26 April 2011

TowerJazz launches fastest foundry SiGe technology

Specialty foundry TowerJazz (which has two fabrication plants at Tower Semiconductor Ltd in Migdal Haemek, Israel plus one at its US subsidiary Jazz Semiconductor in Newport Beach, CA) has announced the availability of SBC18H3, which it claims is the industry’s highest-speed foundry silicon-germanium (SiGe) technology.

The technology addresses next-generation needs for high-speed interfaces in communication protocols such as Thunderbolt, optical fiber, and high-data-rate wireless by improving performance while reducing noise and power consumption of key building blocks. SBC18H3 also targets applications such as automotive collision avoidance systems, millimeter-wave radar and gigahertz (GHz) imaging.

SBC18H3 is TowerJazz’s third-generation 0.18µm SiGe technology and offers transistors with 240GHz Ft and 260GHz Fmax in what is described as a cost-effective and analog-friendly 0.18µm node. The technology is built on the same mature integration platform used for the prior two TowerJazz SiGe processes now in high-volume production (SBC18H2 at 200GHz and SBC18HX at 155GHz). Intellectual property of high-speed components such as transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs), laser drivers, SerDes, CDRs from H2 and HX can be readily ported to the new H3 process since they are all in the same 0.18µm node, allowing them to benefit from improved performance as well as reduced power consumption and noise.

Power consumption is dramatically reduced with H3 where, for example, a 77GHz amplifier can be made to consume three times less DC power than was possible with older technology. At the same time, noise is improved to levels that far exceed those of prior SiGe technology and are superior to numbers typically reported for more expensive III-V material systems, it is claimed (minimum noise figure at 20GHz is measured at less than 1dB and at 40GHz at only 2dB). This can be important in many communication systems but particularly in wireless applications, improving sensitivity of GPS systems, for example, says the firm.

SBC18H3 process design Kits (PDKs) include mm-wave components important for high-speed designs such as a transmission-line toolbox, p-i-n diodes for RF switching, and support for small-size MIM capacitors. TowerJazz offers a monthly multi-project wafer (MPW) service for quick and cost-effective prototyping of designs, and leading customers have already built initial SBC18H3 prototype designs through this.

“The process extends the high-end of our overall portfolio of SiGe technology that currently spans from the 0.35µm to the 0.13µm node and is available in two of our 8-inch factories for flexibility of supply and capacity,” says Dr Marco Racanelli, senior VP & general manager, RF and High Performance Analog Business Group.

TowerJazz is exhibiting at ChipEx 2011 on 4 May at the Hilton Hotel Convention Center in Tel Aviv, Israel (booth 22), as well as at the Global Semiconductor Association (GSA) and International Semiconductor Forum 2011 on 11–12 May at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany (booth 17).

Tags: TowerJazz SiGe

Visit: www.towerjazz.com