FEATURED NEWS
TowerJazz to Mass Produce MEMS Loudspeakers for Audio Pixels
Pure-play Israeli foundry TowerJazz has signed on to build a line of first-generation microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based loudspeaker semiconductors for Audio Pixels Ltd. The loudspeaker chips will introduce a new generation of sound performance and design demands for devices being built for the consumer electronics, industrial and medical markets, Audio Pixels says.
The company says it chose TowerJazz because of its MEMS manufacturing technology, including its particle-free, deep silicon etch technology and thick films with controlled low stress.
TowerJazz announced it has extended its long term global business partnership with JA Mitsui, a leading financial and banking institution, with whom the company has an established relationship in Japan through its TPSCo Japanese affiliate. The agreement provides the Company with up to $40 million of an asset based loan, which will carry annual interest of Libor+2.0%, mature between 2019 and 2022 and be used to support San Antonio fab growth and ramp-up plans, including cross qualification activities to address the Company’s excess customer demand in its other worldwide fabs.
New wireless standard will significantly speed up communication, but dealing with mmWave technology isn’t going to be simple.
Generally, phased-array devices are made using various processes, but many of today’s devices are based on standard CMOS and silicon-germanium (SiGe). “SiGe technology has already been proven for mmWave phased-array/active antenna applications,” said Amol Kalburge, senior director of strategic marketing at TowerJazz, a specialty foundry vendor.
“Additionally, SiGe enables integration with advanced CMOS and on-chip passives, thus providing area efficient system-on-chip integration capability and a cost/performance tradeoff,” Kalburge said. “We believe that SiGe will play a key enabling role in 5G front-end ICs, and will coexist with other III-V technologies.
Specialty foundry TowerJazz has announced volume production of a new RF technology capable of integrating a wireless front-end module (FEM) on a single chip, tailored to meet Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
The TowerJazz process enables integration of power amplifiers (PAs), switches, and low-noise amplifiers as well as CMOS digital and power control on a single die. TowerJazz is delivering this product now for smartphones, tablets and wearables, and the technology also meets the more universal requirements of IoT applications by providing cost, power, performance and form-factor benefits versus competing solutions.
As an example, TowerJazz has partnered with Skyworks to deliver a first-of-its-kind integrated wireless FEM using this technology. “We are pleased that our long partnership with TowerJazz on SiGe BiCMOS for PA-based products is now in volume production for key customers of Skyworks,” says Bill Vaillancourt, general manager & VP Skyworks Connectivity Solutions.
TowerJazz announces its SiGe Terabit Platform enabling high-speed wireline communications
TowerJazz announced its SiGe Terabit Platform targeting high-speed wireline communications for the terabit age. Wireline data traffic is increasing dramatically, with traffic at Google famously increasing by 50 times over the last six to seven years, or at 75 percent per year. Estimates vary, but experts agree on double digit CAGRs and a 2020 market for high speed optical components in excess of $9 billion.
TowerJazz addresses this market through a family of customized foundry silicon-germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS technologies and is announcing availability of its highest performance process to date: S4. TowerJazz customers include the who’s-who for components that carry the world’s high-speed data traffic such as: Broadcom, Inphi, MACOM, Maxim, Maxlinear and Semtech, among others.
3Peak sees chip output jump on deal with Israel’s TowerJazz
Chinese chipmaker 3Peak expects a sharp increase in integrated circuit (IC) shipments this year due as it expands its manufacturing output to a plant in Japan through an extension of its collaboration with Israel’s TowerJazz. 3Peak’s products are currently solely produced at TowerJazz’s 200mm fab in Israel and are now starting to also be made at the TowerJazz Panasonic Semiconductor fab in Japan.
“In 2015, 3PEAK’s IC shipments increased 35 percent compared with 2014. With dual sourcing capabilities, we expect to have an increase of 200 percent in 2016,” Joe Zhou, Chief Executive of 3Peak, said in a statement on Wednesday.