SilTerra launches 130nm CMOS Logic Aluminum Backend Technology

Partnering with ARM to offer full suite of Physical Design Libraries

Kulim, Kedah -- March 14, 2012 - Malaysian-based wafer foundry SilTerra Malaysia today announced the release of 130nm CMOS Logic Technology with aluminum backend interconnection, CL130AL. This technology is targeting main stream, high volume consumer electronics applications such as Touch Controller, Flash Memory Card Controller, USB Pen-Drive controller, Card Reader, Host MP3 and others. 

This technology adopts the same front end design rule as industry standard 130nm CMOS Logic technology and integrates with SilTerra's proven aluminum backend interconnection, which has already been in high volume production in SilTerra's High Voltage technology. The technology offers single poly up to 6 layers of aluminum metallization, borderless contacts and via with USG inter-metal dielectric.

The CL130AL offers significant device performance advantages and more gross dies in a wafer compared with foundry standard 180nm CMOS Logic technology.

In addition, SilTerra is partnering with ARM to license ARM(r) Artisan(r) physical IP design libraries, including standard cells and memory compilers.

"In the current market environment where customers are becoming more cost conscious and continue to look for innovative means to squeeze more gross dies from a wafer, the introduction of CL130AL comes at the right time to meet our customers' expectation", said Yit Loong Lai, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing. "We are glad to partner with ARM to build up the foundation design ecosystem for CL130AL technology and ARM has been supporting our customers very well to ensure smooth design-in across all our Logic technologies."

"SilTerra is an important foundry partner for ARM and our relationship goes back many years across multiple technology nodes. ARM is a leader in energy-efficient physical IP and we are pleased to offer our feature-rich platform on SilTerra's new low-cost aluminum-based process technology to enable the success of our mutual customers in the consumer and embedded markets," said Dr. John Heinlein, vice president of marketing, physical IP division, ARM. "The silicon proven Artisan high-density memory compilers, standard cell libraries and programmable general purpose IO (GPIO) products offer a superior power and area advantage."

Moving forward, SilTerra will expand this technology to include Radio Frequency (RF) passive components and characterize up to 20GHz for the use in RFCMOS technology. SilTerra is also pursuing with other IP partners to expand our IP portfolio such as OTP (one-time-programming), MTP (multi-time programming), PLL, USB 2.0 PHY and others.

The CL130AL is currently available for prototyping and the design flows have been validated in Synopsys and Mentor platforms. 

About SilTerra Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. 

SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd is a semiconductor wafer foundry offering major foundry-compatible CMOS logic, high-voltage and mixed-signal/RF technologies down to 0.11-micron feature size. This includes complete, competitive wafer fabrication for fabless and IDM customers’ designs. SilTerra’s wafer fab has a design capacity of 40,000 eight-inch wafers per month. 

Environmentally vigilant, SilTerra delivers award winning, world-class performance to its customers seeking flexible capacity, competitive advantages and around the clock customer support. SilTerra is ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001 certified. The company’s headquarters and factory are located in Malaysia’s Kulim High-Tech Park, and SilTerra has sales and marketing offices in San Jose (California) and Hsinchu (Taiwan). 

For additional information on SilTerra or its services, please visit www.silterra.com.