South Korea-based pure-play foundry Key Foundry claimed to be ready for mass production of automotive semiconductor using its Gen2 0.13-micron embedded flash process within the year at a time the world is running short on automotive chips.

Key Foundry, a spinoff from MagnaChip Semiconductor, has continued mass production of a broad range of consumer application products, such as MCU, Touch and Auto Focus with its Gen1 0.13-micron embedded flash technology for more than five years.

The newly developed Gen2 0.13-micron embedded flash process can be applied to automotive parts, satisfying the reliability criteria of the AEC-Q100 Grade-1, according to the company.

To meet the integrated circuit (IC) stress test qualification for automotive applications, the IC should not break down for 10+ years under an extreme temperature as high as 125℃ while keeping all the data saved in the flash intact.

The new process is first applied to a MCU product for a toll transponder of one of its Korean customers. The 128Kbyte eFlash IP provided by Key Foundry is embedded in the product whose product-level test is completed and mass production will begin in full swing this year.

It is the first automotive-bound product utilizing Key Foundry`s embedded flash process, and Key Foundry is expecting the product`s successful development will help expand the technology`s applications to Touch ICs, wireless charge ICs and other various automotive products, the company said.

With greater reliability and more cost-competitiveness than the Gen1, the Gen2 technology is expected to be applied to a wide range of consumer applications including MCU, Touch and Auto Focus. Additionally, integrated with the BCD (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) process, it is a good fit for various power products such as USB type-C PDs, motor drive ICs, or wireless charging ICs, the company claimed.

The application of Gen2 technology is expected to further expand to low-power IoT products with an ultra-low leakage process option.

Key Foundry said it is also developing an embedded flash process in 0.11 microns, followed by the Gen1 and the Gen2 in 0.13 microns.

By Pulse

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