Product category:
Intellectual Property Cores
News Release from: Virage Logic | Subject: Novea
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 09 March 2005
Electrically alterable memory is ready
to embed
Virage Logic's Novea nonvolatile electrically alterable embedded memories are now available for production on UMC's 0.18um CMOS logic process.
Virage Logic's Novea nonvolatile electrically alterable embedded memories are now available for production on UMC's 0.18um CMOS logic process Novea is the industry's first commercially available embedded in system reprogrammable nonvolatile memory (NVM) that is manufactured on a standard 0.18um CMOS logic process without any additional masks or process steps
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 15 Dec 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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UMC has completed qualification of Virage Logic's nonvolatile memories for its 0.18um process in order to support customers who need cost-effective embedded NVM for security, encryption, unique device identification, analogue trimming, and silicon repair.
UMC will offer Novea through its Gold IP catalogue in which IP is categorised from Bronze to Gold according to guidelines that indicate the level of integration and experience UMC has with each IP offering.
Gold ratings, which Novea has achieved, are the highest available and indicate the IP has been in mass production at UMC.
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Novea's Gold rating follows a longstanding partnership between the two companies whereby Virage Logic's STAR self-test and repair memory system and ASAP area, speed and power memory product lines have been offered to customers on UMC's 0.13, 0.15, and 0.18um processes.
UMC now offers Novea to its foundry customers to embed in their SoCs.
Novea RAM offers fast 10ns access time and 10-year data retention.
Unlike traditional embedded Flash memory, Novea eliminates the need for additional process steps and masks, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and delivery time.
Submicron Novea technology can help UMC customers reduce system size, lower power consumption and increase performance and security.
"Design and application security, copy protection, digital rights management and RFID all share the common requirement of small amounts of reprogrammable embedded nonvolatile memory on a standard CMOS logic process", noted Jim Ensell, Vice President of Marketing for Virage Logic.
"Novea is the only technology available today that meets all of the requirements of these applications: ultra low power, small size, fast data access, low cost, compiler generated instances and foundry qualified silicon".
"And thanks to UMC's rigorous qualification and rating system, our mutual customers can be assured that Virage Logic IP is imminently manufacturable on UMC's processes".
"UMC and Virage Logic's unmatched support combined with Virage Logic's leadership in innovative embedded memory semiconductor IP design has enabled us to drive down not only the overall cost and size of the system, but also helped us get to market more quickly and efficiently", said Hugh Chow, Vice President of Engineering, ViXS Systems.
"We selected the Novea embedded memories because enhanced security measures such as key encryption storage are critical for many of our video streaming applications".
"With Novea, we now have a more efficient and cost effective way to securely encrypt information, which is critical, especially in some of the emerging markets we are targeting".
"Virage Logic's Novea expands the portfolio of memory solutions that target our process technology", said Ming Hsu, Director of Design Support for UMC.
"We are pleased to expand our relationship with Virage Logic to include Novea and offer it to our customers through our Gold IP programme".
"Virage Logic worked closely with our development team to provide a fully qualified, commercially-available solution".
As the industry's first nonvolatile, electrically alterable embedded memory solution that can be produced using a standard logic process with no additional mask or process steps, Novea is designed to be readily integrated into today's most advanced SoC designs manufactured on leading edge deep submicron processes.
Novea employs a patented single poly floating gate Fowler-Nordheim technology for writing.
Novea includes a powerful controller and instruction set in an architecture that provides 100% cell redundancy.
The result is an extremely reliable, high yielding embedded NVM that can be manufactured on standard CMOS logic processes with ultra low manufacturing cost and power consumption.
Novea RAM can be reprogrammed in-system up to 10,000 times, has specified endurance of 10 years and is designed for integration into deep submicron SoCs.
The use of Novea and associated development tools and views provide users with a secure design solution while reducing overall SoC mask costs, silicon costs, design risk and design time.
Virage Logic's Novea is available for customer designs today on UMC's 0.18-micron CMOS logic process.
Single instance pricing starts at $125,000.
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