Sensing

MEMS Fabry-Perot interferometer in a very tiny NIR spectrometer.

The Nirone Sensor X module developed by Spectral Engines, is a Near Infra-Red (NIR) spectrometer, covering wavelengths from 1550 nm to 1950 nm. The Nirone Sensor X module has been developed for applications including pharmaceutical composition analysis, textile, plastic, agriculture and consumer.

In the Nirone Sensor X module, the IR light source is an incandescent lamp. The measurement of the NIR spectrum is performed by an innovative MEMS Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) developed by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The electrostatically controlled FPI is manufactured with thin-film micromachining technology and is compatible with all semiconductor foundries. Today manufactured on 150mm diameter wafers by VTT MEMSFab, this technology can be manufactured in large volume and for a low cost in 200mm wafer diameter foundry without important investment. An InGaAs standard photodiode measures the NIR light during the measurement to create the spectrum.

The module also integrates a color sensor from ams AG and a microcontroller from STMicroelectronics to manage power and communication.

A comparison between the Nirone Sensor X and two other spectrometers, the NanoLambda NSP32 and Consumer Physics SCiO, is performed in this report.

This reverse costing study provides insights into technological data, manufacturing cost, and selling price of housing, electronic board, FPI MEMS and InGaAs photodiode, for the spectral sensor supplied by Spectral Engines.

Overview/Introduction

Physical Analysis

• Summary of the Physical Analysis
• Company Profiles
  • Spectral Engines
  • VTT Memsfab
• Nirone Sensor X Spectral Sensor Disassembly
  • Module disassembly and dimension
  • Metal parts
  • PCB and BOM
  • IR filter
• FPI MEMS Die
  • Die views and dimensions
  • Die cross-section
  • Die process
  • MEMS characteristics
• InGaAs Photodiode
• Comparison Sensor X and Nanolambda NSP32 and the Consumer Physic SCiO

Manufacturing Process

• Overview
• FPI MEMS Front-End Process and Fabrication Unit
• TO5 Metal Can Package
• PCB and System Assembly Process and Final Test

Cost Analysis

• Yield Explanations and Hypotheses
• Spectral Engines Nirone Sensor X
  • Wafer front-end cost
  • Die cost
• InGaAs Photodiode
• IR Filters
• NIR FPI Sensor
  • Package cost and NIR FPI sensor cost
• Nirone Sensor X
  • BOM cost and added value cost
  • Nirone Sensor X cost
• Cost Comparison

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