Magnachip Announces New 0.18um Low Power Manufacturing Process Targeting Internet of Things

SEOUL, South Korea and CUPERTINO, Calif., Nov. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — MagnaChip Semiconductor Corporation (“MagnaChip Semiconductor”) (NYSE: MX), a Korea-based designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products, today announced that it now offers a new 0.18 micron premium mixed signal, low power manufacturing process technology suited for applications such as mobile, wearables, wireless sensors and energy harvesting. These are key applications critical for the growth of IoT (Internet of Things). Gartner estimates that the IoT market for processing, communications and sensing will have a compound annual growth rate of approximately 29.2% from 2013 to 2020. This new premium 0.18um low power process features transistors fully optimized for IoT applications.

This new mixed signal process incorporates advantages such as 1.8V n and p-channel MOSFETs with low leakage current (~10 pA per micron of width) and low threshold voltage (Vth of only ~|0.3V|), which enable system on a chip designs to perform with very low active and low stand-by power consumption. MagnaChip’s 0.18 micron low power process also enables DC-DC boost converters to be optimized for IoT applications, with very low start-up voltage.

This new process will also enable efficient operation of IoT devices from power sources such as solar cells, thermoelectric generators, vibration energy harvesters and electromagnetic harvesters. Another unique advantage of this process is the excellent device isolation and low current gain of parasitic bipolar transistors (less than 0.01), giving it better latch-up immunity and less leakage current over temperature and voltage. This is achieved through the use of conventional, lower cost silicon wafers instead of the more expensive silicon on insulator wafers.

The new 0.18 micron low power process will also support premium features available on MagnaChip’s standard logic processes including low noise transistors for analog blocks, high k metal-insulator-metal capacitor, copper wire bonding compatibility, low cost aluminum top metallization as well as redistribution layer (RDL) process options.

“We are very pleased to offer our new 0.18 micron mixed-signal process solution incorporating features that support low power IoT applications while also minimizing customer costs,” said Namkyu Park, Executive Vice President of MagnaChip’s Semiconductor Manufacturing Services Division. “We are constantly working on leading-edge solutions to meet the ever increasing technology requirements of our customers and plan to continue to enable our partners with more options to cover their specific needs.”

About MagnaChip Semiconductor
Headquartered in South Korea, MagnaChip Semiconductor is a Korea-based designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products for high volume consumer applications. MagnaChip Semiconductor believes it has one of the broadest and deepest ranges of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor platforms in the industry, supported by its 30-year operating history, a large portfolio of registered and pending patents, and extensive engineering and manufacturing process expertise. For more information, please visit www.magnachip.com.

CONTACTS:

In the United States:
Robert Pursel
Director of Investor Relations
Tel. +1-408-625-1262
robert.pursel@magnachip.com

In Korea:
Chankeun Park
Senior Manager, Public Relations
Tel. +82-2-6903-3195
chankeun.park@magnachip.com