Institute of Microelectronics Teams Up with Mosis to Offer Photonics Mpw to Advance Silicon Photonics Research

SINGAPORE, September 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) Institute of Microelectronics (IME) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MOSIS, a provider of low-cost prototyping and small volume production services for custom ICs, to offer its multiple-project wafer (MPW) service to MOSIS' customers. The aim of this collaboration is to reduce the cost obstacles in the path to promote a widespread adoption of silicon photonics devices for the industry.

2. This partnership facilitates the sharing of costs for the fabrication, the reticles or masks, the set­up and use of the design environment in MPW, to reduce the access barrier to photonics integration technology. Photonics designers and researchers will also have access to IME's device library that includes integrated active and passive devices.
3. "Our collaboration enables future industry research and development as interest and applicability in silicon photonics rapidly expands," said Prof. Dim-Lee Kwong, Executive Director of IME. "We look forward to offering our MPW capabilities to the silicon photonics community to enable innovations and product development to accelerate the growth of the silicon photonics industry."
4. "By leveraging the expertise and resources of one of the world's leading semiconductor research institutes, our partnership with IME will develop efficient and practical approaches in the area of silicon photonics to meet the increasing requirements of industry," said Mr Wes Hansford, Director, MOSIS.
5. Future areas of collaboration include 3D through-silicon vias (TSVs) and silicon interposers (TSI), and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) MPW. These offerings will be available at IME at the end of 2012 and the first half of 2013 respectively.

About Institute of Microelectronics (IME)
The Institute of Microelectronics (IME) is a research institute of the Science and Engineering Research Council of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Positioned to bridge the R&D between academia and industry, IME's mission is to add value to Singapore's semiconductor industry by developing strategic competencies, innovative technologies and intellectual property; enabling enterprises to be technologically competitive; and cultivating a technology talent pool to inject new knowledge to the industry. Its key research areas are in integrated circuits design, advanced packaging, bioelectronics and medical devices, MEMS, nanoelectronics, and photonics. For more information about IME, please visit http://www.ime.a-star.edu.sg.

About Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation-driven Singapore. A*STAR oversees 14 biomedical sciences, and physical sciences and engineering research institutes, and seven consortia & centre, which are located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis, as well as their immediate vicinity. A*STAR supports Singapore's key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. It also supports extramural research in the universities, hospitals, research centres, and with other local and international partners.For more information about A*STAR, please visit http://www.a-star.edu.sg.

About MOSIS
MOSIS is a low-cost prototyping and small-volume production service for VLSI circuit development. Since 1981, MOSIS has fabricated more than 50,000 circuit designs for commercial firms, government agencies, and research and educational institutions around the world.

Media Contact:

For IME:
Cindy Chew
Institute of Microelectronics
DID: +65 6770 5375
Email: chewwfc@ime.a-star.edu.sg

For MOSIS:
Wes Hansford
USC/ISI
MOSIS
DID: 1-310-448-9199
Email: hansford@mosis.com