Clients
Case Study: Solus Biosystems
Solus Biosystems
Palo Alto, CA
Solus Biosystems is developing a novel automated analytical platform for protein analysis in life science and drug development research. The client sought the assistance of A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates to optimize their microfluidic chip design specifically to work with and enhance the performance of their proprietary imaging FTIR system.
We provided a series of fast-turn prototyping cycles, executed at the Stanford Nanofabrication Facility, to help the client quickly converge on an appropriate chip design. We performed photomask design, process design, and MEMS fabrication, and produced batches of prototype microfluidic chips. This work enabled the client to test actual chips with their imaging system and therefore to quickly learn how to improve their system design.
After design freeze, we successfully transferred the chip manufacturing process to a commercial silicon foundry in our vendor network for pilot production.
Case Study: Bay Materials, LLC/Cantimer Corporation
Bay Materials, LLC/Cantimer Corporation
Menlo Park, CA
Bay Materials engineers polymers and materials for medical, dental, and industrial applications. They were seeking to develop a novel sensor that would incorporate a custom polymer and a MEMS device. We were engaged to design and fabricate the MEMS portion of the sensor. We worked with the principal scientist to evolve a chip design, then developed a mask set and process flow. We fabricated the first prototypes at the Stanford Nanofabrication Facility and worked with a vendor to package the finished die. Bay Materials used these prototype die to validate their sensing principle, perform crucial bench tests, and to iterate their overall sensor system design.
Following this, Bay Materials asked us to design and fabricate a second generation chip. Since they desired a larger quantity of chips and the process was now proven, we quickly realized it would be more cost-effective to let a commercial MEMS foundry do the fabrication work. We identified the optimum foundry for the job and then worked closely with the foundry personnel to transfer our design and process flow to their tool platform.
Based on the success of this project, Bay Materials spun out a company, Cantimer Corporation, to commercialize this novel MEMS sensor. By outsourcing the MEMS R&D to A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates, Bay Materials was able to stay focused on their core expertise, developing the polymer material that is the basis for the sensor, and on engineering the entire sensor system.
Case Study: Ricoh Innovations, Inc.
Ricoh Innovations, Inc.
Menlo Park, CA
Ricoh Innovations, a research division of Ricoh Japan, was seeking competitive intelligence on a particular emerging technology that had the potential to influence the direction of their product development efforts. We worked with the client to understand their specific technology interests and where the new technology might fit within their existing and developing product lines.
We undertook a broad search of public information sources, such as the web, academic literature, patent databases, and third party marketing reports. Through a series of meetings with the client, we provided feedback on our intermediary findings in order to continually sharpen the focus of our research efforts.
We summarized our findings and presented them to the Ricoh staff in an oral presentation. The information provided by A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates enabled Ricoh to make a conclusive decision regarding the technology.
