Don Dingee
Moderator
Continuing their relationship for embedded NVM from 65nm and 55nm, United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) has licensed Cypress SONOS (Silicon Oxide Nitride Oxide Silicon) embedded flash memory IP at 40nm. SONOS requires only five additional mask layers for a standard CMOS process at 40nm, compared to what Cypress says is at least 12 mask layers for competing embedded flash technologies.
View attachment 13009
UMC cites the Cypress SONOS IP as part of their "IoT-specific technology and design platform", targeting ultra-low power for MCU designs for wearables and IoT applications. 40nm offers faster processing speeds and lower power for these devices. It will be interesting to see if Cypress can continue scaling to more aggressive nodes continues given the limitations of cell-to-cell interference in flash and its effect on reliability. For now, 40nm is near state-of-the-art for MCUs.
Detailed press release:
Cypress Licenses 40-Nanometer Embedded Flash IP to UMC, Enabling Next-Generation MCUs, IoT and Wearables Applications
View attachment 13009
UMC cites the Cypress SONOS IP as part of their "IoT-specific technology and design platform", targeting ultra-low power for MCU designs for wearables and IoT applications. 40nm offers faster processing speeds and lower power for these devices. It will be interesting to see if Cypress can continue scaling to more aggressive nodes continues given the limitations of cell-to-cell interference in flash and its effect on reliability. For now, 40nm is near state-of-the-art for MCUs.
Detailed press release:
Cypress Licenses 40-Nanometer Embedded Flash IP to UMC, Enabling Next-Generation MCUs, IoT and Wearables Applications
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