French eVaderis Completes Tape-Out of MRAM-Based, Memory-Centric MCU Demonstrator

eVaderis, a semiconductor IP start-up that provides design solutions to improve the functionality, power efficiency and performance of its customers’ semiconductor chips, has demonstrated a fully functioning design platform through an ultra-low-power microcontroller (MCU) in Beyond Semiconductor d.o.o.‘s BA2X product line.

The software, system and memory IP developed by the company make Beyond Semiconductor’s new MCU suited for battery-powered applications in IoT and wearable electronics.

By incorporating the latest perpendicular, spin-transfer-torque magnetoresistive random-access memory (STT-MRAM) technology from international R&D institute Imec, Beyond Semiconductor’s MCU can achieve non-volatile operation with high-speed R/W and low voltage. In addition, the device is designed for manufacturability using Globalfoundries’s 40-nm low-power CMOS production process.

“The tape-out f this innovative MRAM-based, memory-centric MCU demonstrates our proficiency in disruptive, non-volatile embedded IP design and flow for low-power, digital devices,” said Virgile Javerliac, deputy CEO and head of technology and marketing, eVaderis. “We now plan to license the underlying IP to semiconductor manufacturers making sub-40-nm chips.“

“Power consumption is still the key challenge for any battery-powered device,” said Matjaz Breskvar, CEO, Beyond Semiconductor. “We have been working with eVaderis since the company’s inception to jointly realize a vision of battery-powered, always-on devices with unprecedented energy efficiencies.“

3Mb/s of on-chip memory are fully distributed across the system though different instances, covering different functions such as working memory, configuration, state retention, code execution and storage. The firm’s memory IP architectures are built to be compiler-friendly, helping chip makers to achieve faster time to market.

The company’s memory-centric architecture based on embedded MRAM technology allows a MCU to achieve power, performance and functional gains at the system and software levels. These gains include for instance energy-efficient, non-volatile checkpointing or normally-off/instant-on operation with near zero latency boot.

About Evaderis
Founded in 2014, eVaderis offers IP solutions based on disruptive embedded memory technologies including MRAM and RRAM. The company provides competitive products and design services to meet the challenges of producing advanced non-volatile memories, compilers, logic libraries and processor subsystems, paving the way for new chip design paradigms. The firm is a member of Globalfoundaries’ FDXcelerator partner program.