X-FAB Silicon Foundries has announced a major milestone in its process of transforming the X-FAB Sarawak, Malaysia, facility into an analog/mixed-signal foundry operation.

Within 15 months of closing the merger that added the Sarawak facility, X-FAB has successfully transferred four complex processes and added a new 0.18 micrometer technology to its line-up. This rapid progress aligns with the company's substantial growth during the past year, and allows X-FAB to satisfy rising customer demand worldwide for analog/mixed-signal technologies.

The processes transferred include two 0.6 micrometer processes - CX06, an analog/mixed-signal process; and XB06, a high-performance BiCMOS process. X-FAB also moved two 0.35 micrometer processes - XH035, a high-performance analog/mixed-signal process with high-voltage and embedded non-volatile memory (NVM); and XL035, a low-threshold process with embedded non-volatile memory.

Companies using X-FAB's existing 0.6 and 0.35 micrometer process platforms can reuse their current design IP and maintain their current design environments, resulting in significant cost-savings. In addition, X-FAB added RF-CMOS characterization to its emerging 0.18 micrometer technology, which includes RF transistors; varactors; single, double and triple MIM capacitors; and large Q-factor inductors. Other features expected later this year are automotive high-voltage transistors, one-time and multiple-time programmable memories (OTP / MTP), and embedded EEPROM/Flash options.

According to Manfred Riemer, chief operating officer at X-FAB, "With its automotive-quality focus, our X-FAB Sarawak facility is well prepared to deliver highest-quality silicon. I am very pleased with the significant progress X-FAB has achieved in making high-performance analog/mixed-signal technologies available in Sarawak in such a short timeframe. All of these transferred technologies are fully compatible with associated X-FAB design kits, and are easily accessible by our customers."

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