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Brazil’s CEITEC beats door to X-FAB for analog/mixed-signal process |
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Dec 12, 2007 at 03:17 PM |
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 The Excellence Center for Advanced Electronic Technology (CEITEC), a Brazilian government-sponsored microelectronics development and incubator organization, has signed a strategic licensing agreement with X-FAB Silicon Foundries to use its 0.6 micron (XC06) analog/mixed-signal process at its under-construction 150mm pilot fab in Porto Alegre, Brazil. In the future, volume production of Brazilian designed ICs will be fabricated at X-FAB’s facilities in Erfurt, Germany and Lubbock, Texas, USA.
“X-FAB is the leading analog/mixed-signal pure-play foundry, and we are excited to license its state-of-the-art technology for our 6-inch prototype fab,” said Sérgio Souza Dias, CEITEC’s President. “This technology will enable us to establish commercial front-end semiconductor manufacturing domestically in Brazil, to help meet the fast-growing demand here for semiconductor chips.”
According to the MDIC/SECES (Brazilian Industry & Commerce Ministry) and Brazilian Science & Technology Ministry, Brazilian chip consumption was US$3.3 billion in 2006, and is forecast at US$4.0 billion for 2007.
The XC06 process accommodates basic high-voltage transistors and integrated non-volatile memories that will be applied to automotive, industrial and power management applications for internal and external Brazilian-based electronic products.
“CEITEC is pioneering IC design and front-end semiconductor manufacturing in Latin America, and we greatly value the opportunity to establish X-FAB’s processes for analog/mixed-signal ICs in this highly strategic market,” said Thomas Hartung, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at X-FAB. “We are pleased that our technology can help CEITEC accelerate its efforts in Brazil – especially for automotive, industrial and power management applications.”
The 150mm tool set for the new fab was originally donated by Motorola. Future plans include 350nm CMOS production, according to CEITEC.
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