 1995 and launched the company’s efforts in MEMS. Under his guidance, ST’s MEMS sensors established the company’s leadership with large OEMs in motion-activated user interfaces. Vigna has piloted ST’s successful moves into microphones, e-compasses, and touch-screen controllers, as well as environmental sensors, micro-actuators, industrial and automotive sensors, and low-power radios for IoT. Vigna’s mandate was further expanded with analog ICs and RF products (2011) and smart-power devices for OEMs and mass-market (2016). ST’s Imaging Division moved under his management in late 2017. Vigna has more than 200 patents on micromachining, authored numerous publications, and sits on the boards of several EU-funded programs. Vigna’s contributions to the industry have been recognized with the MEMS Industry Group’s Executive of the Year Award (2013), the European SEMI Award (2013), the IEEE Frederik Philips Award (2015), and the Manager of the Year 2017 by German magazine
Markt & Technik. He joined the MEMS & Sensor Industry Group board in June 2019. Since February 2020, Vigna has been a member of the Electronics Cluster Advisory Board (CAB) for the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) of Singapore. Since June 2020 he is also a Member of the Board of Technical Advisors of Leonardo Company. Benedetto Vigna graduated cum laude with a degree in Subnuclear Physics from the University of Pisa, Italy.
Paolo Ferrari is Senior Director of MEMS Technological Platforms Development within STMicroelectronics’ (ST) Analog, MEMS & Sensors Group. He joined ST in 1980 and was involved in the development and integration of bipolar and mixed technologies (BCD). In 1998 he became responsible for the development of MEMS technologies and processes. He led the development of MEMS technologies from the first prototypes done in the Castelletto six-inch plant, to the high-volume production in Agrate Brianza. His development team along with the production team allowed ST to be the first company in the world capable of producing MEMS on 8” wfs. Ferrari currently holds more than 70 patents, many of them on Micromachining. In 2011 he received the National Award for Innovation (“Premio dei Premi”) from the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano for the realization of the first three-axis digital gyroscope in MEMS Technology. The President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, honored Paolo Ferrari with an important Award: "Stella al Merito del Lavoro" 2018. Paolo Ferrari graduated in Physics at the University of Milan in December 1979.
Ernesto Lasalandra is R&D General Manager in the Analog, MEMS & Sensor Group at STMicroelectronics (ST). He graduated with a degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Pavia, Italy, and then joined ST. He has piloted successful stories with microphones, magnetic sensors, environmental sensors, mirrors, actuators, and touch sensors., and has published numerous papers and publications on MEMS technology.
Flavio Francesco Villa is a member of Technical Staff in the Analog, MEMS & Sensor Group at STMicroelectronics (ST), where he is also a member of the ST Patents Committee concerning the field of Silicon Sensors and Actuators, Package, and Smart Power Technologies. He received the “Laurea” degree (Summa cum Laude) in Solid State Physics from the University of Milan. At the invitation of the University of Pavia, he has held educational seminars on micro-sensors, integrated microcircuits, and MEMS since 2004. He is a member of the Electrochemical Society and is the author or co-author of several papers and more than eighty international patents. He was a recipient of three exceptional patent awards from the STMicroelectronics Research Division.
Sarah Zerbini is MEMS Design Director in the Analog, MEMS & Sensor Group at STMicroelectronics (ST). She received an MS degree in solid-state physics from Parma University before joining ST, where she has led the design of accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetic sensors, mirrors, and actuators for the automotive and consumer market. She has authored more than 20 publications and 30 patents in the fields of micromachining technology, MEMS design, modeling, and characterization.
