Malaysia's Silterra ready to ramp up 0.18-micron foundry process
Semiconductor Business News
(08/08/01 14:51 p.m. EST)
KULIM, Malaysia --Silicon foundry startup Silterra Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. here has announced availability of its "major foundry-compatible" 0.18-micron CMOS process after fabricating test chips several months ago.
The Malaysian foundry developed the new six-level metal process internally after working with technology partner LSI Logic Corp. on its initial 0.25- and 0.18-micron processes under a strategic agreement announced two years ago (see May 19 story). The 0.18-micron process uses aluminum metal interconnect and offers an optional low-k dielectric of fluorinated silicate glass (FSG).
"We are saying, 'doors are open, bring us your 0.18-micron business,'" said Steve Della Rocchetta, executive vice president of marketing and sales for Silterra based in Sunnyvale, Calif. "We started [processing] test chips more than one quarter ago. Today, we have product mask sets in the line, and we have several more customers committed to give us additional tape-outs within the next quarter."
Silterra began chip production in a new 200-mm fab at the start of the year using its initial 0.25-micron process, which was also shrunk to 0.22-micron feature size in the early ramp (see Feb. 14 story). "We think the 0.18-micron process could be our dominant technology next year," Rocchetta said. "We will probably build more 0.18-micron wafers [in 2002] than quarter-micron, which is not very far off the leading edge."
In addition to releasing its 0.18-micron foundry process, Silterra this week said it had received ISO 9002 certification for quality practices in manufacturing.
According to Silterra's technology roadmap, the foundry company is planning to begin early production of radio-frequency and mixed-signal 0.18-micron ICs in the first quarter of 2002. Early process runs--or "risk production"--of 0.13-micron digital CMOS, based on copper interconnects, are slated to begin around the middle of 2002, according to information on the company's Web site. A 0.13-micron process for RF and mixed-signal circuits will be ready for early production at the end of next year, based on the technology roadmap. |
