T2.2 FDSOI Platform enablement & enhancement
Automotive market continues to grow by incorporating more and more electronics features. Integrated Circuits (ICs), using advanced micro-controllers systems, are spreading everywhere in the new car generations and ICs dissemination covers driver security, pilot information and customer comfort.
Beyond the needs of complex System-On-Chip (SoC) involving high performance and low power digital as well as embedded Non Volatile Memory (eNVM) for large code storage, an enhancement of analog devices and full RF solutions for connectivity becomes an undisputable path to keep the leading edge in the competitiveness of automotive micro-controllers.
Analog devices improvement will enable to maintain a good Performance Power Area criterion especially by increasing the density on silicon of the implemented functions: in this context a solution to introduce a true medium (3.3V) voltage technology platform in FDSOI technologies will dramatically enhance the capability to realize analog functions whilst reducing its footprint up to about 30%. This is also enhancing the possibilities to reduce the overall IO areas and of a huge benefit when the device area becomes pad limited.
Concerning the implementation of RF solutions for connectivity, an important driver is the validation of the compatibility of FDSOI substrate suitable for embedding both digital, analog and eNVM functions, whilst enhancing the radio-frequencies performances. Some promising path are brought by the introduction of high resistivity substrates for RF: it becomes mandatory to consider their usage for micro-controller applications too, by exploring the feasibility, assessing the performances gains and validate the suitability on real cases for the 28nm micro-controller main technology.
Remaining in the field of the FDSOI substrate interaction with the product performances, an additional improvement in stability and variability control is the validation of the benefits that newer generations of substrates are bringing value versus the more severe standards in terms of repeatability, quality and reliability requirements of the automotive. Indeed the 28nm technology flow that embeds NVM solutions differs from the pure digital ones and solutions already in place may not be enough to have the full margin required in automotive.
ST will investigate these three axes of works to boost the FDSOI technology platform. The main objectives are to complete a 28nm offer for automotive micro-controller, and bridging to the future FDSOI technologies such as the 18nm based general purpose and automotive micro-controllers, both in terms of business, because enhancing a quicker implementation of new devices that rely on many already qualified IP s, and in terms of technology bricks offers, by qualifying solutions that will be ported in next nodes for which the main driver is the digital density increase.
GlobalFoundries will extend the 22FDX platform within IPCEI 2 – EUROFOUNDRY, reporting related results to SOIL, which is a support of synergy between the two projects. GlobalFoundries will follow a similar approach to ST to boost its 22FDX technology. This will involve the development of high-voltage (ZG) transistors, typically 3.3V, needed for Image Sensor Processor (ISP) market, the improvement of the RF properties of FDSOI technology, and the evaluation of booster technologies developed as part of the SOIL project to boost the RF properties of 22FDX technology.