0.30µm process targets ultra-low noise sensing apps
Article By : Ams AG
The A30 process features include isolated 3.3V devices, isolated 3.3V low Vt devices and vertical bipolar transistors.
Ams AG has introduced A30, a high performance analog low noise CMOS process. According to the company, the A30 process provides superior noise performance and is realised as an optical shrink by a factor of 0.9 from Ams’ advanced 0.35µm high-voltage CMOS process family.
The A30 process features isolated 3.3V devices (NMOSI and PMOSI), isolated 3.3V low Vt devices (NMOSIL and PMOSIL), an isolated high voltage device with thin gate oxide (NMOSI20T), vertical bipolar transistors (VERTN1 and VERTPH) as well as an isolated 3.3V super-low noise transistor (NMOSISLN), which offers flicker noise on the level of 0.46pA/sqrtHz (@1kHz, Ids=1µA @Vds=3V, 10×1.2µm²). It enables flicker noise reduction by at least a factor of 4 to 10 for high drain currents compared to H35 process. Passive devices such as various capacitors (poly, sandwich and MOS varactor) and resistors (diffusion, well based, poly, high resistive poly and precision) complete the device offering.
The A30 process is ideally suited for ultra-low noise sensing applications and analog read-out ICs which require noise optimised input stages or high signal-to-noise ratios. It allows the development of innovative solutions for consumer electronics, automotive, medical and IoT devices. The A30 process is fully qualified and manufactured in Ams’ 200mm fabrication. All 0.30µm elements are drawn and verified as 0.35µm devices. The optical shrink (factor of 0.9) is done in the mask shop on the completed GDSII data and results in smaller die sizes respectively more dies per wafer.
The A30 process is supported by the well-known hitkit, Ams’ industry benchmark process design kit. Based on Virtuoso Custom IC technology 6.1.6 from Cadence, the new hitkit helps design teams to significantly reduce time-to-market for highly competitive products in the analog-intensive mixed-signal arena. Offering highly accurate simulation models, extraction and verification run sets for both Calibre and Assura and flexible SKILL-based PCells, the new hitkit provides a comprehensive design environment and a proven route to silicon.
