This CSEM program offers maximum flexibility, enabling us to react promptly and efficiently to new product developments thanks to our reliable, reproducible and qualified processes and our quality control lab operations. The optics-, nano-, mechanical, biological and electronics activities would not be possible without this technology. The Microsystems Technology activity is certified according to ISO 9001.

A strong and effective working relationship between academia and CSEM enables a well-defined strategy that follows new developments and selects the most promising ones for further development.

CSEM develops, produces and integrates custom or standard innovative micro-systems (sensors, actuators, etc.); exploiting its advanced technologies to provide new integrated solutions for industrial and institutional customers. Targeted markets and applications include automotive, telecommunications, security, healthcare, biotechnology and environmental.These are markets in which system miniaturization and integration is a "must".

There are two main global objectives of the Microsystems Technology or MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) program:

• To supply technological support for the R&D projects of CSEM, EPFL and other publicly funded R&D laboratories in the field of microsystems and nanotechnology.
• To help to build up small-volume production, including the required quality control.

The market for small-volume production has been selected in close collaboration with regional industry, research organizations, universities and the political authorities. This is particularly due to the Lausanne-Neuchâtel region already being home to a substantial, successful MEMS cluster and to CSEM, which has a rich portfolio of MEMS solutions to offer.

Our activity in MEMS (including Optical MEMS, BioMEMS, PowerMEMS, RF-MEMS) is focused on the development, production and integration of custom or standard innovative microsystems:

• Within the subprogram "Foundry Services", we organize the processing of the structures within the various CSEM programs. Applications of MEMS as watch parts are very important, as well as MEMS for fluidic channels, space and many other applications. The flexibility of our clean rooms for the production of small quantities of prototypes continues to be attractive to industry and their R&D activities.
• Within the subprogram "Process Development", we develop new processes required in research programs and small-volume production.
• The subprogram "Quality Control" focuses on a key issue for the industrialization of MEMS. Quality control, however, needs attention at every development step. Reliability and testability, as well as aging, are essential concepts in the industrialization of MEMS. CSEM has moved one step further to industrialization by combining the services of Micro- and Nanoscopy with the X-Ray service. Currently, a program on lifetime estimation of specific Si-based devices is running under different environmental conditions.