Taiwanese semiconductor foundry UMC and microsystem solution provider APM (Asia Pacific Microsystems) have forged a strategic alliance, whereby APM will transfer its eight-inch MEMS (Micro Electromechanical Systems) process to UMC's wafer production line, Commercial Times of Taiwan reported. Via the alliance, the two companies will jointly support their customers' demand for eight-inch MEMS wafer production. Leveraging APM's MEMS process technologies, UMC will be in charge of manufacturing, logistics, and future capacity expansion.

Presently APM has a six-inch CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)-compatible MEMS wafer production line at the Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan. The eight-inch MEMS process APM is to transfer to UMC can be integrated with sub-0.35痠 CMOS process, whereas the six-inch MEMS process cannot.