MagnaChip and Peregrine announce volume ramp of STeP5 UltraCMOS RF switch products

SAN DIEGO, USA & SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: MagnaChip Semiconductor Corp., a Korea-based designer and manufacturer of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products, and Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation, a fabless provider of high-performance radio-frequency (RF) ICs, announced that MagnaChip has ramped to mass production of Peregrine's RF switch products utilizing the latest generation "STeP5" UltraCMOS SOS (Silicon-On-Sapphire) technology.

UltraCMOS technology utilizes a sapphire substrate, enabling high levels of monolithic integration which results in smaller die, higher yields and fewer external components when compared to compound semiconductor processes such as GaAS.

Peregrine and MagnaChip have been engaged in the transfer of the patented UltraCMOS technology since mid-2007 and have implemented Peregrine's STeP3 and STeP4 process generations at MagnaChip's 0.35µm manufacturing facility located in Cheongju, South Korea. MagnaChip has now successfully completed the final qualification phase in the transfer of STeP5 process generation and has ramped to high-volume production.

TJ Lee, senior VP and GM of MagnaChip's corporate and SMS engineering commented: "We are very pleased to announce MagnaChip's production ramp of Peregrine's latest STeP5 UltraCMOS RF switch products. The continued introduction of these robust and unique RFIC solutions are a direct result of the combined expertise – MagnaChip's manufacturing services and Peregrine's technology and design engineering -- and of the long-term strategic roadmap we have outlined."