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X-FAB Silicon Foundries SE has launched XSICM03, its next-generation XbloX platform, advancing Silicon Carbide (SiC) process technology for power MOSFETs, delivering significantly reduced cell pitch, enabling increased die per wafer and improved on-state resistance without compromising reliability.
XbloX is X-FAB’s streamlined business process and technology platform designed to accelerate the development of advanced SiC MOSFET technology. It integrates qualified SiC process development blocks and modules for planar MOSFET production, simplifying the onboarding process and significantly reducing design risks and product development time.
By combining proven process modules with robust design rules, control plans, and FMEAs, XbloX enables faster prototyping, easier design evaluation, and shorter time to market. This approach gives customers a competitive edge, allowing designers to create a diverse product portfolio while achieving production timelines up to nine months faster than traditional development methods.
This next generation platform provides active area design cell size reduction while maintaining robust process controls, as well as leakage and breakdown device performance. The XSICM03 platform with robust design rules allows customers to create SiC planar MOSFETs with a cell pitch that is over 25% smaller than the previous generation.
This improvement allows for up to a 30% increase in die per wafer compared to the previous generation. Leveraging proven process blocks, the platform ensures exceptional gate oxide reliability and device robustness. The enriched PCM library and enhanced design support allow for fast customer tape-out, resulting in faster product development.
Rico Tillner, CEO, X-FAB Texas explains: “With its streamlined approach, our next-generation process platform addresses the increasing demand for high-performance SiC devices in automotive, industrial, and energy applications. We enable existing and new customers in creating application-optimized product portfolios through accelerated prototyping and design evaluation, significantly reducing time to market.”
The next generation platform XSICM03 is now available for early access.
Original – X-FAB Silicon Foundries
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X-FAB Silicon Foundries SE, the leading analog/mixed-signal and specialty foundry, has updated its XP018 high-voltage CMOS semiconductor fabrication platform with new 40V and 60V high-voltage primitive devices, which feature an extended SOA for improved operational robustness.
These 2nd generation high-voltage primitive devices exhibit up to a 50% reduction in RDSon figures compared to the previous version. This offers an alternative which is better positioned to address certain key applications – particularly where devices’ footprints need to be reduced and unit costs minimized.
The XP018 platform is a modular 180nm high-voltage EPI technology solution, based on a low mask count 5V single-gate core module. It supports an extended temperature range of -40 to 175°C and offers a wide range of optional devices and modules, including high-gain bipolar devices, standard and high-capacitance MIM capacitors, multi-threshold (Vt) options, Schottky diodes, and depletion devices.
The platform is supported by high-reliability automotive NVM solutions, such as embedded Flash, EEPROM, and OTP, making it specifically designed for cost-sensitive and robust automotive, industrial, and medical applications.
In addition to the new 40V/60V devices, the platform has been enhanced by the inclusion of 5.3V Zener diodes. The new low leakage Zener diode is designed to effectively protect the gate oxide in critical applications, such as Wide Bandgap gate driver applications. Furthermore, there are also new isolated drain high-voltage devices up to 24V and a new 1.8 V medium Vt option on offer.
Tilman Metzger, Product Line Manager for High-Voltage at X-FAB, comments: “With this update of our XP018 platform we are demonstrating X-FAB’s commitment to enhancing established technologies. XP018 has been in production for more than a decade and still sees widespread adoption for new designs from our focus market segments: automotive, industrial and medical. The new competitive high-voltage devices and updates will enable our customers to implement more innovative and cost-effective products. Designers utilizing the new XP018 primitive devices have access to comprehensive PDK support across major EDA platforms like Cadence, Siemens EDA, Synopsys, ensuring seamless integration and optimization for a range of applications.”
A new medium Vt standard cell library is scheduled to be released in Q3 2024. Further details on the XP018 platform can be accessed by going to: www.xfab.com/technology/high-voltage
Original – X-FAB Silicon Foundries
