High-temp CMOS process debuts at X-Fab

ERFURT, GERMANY: Offering a production process for chips that look to function at high temperatures beyond the normal military operating limit, the Germany-based analog and mixed signal foundry X-Fab has unveiled its XA035 mixed-signal CMOS process.

X-Fab’s high-temperature CMOS process is a 0.35-micron single-poly, triple-metal N-well CMOS basic process with an absolute maximum of 185 degrees Celsius. It covers voltage ranges from 3.3-V to 45-V. It also comes with small-area EEPROM blocks including a charge pump, meeting automotive quality requirements.

The new product comes with 0.35-micron minimum design rules, allows temperature trade-offs for automotive and other applications with operating temperatures up to 175 degrees Celsius, said a review of the process by EETimes.

According to the review, the modular 0.35 micrometer process can include high-voltage and non-volatile memory elements. The company has added that design support has incorporated the XA035 lifetime calculator which determines expected IC lifetime for a given mission profile to help determine lifetime and temperature trade-offs.

The process surpasses the AEC-Q100 qualification tests for automotive IC quality and reliability, it pointed out.

Elaborating on the features, the company added that the XA035 supports parasitic diode modeling and enables pre-layout parasitic diode leakage simulation. It further said that this feature also permits designers simulate leakages at high temperatures early in the design flow. The company said the new process might be deployed for integrating discrete-based circuits in sensor front-ends and brushless DC motor controls for automotive, industrial, aerospace and military segments.