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First DfMM Summer School, 13 – 15 September 2004, ISLI, Livingston

The DfMM Summer School provided an introduction to MEMS technology along with an overview of the EC FP6 PATENT-DfMM network of excellence programme. This was the first formal training session presented under PATENT-DfMM, introduced delegates to a range of topics currently under consideration by the project partners. Feedback from the delegates (between 25-30 each day) was very favourable, both in the quality of the technical programme and the organisation/hospitality surrounding the event, and there is a resulting demand for similar events in the future. Interest was also expressed in developing many of the topics into full training courses, and this will be addressed over the next stage of the PATENT-DfMM programme. The venue for the summer school was the Institute for System Level Integration, Livingston, near Edinburgh.

Outline of daily Sessions

The first day took the form of a MEMS tutorial, covering MEMS fundamentals, DfT, packaging, reliability and modelling. Day two comprised short presentations related to the research currently being pursued by the four technical teams in the programme, and included a keynote presentation on the relevance of PATENT-DfMM to industry. The final day focused on vendor tools, and included short presentations from vendors followed by face-to-face training sessions on various software applications. Full details of the technical programme are available at http://www.sli-institute.ac.uk and http://www.patent-dfmm.org.

Day 1: Tutorial – (suitable for engineers and students new to MEMS technology)
  • MEMS Fundamentals
  • Failure modes / DfT
  • Modelling Techniques & Constraints
  • Packaging/environmental effects
Co-presented by Andrew Richardson (Lancaster), Marc Desmulliez (Heriot-Watt), Pascal Nouet, (Montpellier)

Day 2: Research Programme
  • Keynote address : Microsystems industry needs a “design for manufacture” strategy (Patric Salomon, 4M2C)
  • WP1.1 T Design for Testability (Pascal Nouet, LIRMM)
  • WP1.2 T Design prototyping for real-world applications (Mark Begbie, ISLI)
  • WP2.1 Overview of Microfluidics modelling for MEMS (Robert Barber, CCRLC)
  • WP2.2 Incorporating packaging effects into MEMS modelling (Olaf Wittler, IZM)
  • WP3.1 Optical techniques to look at motion of MEMS or measurements of film and device stress) (Alain Bosseboeuf, IEC)
  • WP3.2 Test structures (Attilio Frangi, Politecnico Milano)
  • WP4.1 Package engineering (Reuben Cutajar, LU)
  • WP4.2 Flip chip technology for MEMS assembly and packaging (Changhai Wang, HWU)
  • Audience questions
  • PATENT-DfMM training programme (George Bell, ISLI)
  • Evening - dinner / social event (visit to a nearby Scottish Country House, including a whisky-tasting demonstration)
Day 3: Industry Programme
  • Vendor presentations (Ansys, Coventor, Phoenix, SoftMems, Qinetiq)
  • Practical training sessions on CAD software
  • Evaluate vendor applications

Further details available from :

Suzanne O’Hare : Marketing Executive
Tel: +44 (0)1506 469303

George Bell : Test Director
Tel: +44 (0)1506 469310

Institute for System Level Integration
Alba Centre
Alba Campus
Livingston
Scotland EH54 7EG