EM Microelectronic (Marin, Switzerland) announced that it is ready to start producing a high-performance, ultra-low-voltage and ultra-low-power integrated circuit (IC) using fully depleted, silicon-on-insulator (FD SOI) technology. EM Microelectronic claims that this is the first FD SOI circuit operating at a guaranteed voltage lower than 0.5V over the whole voltage and temperature range.
Commercial use for the FD SOI technology is targeted at hand-held and battery-powered, automotive, smart card IC, analog front-end, and temperature and magnetic applications. The properties of this process include dual gates, three metal layers, silicide, and elevated source and drain. Accurate and stable manufacturing capabilities allow a very thin silicon film thickness of 40nm. EM Microelectronic is also developing its own 0.5µm FD SOI process with an ultra-low threshold voltage down to 0.4V and high temperature operation up to 225 degrees C.
