Agreement signed on advanced high-voltage CMOS process
IBM and austriamicrosystems have announced the signing of a development agreement for an advanced high-voltage (HV) complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process technology to be used in a range of consumer, automotive, industrial and medical applications.
IBM and austriamicrosystems will enhance IBM's 180 nanometre (nm) radio frequency (RF) CMOS process technology with austriamicrosystems' proprietary high-voltage module. 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. 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," said Tom Reeves, vice president, semiconductor and technology services, IBM Global Engineering Solutions. "We recognize 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, said, "We are very pleased to team up with IBM. 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 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."
