Fujitsu Microelectronics, e-Shuttle and D2S Partner to Produce Maskless ICs

Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited (FML) and its e-Shuttle joint venture (with Advantest) are partnering with D2S to reduce the cost and time-to-market for new integrated circuits (ICs).

 

FML and e-Shuttle will adopt D2S’ design for e-beam (DFEB) technology to product new ICs. Starting with a 65-nm Low Power (LP) library, the companies will create, test, refine and validate DFEB technology for the 65-nm, 40-nm and below nodes.

 

Using D2S' advanced DFEB design and software capabilities, and FML's standard cell libraries, e-Shuttle will produce test chips. e-Shuttle wil manufacture these test chips using Advantest's F3000 e-beam direct-write (EBDW) lithography equipment, which is already available with the company.

 

FML will be able to manufacture ICs faster and more cost-effectively in comparison to conventional e-beam direct lithography technologies.

 

Manufacturing ICs can be a challenge, since rising costs show no signs of slowing down. Also, the application range and market for low-volume ASICs (custom ICs) is shrinking with mask budgets doubling at every node.

 

Instead of a lithography breakthrough, D2S' advanced DFEB technology employs the EBDW approach to maximize and enhance the existing e-beam technology of the F3000 from Advantest. It eliminates the cost of masks and can speed time to market by shortening the design-to-lithography process flow.

 

The DFEB technology can also benefit specific application fields, such as computing, as well as a host of low- to mid-volume semiconductor companies producing test chips, engineering samples and design derivatives.

 

Haruo Tsuchikawa, CEO at e-Shuttle, said that the company has been in operation since November 2006 and its mission is to bring EBDW capabilities to low-volume production applications.

 

Tsuchikawa noted that this type of collaboration between design software, design, manufacturing, and equipment makers is essential for maximizing the capabilities of today's fabrication technologies.

 

Yoji Hino, corporate executive vice president of Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited commented that this design-to-manufacturing collaboration will facilitate a unique capability for virtually maskless ICs that will increase design starts.