Qualification of Faraday Technology Ariel IoT SoC with UMC’s 40ULP Process for Infineon’s SONOS eFlash

Faraday Technology Corp., ASIC design service and IP provider, announced the qualification of Ariel IoT SoC with United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC)’s 40nm ultra-low-power (40ULP) process.

Exclusively offering the SONOS eFlash solution on UMC’s 40ULP, the company aims at AIoT, MCU, and smart grid projects that necessitate superior performance and low-power consumption.

The firm’s Ariel SoC, implemented with SONOS eFlash macro, has successfully passed the reliability test with HTOL (High Temperature Operating Life Latent Failure Rate) of 1,000 hours at 125°C, characterization of data retention at 125°C, and more than 100,000 cycles of endurance test. Through the testing on real silicon under rigorous conditions, SONOS eFlash has been confirmed that it is a qualified eNVM solution on UMC’s 40ULP.

In a strategic collaboration with UMC and Infineon Technologies LLC, Faraday has rolled out the 40ULP SONOS eFlash ASIC turnkey service, which supports the SONOS subsystem IP, wafer manufacturing, chip packaging and testing; the SONOS subsystem IP includes eFlash controller, eFlash macro IP, complete BIST on eFlash, and additional cache functions for easy data access and control. Customers can simplify integration efforts for SONOS eFlash and proceed with mass production by utilizing the cost-effective eNVM solution on UMC 40ULP.

“The SONOS eFlash is fully compatible with UMC’s 40ULP logic process,” said Flash Lin, COO, Faraday. “This compatibility obviates the need for extra efforts in IP porting and requires only a few additional masks for manufacturing, thereby reducing both cost and manufacturing cycle time for customers.”

“SONOS eFlash has been market-proven in various applications on UMC’s 40ULP process,” said Vineet Agrawal, senior director, memory solutions, Infineon. “Faraday’s comprehensive SONOS eFlash solution enables customers to effortlessly meet cost, power, and performance requirements for SoC designs across a wide range of IoT products and applications.”

“Faraday’s successful verification of the UMC 40ULP SONOS eFlash process with their Ariel IoT ASIC marks a significant step towards powering AIoT related projects with efficient low power consumption,” said Yau Kae Sheu, associate VP, technology development, UMC. “Our collaboration has resulted in a comprehensive turnkey service that simplifies the adoption of eFlash memory technology for various applications.”