U.S.-Based MEMS Foundry for Advanced Fabrication & Process Development
At Rogue Valley Microdevices, we deliver high-performance MEMS fabrication backed by deep process expertise and rapid execution. Our U.S.-based MEMS foundry supports the full development cycle, from early-stage prototypes to scalable device fabrication, using the same production-grade tools and processes.
Why Choose Rogue Valley Microdevices
Our team works directly with you to solve complex fabrication challenges, prepare your MEMS designs for manufacturability, and reduce development risk. Whether you need a single prototype or a repeatable process flow, we provide the technical depth and responsiveness required to bring your MEMS device to life.
End-to-End MEMS Foundry Capabilities
We offer a comprehensive suite of MEMS manufacturing services, all performed in-house for speed, control, and consistency. Our engineers design and execute process flows that align with your device requirements — no unnecessary handoffs, no delays. For tool-level detail, visit our MEMS foundry capabilities page.
Thin Film Deposition
LPCVD, PECVD, thermal oxidation, and PVD metals — more than 50 unique dielectric and conductive films on one line.
Explore thin film deposition →Photolithography
Contact lithography with front-to-back alignment on substrates up to 200mm, for MEMS and biomedical device fabrication.
Explore photolithography →Photoresist Coating
Spin coat and spray coat, from thin 1.5µm patterning resists to 25µm films for high-aspect-ratio features and heavy topography.
Explore photoresist coating →Dry Etch
DRIE and plasma etch — depths from 5µm to through-wafer, aspect ratios to 15:1, minimum feature 3µm.
Explore dry etch →Wet Etch
KOH, TMAH, and specialty chemistries for bulk micromachining and film removal.
Explore wet etch →Metal Lift-Off
Our specialized bilayer resist process improves film adhesion and delivers clean, high-quality lift-off when etch is not a solution.
Explore metal lift-off →MEMS Process Development & Prototyping
New device concepts rarely arrive with a finished process flow. Our engineers work through a data-driven development loop:
- Characterize each unit process against your device requirements.
- Run design-of-experiments splits where a process window is uncertain.
- Measure at wafer level and review the results together, so decisions rest on measured data rather than assumptions.
- Integrate the steps into a repeatable flow — documented and ready for scale-up or transfer.
MEMS prototyping at Rogue Valley Microdevices runs on the same production-grade equipment as our manufacturing lots. The process data you collect during development transfers directly, with no re-qualification surprises when volumes increase. Throughout development you work directly with the engineers running your wafers.
We also support mask creation as part of process development. Send us GDS, DXF, or TDB layout data and we coordinate mask manufacture with qualified photomask vendors, with customer and engineering sign-off on every plate before fabrication.
Wafer Sizes, Substrates, and Materials
Our Medford, Oregon fab processes 100mm through 200mm wafers, with 25mm substrates accepted on select processes and select 300mm processing available on request. Supported substrates include silicon, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), quartz, and glass, with compatibility depending on process temperature; sapphire and other specialty materials are quoted individually.
| Parameter | Capability |
|---|---|
| Wafer sizes | 50mm to 200mm (25mm on select processes; select 300mm available on request) |
| Substrates | Silicon, SOI, quartz, glass; sapphire and specialty materials quoted individually |
| DRIE | Etch depths 5µm to through-wafer; aspect ratios to 15:1; minimum feature 3µm; sidewalls 90 ±1° |
| Film thickness tolerance | Within ±5% on most production films at 1000Å and above |
| Film uniformity | ±5% within-wafer and wafer-to-wafer on thermal oxide; ±7% within-wafer on PECVD films |
| Thin film portfolio | More than 50 unique dielectric and conductive films |
On those substrates, we offer one of the largest commercially available thin film portfolios in the industry:
- Thermal oxidation (wet, dry, and dry chlorinated) from 100Å to 6µm
- LPCVD silicon nitride in stoichiometric, low-stress (<250 MPa), and super-low-stress (<100 MPa) formulations
- PECVD films (oxide, nitride, and oxynitride) with tunable stress and refractive index
- Undoped polysilicon with control over crystallinity, grain size, and film stress
- PVD metal and dielectric films by e-beam evaporation and sputtering
Furnace-based thermal anneals round out the film set, including nitrogen and oxygen anneals, forming gas anneal, and PECVD oxide densification for stability through later thermal cycling. Photoresist options span thin 1.5µm patterning resists through 25µm spray-coated films for deep features and wafers with significant topography.
More Ways to Work with Our Fab
In-House Silicon Wafer Processing
- Films on customer-supplied substrates, from single-step deposition to short custom flows
- Capacity for more than 10,000 wafers per month
- The same production-grade films used in our MEMS manufacturing — without a full foundry engagement
- Explore wafer services or browse ready-to-ship wafers
MEMS Design Services Before Fabrication Begins
- Layouts, design rule checks, and process-flow recommendations validated against measured fab data
- Three engagement models: design only, design with technology transfer, or integrated design and fabrication
- In every model, the IP stays with you and the masks stay with you
- Explore MEMS design services
Markets We Serve
Our MEMS manufacturing supports sensor fabrication and thin-film processing across four core markets. Learn more about the markets we serve and the customer case studies behind them.
Our MEMS Engineering & Fabrication Approach
How partnering with us reduces risk, simplifies development, and strengthens your supply chain.
MEMS devices are embedded in nearly every modern system, and device teams need a foundry partner who can develop the process alongside the design and carry it into production. We operate as an extension of your engineering team — from academia and startups through midsize and large companies — working alongside you from concept through volume manufacturing:
We do more than process wafers. We can help you design, build, and scale high-performance MEMS devices.
- Engage early. Our MEMS experts identify technical risks, define process strategies, and align fabrication methods with your device requirements before wafers start.
- Full visibility. You always understand the materials, processes, and decisions behind your MEMS fabrication — no hidden steps.
- Fast, wafer-level feedback. Open communication and shared process insights based on real results help you move faster and reduce iteration cycles.
- Supply chain support. Pre-processed ready-to-ship wafers, and coordination with other foundries when your plan requires multiple sources. Our goal is to support your growth, not restrict it.
You gain:
- Direct access to experienced MEMS fabrication engineers
- Complete transparency into fabrication processes and decisions
- Fast, data-driven feedback from in-house wafer processing
- Practical solutions grounded in real manufacturing experience
- A collaborative partner focused on long-term supply chain success
Domestic Manufacturing & Supply Chain Resilience
Rogue Valley Microdevices has provided domestic MEMS fabrication from Medford, Oregon since 2003. Our second fab in Palm Bay, Florida, now under construction, adds 200mm and 300mm capacity and is targeted to deliver a 4x increase in manufacturing capacity by 2029. The two sites are complementary by design.
Medford, Oregon
100mm through 200mm processing with more than two decades of production history, in a Class 100 cleanroom with in-house metrology at every step.
Palm Bay, Florida
200mm and 300mm capacity extending the same foundry model as the industry standardizes on larger wafers — targeted 4x capacity increase by 2029.
For customers, domestic MEMS fabrication means shorter logistics chains, ITAR-registered processing under U.S. jurisdiction, and direct access to the engineers running your wafers throughout development and production. Combined with our ready-to-ship wafer inventory and our willingness to coordinate with other foundries in your supply chain, contract MEMS manufacturing with Rogue Valley Microdevices reduces supply chain risk without locking you in.
Quality and Process Control
Our Medford fab operates a Class 100 cleanroom supported by in-house metrology at every process step. Films are produced to documented design rules with defined thickness tolerances (within ±5% on many production films) and specified within-wafer and wafer-to-wafer uniformity, and monitor wafers verify film stress and thickness from run to run.
Every lot is documented through process travelers, giving you traceability from incoming wafer to final shipment. Because the design rules we publish are the same ones our engineers build to, you can check manufacturability before committing a design, and our team reviews every incoming design against them during quoting.
From Prototype to Production
We bridge the gap between R&D and manufacturing. As your contract MEMS manufacturing partner, our MEMS foundry supports low- to mid-volume production while preparing your process for scale. We focus on:
- Repeatability and process control
- Yield optimization
- Documentation and process transfer
- Manufacturing readiness
By integrating development with fabrication from the start, we position your technology for a smoother transition into volume manufacturing.
Start Your MEMS Project Today
Partner with a MEMS foundry that prioritizes speed, transparency, and engineering collaboration. Contact Rogue Valley Microdevices to discuss your device, process, or fabrication needs.