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GF, Microchip Team up for 28nm Flash Memory Production

GlobalFoundries (GF) and Microchip Technology, via Microchip’s Silicon Storage Technology® (SST®) subsidiary, have announced a collaboration for flash memory production. Particularly, the team up covers the SST ESF3 third-generation embedded SuperFlash technology NVM solution in the GF 28SLPe foundry process.

GF has established a new industry benchmark for implementing SST’s widely deployed ESF3 SuperFlash technology. Moreover, this implementation delivers capabilities and benefits:

The GF and Microchip alliance covers the production of the widely deployed non-volatile memory (NVM) solution optimized for microcontrollers (MCUs), smart cards, IoT chips.
  • Lowest cost 28-nm HKMG ESF3 solution with only 10 masks added, including true 5V IO CMOS devices
  • Highly competitive SST ESF3 bit cell size of less than 0.05 micron squared
  • Operating temperature rating of −40°C to 125°C
  • Sub-25 nanosecond (ns) read access times, 10-microsecond program times and four millisecond erase times
  • Endurance exceeding 100,000 program/erase cycles
  • No impact to design flows using GF 28SLPe platform-qualified IP (EG flow)
  • Immediate availability of off-the-shelf macros from four megabits (Mb) to 32 Mb
  • Access to custom macro design support from SST or GF

Applications: Mobile, Home to IIoT

Use cases for embedded flash are exploding with the drive for increased intelligence at the edge. Embedded memory for secure code storage, over-the-air updates, and enhanced functionality is on the rise. Particularly, in a wide range of home and industrial IoT applications and smart mobile devices. Furthermore, innovative platforms meet these needs. 

GF is proud to partner with SST to develop, qualify, and release to production this impressive embedded NVM solution on our robust 28SLPe platform,” said Mike Hogan, chief business unit officer at GF.

In addition, Hogan said, “GF’s customers are finding this combination of high performance, excellent reliability, IP availability, and cost-effectiveness to be ideal for advanced MCUs, complex smart cards, and IoT chips for consumer and industrial products.”

Meanwhile, Mark Reiten, vice president of SST, Microchip’s licensing business unit, said, “SST and GF have partnered closely over the last decade to integrate and productize SST’s industry-standard ESF1 and ESF3 embedded Flash technologies into GF’s 130-nm BCD, 55-nm, 40-nm, and now 28-nm foundry platforms.” Reiten added both companies expect to deliver additional breakthroughs over the coming decade.