SST: Automotive Grade 1 Qualification of Embedded SuperFlash Memory on UMC’s 55nm Platform

Automotive applications are increasingly depending on microcontrollers (MCUs) with embedded flash memory to ensure the performance and reliability required for safety-critical and infotainment applications.

To extend the availability of these solutions, Microchip Technology Inc., subsidiary Silicon Storage Technology (SST), announced that its high-speed embedded SuperFlash technology is qualified to Automotive Electronics Council‘s AEC-Q100 Grade 1 on United Microelectronics Corporation‘s 55nm platform.

The SuperFlash technology offers low power, reliability, data retention and endurance across broad markets. For example, in automotive applications, it provides IC designers with a cost-effective, embedded flash solution that meets high speed and dependability requirements. As electronic content in vehicles continues to rise, the technology’s fast access time, power efficiency and fast erase speeds are crucial for automotive applications.

“As part of the AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualification on UMC’s 55 nm platform, SST’s SuperFlash technology completed a very high bar in endurance testing, including 700,000 program/erase cycles and twenty years of data retention,” said Mark Reiten, VP, SST, subsidiary of Microchip. “The partnership with UMC will enable automotive customers who require low-power, high-endurance embedded flash to keep their production costs down by using the 55nm platform.“

“Since qualifying SST’s SuperFlash technology on UMC’s 55 nm in 2015, we have engaged with multiple customers for a variety of end market applications,” said Steven Liu, VP, corporate marketing division, UMC. “With this latest milestone to successfully achieve automotive-grade qualification, UMC customers can confidently utilize SST 55 nm SuperFlash technology for their automotive IC designs manufactured in UMC’s fabs, which have all been IATF-16949 certified to meet stringent automotive quality production standards.“