IBM and austriamicrosystems recently signed a development agreement for an advanced high-voltage (HV) CMOS process to be used in a range of consumer, automotive, industrial, and medical applications.
Both companies will enhance IBM’s 180-nm RF CMOS process technology with austriamicrosystems’ proprietary high-voltage module. This HV module is currently in volume production as part of austriamicrosystems’ 350-nm high-voltage CMOS process technology. Due to the strict modularity with the base process, customers designing on the 180-nm 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 200-mm facility in Essex Junction, VT, and the technology will later be transferred to austriamicrosystems’ facility in Unterpremstaetten, Austria. The process can enable cost-effective designs for applications including intelligent PMICs for mobile devices such as cell phones, PDAs, and notebooks as well as low-cost integrated controllers for automotive, industrial, and medical applications.
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