News Article
'Places2Be' €360 million project to revolutionise chip technology
A new 3-year project called Places2Be with EUR (€) 360 million of funding has been launched. The pilot-line project will support the industrialisation of Fully-Depleted Silicon-On-Insulator (FD-SOI) microelectronics technology. This technology improves the electrostatic control of the transistor channel, improving transistor performance and power efficiency. More importantly, Places2Be uses Ultra-Thin Body and Buried oxide (UTBB) FD-SOI, which allows the dynamic tuning of transistor performance, from low power to high speed, during operation. FD-SOI is a low-power, high-performance next-generation alternative to conventional (bulk) silicon and FinFET technologies. The first FD-SOI systems-on-chips are expected to be used in consumer electronics, high-performance computing and networking. Nineteen European companies and academic institutions will be involved in the project. Led by STMicroelectronics, Places2Be ("Pilot Lines for Advanced CMOS Enhanced by SOI in 2x nodes, Built in Europe") aims to support the deployment of a FD-SOI pilot line at 28nm and the subsequent node. It also aims to enable volume manufacturing in Europe. Places2Be hopes to drive the creation of a European microelectronics design ecosystem using this FD-SOI platform and explore the path towards the next step for this technology (14/10nm). With a budget of nearly €360 million, the 19 partners from 7 countries, and the planned involvement of about 500 engineers over three years across Europe, Places2Be is one the largest ENIAC Joint projects to date. It is also supported by the National Public Authorities in the participating countries.
Places2Be is one of the key enabling technologies (KETs) pilot-line projects contracted by the ENIAC JU to develop technologies and application areas with substantial societal impact. The FD-SOI manufacturing sources for the project are located in each of the two largest European microelectronics clusters: the pilot line in STMicroelectronics' Crolles fab (near Grenoble, France) and the dual source in GlobalFoundries' fab 1 in Dresden (Germany). "The Places2Be project will reinforce the ecosystems of both Grenoble and Dresden clusters, while also positively impacting the whole value chain of microelectronics in Europe - large companies, SMEs, start-ups and research organisations - beyond the direct impact induced by the material and IP investments," declares François Finck, Director of ST's R&D cooperative programs and project coordinator. Places2Be members include: ACREO Swedish ICT AB, Sweden Adixen Vacuum Products, France Axiom IC, Netherlands Bruco Integrated Circuits, Netherlands Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, France Dolphin Integration, France Ericsson AB, Sweden eSilicon Romania S.r.l.,Romania Forschungzentrum Juelich Gmbh, Germany GlobalFoundries Dresden, Germany Grenoble INP, France IMEC Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum vzw, Belgium Ion Beam Services, France Mentor Graphics France Sarl, France SOITEC SA, France ST-Ericsson STMicroelectronics (Crolles2 SAS, SA, Grenoble SAS), France Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium University of Twente, Netherlands The ENIAC Joint Undertaking (JU) is a public-private partnership on nanoelectronics bringing together the ENIAC member States, the European Union, and AENEAS (an association representing European R&D actors in this field). It coordinates research activities through competitive calls for proposals to enhance the further integration and miniaturisation of devices, and increase their functionalities. It shall deliver new materials, equipment and processes, new architectures, innovative manufacturing processes, disruptive design methodologies, new packaging and 'systemising' methods. It will drive and be driven by innovative high-tech applications in communication and computing, transport, health care and wellness, energy and environmental management, security and safety, and entertainment. The ENIAC JU was set up in February 2008 and will allocate grants throughout 2013. The projects selected for funding shall be executed till 31st December 2017. The total value of the R&D activities generated through ENIAC JU is estimated at €3 billion.
