Crocus & SMIC to market CMOS devices for electronics
Crocus Technology, a provider of magnetically enhanced semiconductors and one of China's largest semiconductor foundries, has signed a manufacturing agreement with SMIC.
SMIC will supply CMOS wafers to produce Magnetic Logic Unit (MLU) devices at 90 nanometre (nm), 65 nm and 45 nm nodes, with a path to process the entire flow.
The wafers will be used to manufacture embedded micro-controllers based on Crocus' novel MLU technology. This aims to bring significant advantages needed in next-generation electronic devices.
MLU is a CMOS based rugged magnetic technology capable of offering advantages in performance, size and security for embedded micro-controllers.
MLU devices are used in mobile and security applications, such as smart cards and secure data servers.
Crocus' MLUs are also suited to applications in extreme operating conditions, particularly in high temperature automotive and industrial equipment.
Crocus has placed its first orders with SMIC to supply 200 mm CMOS wafers, which will be delivered for magnetic processing by year-end.
"SMIC is one of the leading foundry wafer providers in the world with whom Crocus has been a long time partner," says Bertrand Cambou, executive chairman of Crocus Technology. "With SMIC as a partner supplier of various critical wafers, our production can speed forward, thereby accelerating the availability of MLU-based solutions to our customers in the smartcard and other industries."
In addition to supplying CMOS wafers for further processing at CNE, Crocus' advanced magnetic manufacturing facility, SMIC will also supply 300 mm full flow MLU wafers, which includes the Crocus' magnetic process layer.
Crocus expects to deliver several hundred million secure micro-controllers to the smart card industry over the next three years.
