UMC announces 65nm RFCMOS process readiness

HSINCHU, TAIWAN: UMC, a leading global semiconductor foundry, announced that its 65nm RFCMOS process is ready for customer design-in. Several customers are engaged for this advanced RF process, which is targeted for next generation wireless system-on-chip (SoC) applications including WiFi, WiMax, wireless USB, and cellular.

The RF process is derived directly from UMC's standard 65nm CMOS logic process, which was qualified in early 2006 and is currently in volume production for a variety of customer products. Full compatibility with UMC's standard CMOS logic/mixed-mode process enables easier integration of different SoC features such as mixed-mode, memory, analog and RF elements.

Lee Chung, vice president of Corporate Marketing at UMC, said: "UMC's 65nm RF process has been optimized to enable today's sophisticated wireless devices that demand increased functionality and lower power consumption in smaller packages. The SoC solution package offered with the 65nm RF technology makes it ideal for new designs, as well as customers wishing to migrate existing products to gain the dramatic performance advantages of the more advanced process."

Complete deliverables are available for UMC's 65nm RF solution, including fundamental libraries, IP, and the foundry industry's first transformer library to help customers jump-start their design-in process. Full characterization reports, models with mismatch Monte Carlo simulation, advance HF noise model and foundry design kits (FDK) complement the 65nm RF process, with RF SPICE models and ESD manuals and support ready.

UMC's extensive volume production experience for its standard 65nm logic process will enable the foundry to quickly ramp its customers' 65nm RF products once they reach the manufacturing stage. In June 2005, UMC was the first foundry to deliver 65nm customer products, and currently has 11 customers for this technology node with over 30 product tape-outs. Over 25 products have been functionally validated with 7 products already in volume production. Two advanced 300mm fabs have been dedicated to 65nm production.