Conexant Begins Manufacturing Silicon Germanium-Based Semiconductor Communication Devices for Low-Power Wireless and High-Speed Networking Applications
Volume Production is Scheduled for Mid-Year
Wednesday January 26, 6:06 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 26, 2000-- Conexant Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNXT - news) Wednesday announced that it has developed an enhanced silicon germanium (SiGe) process that will significantly reduce the power requirements of semiconductor products used in wireless and high-speed networking applications.
Conexant has begun manufacturing new SiGe-based communications semiconductor devices at its high-volume wafer fabrication facility in Newport Beach, and expects to release a family of these products to production by mid-year.
Upon release of its SiGe semiconductor products in approximately six months, Conexant expects to join IBM as one of only two companies in the world to have a SiGe BiCMOS semiconductor process in volume production.
Widely regarded as a key enabler for smaller, higher-performance and more power-efficient communications products, SiGe technology combines the electrical properties of silicon and germanium to double or quadruple circuit switching speeds while still retaining the cost and integration benefits of conventional silicon technology.
Conexant's SiGe process has been first implemented on its proven 0.35-micron, high-volume bipolar complementary metal oxide semiconductor (BiCMOS) production technology, and has been optimized to enable the world's lowest-power SiGe devices for today's high-frequency wireless communications and high-speed networking products.
``The addition of this advanced SiGe process to our broad portfolio of specialty radio frequency (RF), mixed signal and digital processes will enable Conexant's wireless system designers to fully optimize the cost, power efficiency and performance of our wireless semiconductor system product offerings,' said Moiz Beguwala, senior vice president and general manager of Conexant's Wireless Communications Division.
``Conexant has taken a unique approach with our SiGe process,' said James Spoto, senior vice president of Conexant's Platform Technologies group. ``By exploiting our proven expertise in BiCMOS technology, we have developed an advanced SiGe process that provides superior power efficiency in wireless and high-speed networking applications.
``Several manufacturers are adopting SiGe process technology and validating its importance for next-generation communications semiconductor design, and we are pleased that we will be the second company to enter volume production. We believe that we will now offer the industry's most comprehensive arsenal of specialty semiconductor manufacturing resources for communications applications.'
Conexant initially will use its SiGe process technology to manufacture highly integrated, low-power RF integrated circuits (ICs) for wireless handsets and advanced wireless communications terminals.
A higher-frequency version of Conexant's SiGe process technology will also be released into production by mid-2000 for use in manufacturing OC-192 synchronous optical network (SONET) devices for high-speed fiber-optic networking equipment used at the core of today's worldwide Internet infrastructure.
Technical Information
Conexant has taken a number of steps to maximize the circuit switching speeds possible with SiGe process technology while achieving superior power efficiency. The company has augmented its proven 0.35-micron BiCMOS process with SiGe epitaxy and deep-trench process modules.
Power efficiency has been improved by tailoring the SiGe epitaxy process, and through aggressive lateral scaling of the bipolar transistors using advanced photolithography equipment.
These advanced process tools are also used for Conexant's 0.18-micron CMOS process in its high-volume, eight-inch CMOS fabrication facility, enabling the company to leverage these resources across a wide variety of product lines and market applications.
Conexant's unique combination of process technologies enhances device performance, while still cost-effectively using the same total number of mask layers as conventional BiCMOS technology including the ability to simultaneously produce both 3.3-volt and 5-volt SiGe bipolar transistors. The Conexant SiGe process can also include a variety of passive components to create highly integrated RF solutions.
Conexant is now manufacturing SiGe-based prototype devices that operate at maximum cut-off frequency of 50 GHz for a 3.3-volt transistor and 70 GHz for a 2.5-volt device, while requiring 50 percent less power than competing technologies for 2 GHz wireless circuits. At these power and performance levels, Conexant believes that its SiGe process technology will yield the industry's lowest-power communications semiconductor devices, which will extend battery life in a broad range of popular wireless applications.
Conexant's process technology portfolio also includes silicon bipolar and BiCMOS technology, RF CMOS technology and 0.15-micron CMOS technology.
With revenues of approximately $1.5 billion, Conexant is the world's largest independent company focused exclusively on providing semiconductor products and systems solutions for communications electronics. With more than 30 years of experience in developing communications technology, the company draws upon its expertise in mixed-signal processing to deliver integrated systems and semiconductor products for a broad range of communications applications. These products facilitate communications worldwide through wireline voice and data communications networks, cordless and cellular wireless telephony systems, personal imaging devices and equipment, and emerging cable and wireless broadband communications networks. The company aligns its business into five product platforms: Network Access, Wireless Communications, Digital Infotainment, Personal Imaging, and Personal Computing. Conexant is a member of the Nasdaq-100 Index, which represents the largest and most active stocks listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market across major industry groups. For more information, visit Conexant at www.conexant.com.
This news release contains statements relating to future results of the company (including certain projections and business trends) that are ``forward-looking statements' as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: global and market conditions including, but not limited to, the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry and the markets addressed by the company's and its customers' products; demand for and market acceptance of new and existing products; successful development of new products; the timing of new product introductions; the availability and extent of utilization of manufacturing capacity; pricing pressures and other competitive factors; changes in product mix; fluctuations in manufacturing yields; product obsolescence; the ability to develop and implement new technologies and to obtain protection for the related intellectual property; the successful implementation of the company's diversification strategy; labor relations of the company, its customers and suppliers; timely completion of Year 2000 modifications by the company and its key suppliers and customers; and the uncertainties of litigation, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Other brands and names contained in this release are the property of their respective owners.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
