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No More Moore company adds UMC to its foundry list |
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Feb 26, 2007 at 11:37 AM |
 High performance SRAM producer Cypress Semiconductor has added UMC to its list of primary foundry partners. According to a letter of intent, Cypress will use UMC's advanced processes for its next-generation SRAM products. This is the first time that Cypress has chosen an external foundry for manufacturing its flagship SRAM products. Cypress expects to tape out its first 65nm SRAM product at UMC in fourth quarter this year.
In addition to SRAMs, Cypress intends to use UMC for the foundry manufacturing of its S8TM 0.13-micron embedded flash technology and two future generations of embedded flash technology to produce an array of products, including its Programmable System-on-Chip (PSoC) programmable mixed-signal array and USB devices. Such chips are used in the consumer, computation, data communication, automotive, industrial, and solar power markets.
The company says that it no longer needs aggressive linewidth reductions for its leading programmable products and has abandoned its longstanding commitment to independent process technology development based on Moore's Law under the slogan "No More Moore". Although it has jumped out of the way of the technology juggernaut, Cypress plans to continue having access to leading-edge processes by using foundry facilities for its products that do require world-class manufacturing processes.
Cypress combines capacity from leading foundries with output from Cypress's internal fabs under its "Flexible Manufacturing Initiative". The initiative aims at flexibility in meeting rapid swings in customer demand without the burden of high fixed costs. Cypress launched its initiative when it announced its deal with China's Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing foundry in December 2005. The Grace produced product was shipped mid 2006. Cypress transferred its 0.13micron process to Grace later last year.
"UMC's advanced technology will allow Cypress to maintain its leadership position without having to shoulder the entire burden of advanced research and equipment," says Shahin Sharifzadeh, executive vice president of Wafer Fab and Technology at Cypress.
By Dr Mike Cooke
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