Please note that JavaScript and style sheet are used in this website,
Due to unadaptability of the style sheet with the browser used in your computer, pages may not look as original.
Even in such a case, however, the contents can be used safely.
UX6B BiCMOS
As a leader in advanced process technologies, NEC Electronics offers the first silicon-based BiCMOS process on a 90-nanometer (nm) CMOS platform. This silicon-based technology offers several advantages.
- Low cost
- Best-in-class performance
- Proven manufacturability
Applications
The NEC Electronics BiCMOS process is targeted to a range of analog and mixed-signal applications that require frequencies up to 10 GHz (ft = 40 GHz).
- HDD and DVD preamplifiers
- IC testers
- Power management ICs
- Others
Cost Advantage of Silicon-based BiCMOS Process
Cost is often a concern for BiCMOS manufacturing processes. However NEC Electronics' silicon-based BiCMOS process costs only about 10% more than standard CMOS platforms, due to a patented epi-less structure that requires only four additional mask layers.
Although lower in cost, NEC Electronics' silicon-based BiCMOS process offers all of the advantages of high-voltage/high-performance bipolar and low-power CMOS, giving analog and mixed-signal circuit designers a cost-effective balance between output current and power consumption.
Structural advantages for performance enhancement
With a low-collector resistance structure, UX6B technology offers best-in-class silicon-based bipolar junction transistor (BJT) performance. One structural advantage of UX6B technology is the utilization of silicide on the transistor base. The silicided ring-shaped base leads to very low base resistance (Rb), and hence very low noise. Another structural advantage of NEC Electronics' BiCMOS transistors is a deeper collector sink design. The deeper sink (shown in figure 1) shortens the distance from the bottom of the collector sink to the emitter of the transistor. The shorter distance results in lower resistance and greater performance.
With BiCMOS technology, analog circuit designers can take advantage of much improved relative accuracy compared to standard CMOS technology. Base-emitter-voltage (Vbe) matching is an order of magnitude smaller than the threshold-voltage (VT) matching of CMOS transistors.
Additionally, with NEC Electronics' BiCMOS process, bipolar element characteristics can be controlled without affecting the CMOS characteristics.
IEEE members can read more about the structural advances NEC Electronics introduced in the BiCMOS 0.15µm generation by downloading this technical paper – "A 0.15-µm/73-GHz fmax RF BiCMOS technology using cobalt silicide ring extrinsic-base structure" – from the VLSI Technology Digest.
History of versatility and manufacturability
NEC Electronics offers a wide range of silicon technology platforms, along with a successful record of combining multiple technologies on one chip. As the first to incorporate a BJT onto a 90 nm CMOS platform, NEC Electronics continues to expand its process lineup with the latest UX6B BiCMOS technology. Preceding 90 nm UX6B, NEC Electronics' BiCMOS roadmap includes 0.18µm (UB3), 0.25µm (UB2), and 0.35µm (QB2) process nodes.
Notes: 1: 0.24x1 2: 0.24x8 |
To further extend the versatility of NEC Electronics' technologies, the UX6B BiCMOS process is offered at three performance levels - from high voltage to low power - allowing you to balance speed with power.
