Total solution, low-cost prototyping and small volume ASICs in 0.25 micron available to US companies
Total solution, low-cost prototyping and small volume ASICs in 0.25 micron available to US companies
Keywords Europractice, Design
A new service offering low-cost access to ASIC design and manufacture is now available to US companies,with the announcement at DAC that Europractice IC Services has extended its operations to North America.
Europractice services were established four years ago by the European Commission to encourage uptake of advanced technologies, including ASICs, multi-chip modules and microsytems. The Europractice IC service, coordinated by IMEC, Europe's leading center for microelectronics research and development, has grown to become one of the world's most successful ASIC prototype and small volume services.
The Europractice IC service has forged international alliances with leading design houses and manufacturers in order to provide a total package, from access to design services, libraries, fabrication, backend and final layout, through to assembly and test for prototyping and small volume quantities.
Recent agreements with UMC, Taiwan, and Virtual Silicon Technology, USA, mean that the IC service now offers low-cost access to MultiProject Wafer (MPW) runs in UMC's 0.25 micron CMOS process, with runs scheduled each quarter. The agreement with VST provides full access to its Diplomat-25 library of standard cells, together with EDA design kits for popular tools.
As part of the 0.25 micron offering, the IC service also provides back-end place-and-route layout service using the most advanced layout tools.
Its current MPW portfolio provides a range of other technologies, including CMOS, high voltage/high speed BICMOS, SiGe, GaAs and radiation hard technologies. Cell libraries and EDA design kits for all the supported technlogies are available on CD-ROM at no cost.
"The Europractice IC service has grown rapidly and is now recognized as a reliable partner for high quality ASIC prototyping and small volume manufacture", comments Dr Carl Das,chairman of the IC Service. "With the introduction of deep submicron technologies and an expanding international alliance partner network, we now have the capability to offer the American market a service that is unique in the scope of services on offer."
The Europractice IC office operates from 960 Saratoga Avenue, Suite 206, San Jose, CA. Tel: +1 (408) 551 4501. Further information is available on http://www.imec.be/europractice
