Consumer MEMS Microphone Comparison 2022

Overview / Introduction 

• Executive Summary
• Reverse Costing Methodology
• Glossary

Company Profile  

• Company Profile & Supply Chain
• Teardown Survey Data

Physical Analysis  

• Knowles
• Goermicro
• Omron
• MEMSensing
• Best Sound Electronics
• Hosiden Corporation
• Zilltek Technology
• TDK-InvenSense
• Novosense Microelectronics
  • Microphone Sourcing
  • Microphone Overview: Package, ASIC, MEMS
  • Package Cross-Section
  • MEMS Die Design and Cross-Section
  • Technology Evolution and Physical Comparisons of Package, MEMS, and ASIC dies for each Manufacturer

MEMS Manufacturing Process  

• Knowles
• Goermicro
• Omron
• MEMSensing
• Best Sound Electronics
• Hosiden Corporation
• Zilltek Technology
• TDK-InvenSense
• Novosense Microelectronics

Technology Comparison   

• Microphone Package Comparison
• Microphone MEMS Comparison

Comparison Cost   

• Yields Explanations & Hypotheses
• Global Comparison – Microphone Component Cost
• Global Comparison – MEMS Wafer FE Cost & Die Cost
• Microphone Component Cost Breakdown
• Conclusions

Feedback  

Related Analyses  

System Plus Consulting Services  

KEY FEATURES

• MEMS microphone design wins in consumer electronics – analysis
• MEMS microphone teardown analysis
• Detailed photos
• Precise measurements
• Materials analysis
• Manufacturing process flow
• Supply chain evaluation
• Manufacturing cost analysis
• Estimated selling price
• Technology and cost comparisons for each MEMS microphone supplier

WHAT'S NEW

• This report is focused on all consumer electronics (smartphones, wearables, tablets, and computing).
• Teardown survey is presented for all consumer electronics.
• Analysis of the new MEMS microphone suppliers: Omron, BSE, Memsensing, Zilltek, Hosiden, and Novosense.

• Supply chain evaluation for ASIC dies and MEMS dies for each MEMS microphone supplier.
• Package comparison provided: MEMS and ASIC die comparison between the older devices and the different series, including sourcing for every MEMS microphone supplier.
• Analysis of the double-lid package used for Omron microphones.
• Analysis of the ASIC die dicing technique with DRIE etching for BSE MEMS microphone component, as well as a cost comparison with traditional mechanical sawing (compared in terms of main advantages, number of potential good dies per wafer, dicing cost per wafer, and dicing cost per each die).
• Analysis of the 4-transducer MEMS microphone supplied by TDK Invensense and made on SOI wafer.
• Analysis of MEMS microphones compared in terms of diaphragm areas, diaphragm thicknesses, backplate thicknesses, and acoustic hole diameters.
• MEMS microphones, with available data on their performance (SNR), were compared based on:
  • Diaphragm area vs. SNR
  • Diaphragm thickness vs. SNR

In the Cost Comparison part, we provide the data on wafer front-end cost distribution by ASIC and MEMS die cost; packaging cost; final test; and calibration and yield losses cost. These estimations were made based on our cost analysis of the microphones.

Other comparisons made in the Cost Comparison part:

• MEMS die cost vs. substrate used (silicon wafer or SOI wafer).
• MEMS wafer front-end cost vs. die cost per area for each analyzed MEMS microphone.
• MEMS microphone cost comparison and MEMS front-end cost comparison were made for the components in Memsensing, Zilltek, Omron, and TDK-Invensense devices.
• Comparison between MEMS die cost and SNR (only for the devices for which the data was available).

Smartphone OEM: Apple, ASUS, Google, Huawei, Lenovo, Meizu, Nokia, OPPO, LG Electronics, Motorola, OnePlus, Samsung, Sony, Xiaomi, Vivo.

Other consumer electronics OEM: Anker, Microsoft, Bose, Fitbit.

Foundries: CSMC, DB Hitek, Infineon Technology, Minebea Mitsumi, Nisshinbo Micro Devices, Power Chip, TSMC.

MEMS designers & suppliers: BSE, ForteMedia, Goermicro, Infineon Technogy, Hosiden, Knowles, Memsensing, Novosense, Omron, TDK Invensense, Zilltek.

The Consumer MEMS microphone market is expected to reach almost $2.3B in 2027 compared to $1.6B in 2022, according to the Microphones, Microspeakers, and Audio Processing 2021 report from Yole Intelligence. The main drivers are smart speakers and wireless earbuds. Goermicro and Knowles are two main players on the market, with market share of 30% and 27% respectively, based on 2021 revenue data.

For the increasing interest in the consumer microphone market, Yole SystemPlus provides a deep comparative review of technology, supply chain evaluation, and cost of 15 MEMS microphones. The references come from the main suppliers on the market:  Knowles, Goermicro, Omron, Memsensing, Zilltek, BSE, Novosense, TDK-Invensense, and Hosiden.

Yole SystemPlus analyzed the technologies of the microphones to provide an insight on their structure, technology, processes, and cost of manufacturing. We overview the packaging, ASIC, and MEMS dies, with detailed optical and SEM pictures of MEMS internal structure, package, and cross-section. We also analyzed their substrate types and identified their MEMS manufacturing process.

Comparison and technology evolutions for each manufacturer are noted, including the differences between the main competitors.

The MEMS microphones have been compared in terms of structure, package (substrate type, dimensions, cross-section), MEMS technology (size, design), and ASIC technology (size, technology node).

Finally, the MEMS microphones have been compared in terms of cost: detailed MEMS cost, ASIC cost, test cost, and packaging cost.

This report includes survey data of the microphones from our teardown analysis which are used by the main OEM suppliers in the market. The most innovative electronic components from the last five years have been selected for the analysis. The supply chain of the microphones is evaluated for each supplier: MEMS designers, MEMS manufacturers, ASIC manufacturers, and MEMS suppliers. 

This report also includes a study of the double-lid metal package and Plasma dicing technique used for ASIC dies by some of the manufacturers, and a comparison in terms of the cost with the traditional mechanical sawing technique. These studies provide the correlation between MEMS die cost, MEMS die substrate used, main physical parameters, and MEMS microphone performance parameters (SNR).