Taiwan-based Solid State System (3S), a fabless firm specializing in NAND flash device controllers, has said its in-house developed single-chip MEMS microphone products will enter volume production in the second half of 2011.

3S noted that its silicon microphones will be built using CMOS process technology, targeting brand-name and China-based white-box handset companies. 3S expects the new product line to account for about 5% of company revenues by the end of 2011.

3S reportedly will use 0.35-micron, 8-inch wafer technology at United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) to produce its microphone chips.

Another Taiwan-based company, Merry Electronics, is also set to make its first foray into the market for MEMS microphones, according to industry sources. Merry will likely launch its silicon microphone product line around the end of 2011, with volume production slated for 2012, the sources said.

Merry manufactures handset components and hands-free headphones.