Product category:
Power Supply ICs and Controllers
News Release from: austriamicrosystems
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 30 April 2007
HV CMOS process to offer best of both
worlds
CMOS process technology alliance will marry IBM's industry-leading 180nm RF CMOS process technology with austriamicrosystems' proprietary high-voltage module.
IBM and austriamicrosystems have signed a development agreement for an advanced high-voltage (HV) CMOS process technology to be used in a range of consumer, automotive, industrial and medical applications The two companies will enhance IBM's industry-leading 180nm RF CMOS process technology with austriamicrosystems' proprietary high-voltage module
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 19 Oct 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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This HV module is currently in volume production as part of austriamicrosystems' 350nm high voltage CMOS process technology.
Due to the strict modularity with the base process, customers designing on the 180nm CMOS process may use their existing design IP to allow a very fast time to market.
Foundry customers for this process will have access to process design kits from IBM as well as austriamicrosystems (HIT-Kit) which are targeted for limited availability at the beginning of next year.
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Production is scheduled to begin in 2009 at IBM's 200mm facility in Essex Junction, Vermont, and the technology will be transferred to austriamicrosystems' facility at a later point in time.
"This is a landmark agreement for both IBM and austriamicrosystems", says Tom Reeves, Vice President, Semiconductor and Technology Services, IBM Global Engineering Solutions.
"We recognise austriamicrosystems' experience in high-voltage technology, and our combined efforts will provide IBM and austriamicrosystems with an advanced process offering to benefit our customers".
"And the timing is right - we are seeing an increasing demand in specialty processes for applications like power management".
John Heugle, CEO of austriamicrosystems, adds: "We are very pleased to team up with IBM, the world leader in semiconductor development, for the next analogue technology node".
"Leveraging our long-term process development know-how in high-voltage CMOS, we complement IBM's expertise in advanced CMOS process technology in order to enable a very fast development cycle and a top performing process technology".
"As a key element of austriamicrosystems' strategic roadmap, the 180nm high-voltage CMOS process demonstrates our clear focus on leading-edge analogue integrated circuit (IC) solutions".
"Based on this advanced technology, we will bring a wide range of exciting high performance analogue products to the market".
"In addition, this process will be available to our foundry customers for their future products".
The newly developed, high-performance process can enable cost-effective designs for a wide range of applications including intelligent power management ICs for mobile devices, like cellphones, PDAs and notebooks, and low-cost integrated controllers for automotive, industrial and medical applications.
In mobile devices, these power management chips are designed specifically to manage and regulate a range of power requirements, resulting in more efficient battery consumption - in order for these products to run longer, with better performance and at lower cost.
Industry experts forecast the market for customised power management ICs in mobile devices to almost triple in size to US $3.4 billion by 2010.
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