Digital Twins for MEMS Manufacturing

Northeastern University College of Engineering will be at the forefront of one of the MEMS and Microsystem community’s most anticipated gatherings this summer. Benyamin Davaji , Assistant Professor in the College of Engineering, is co-organizing a full-day workshop on Digital Twins for MEMS Manufacturing at Hilton Head 2026 , taking place May 31–June 4 at the Sonesta Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The workshop, co-organized with Prof. Gary Fedder of Carnegie Mellon University, will open the conference on Sunday, May 31, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Hilton Head 2026 is the 22nd edition of the biennial Workshop on the Science and Technology of Solid-State Sensors, Actuators, and Microsystems, a multidisciplinary gathering that draws researchers from academia, industry, and government worldwide.

The Digital Twins for MEMS Manufacturing workshop reflects growing momentum around smarter, more adaptive and process-aware MEMS and semiconductor fabrication. The session will explore how digital twins — virtual representations of physical manufacturing systems — differ from conventional modeling approaches and will cover topics including automated critical-dimension extraction, virtual metrology using equipment data, and the integration of AI methods such as agentic approaches for iterative process and design optimization. A panel with industry participants will spotlight unmet needs and pathways for collaboration, making the workshop a bridge between academic research and real-world manufacturing challenges.

This workshop builds on research from Northeastern’s Autonomous Integrated Microsystems (AIMS) Laboratory , which develops AI-driven digital twin frameworks to connect design, fabrication, and metrology data in continuously learning systems. The session at Hilton Head 2026 represents an opportunity to share this work with the broader MEMS community and shape the conversation around data infrastructure, interoperability, and standards that will define the next generation of MEMS manufacturing.

Abstract: Recent interest in semiconductor digital twins is driven by the expectation of accelerating process development, enabling device – technology design co-optimization, and supporting agile manufacturing workflows. This participatory workshop examines digital twins for MEMS from a manufacturing-centered perspective, emphasizing how they differ from traditional modeling and simulation. Topics include an introduction to digital twin concepts with examples from MEMS-relevant processes, automated CD extraction and process characterization, virtual metrology using equipment data, and the challenges of extending these approaches across complete process flows. The workshop will also introduce the role of digital twins in enabling AI methods relevant to MEMS workflows, including agentic approaches for process and design iteration. Commercial tools and current capabilities will be reviewed, followed by a discussion of gaps in data infrastructure, interoperability, and standards. A panel with industry participants will highlight unmet needs and opportunities for research and collaboration in MEMS digital twins.

For more information on the workshop program, visit https://www.hh2026.org/events/sunday_workshops.html.