TowerJazz rolls out full library of patented Y-Flash non-volatile memory blocks

PALM SPRINGS, USA: TowerJazz, the global specialty foundry leader, announced its full library of Y-Flash Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) building blocks at the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC), Booth #413, in Palm Springs, Calif., Feb. 22-24, 2010.

This patented Y-Flash technology, not available from any other foundry in the industry, is designed to give customers flexibility on memory size, allowing optimization of performance/cost for any given application.

TowerJazz invented its Y-Flash building blocks to meet the ever expanding customer needs for NVM in today’s power supplies for consumer, medical, industrial and automotive applications. VDC Research forecasts worldwide shipment of power management ICs to grow more than 10% annually through 2012.

Y-Flash is the leading solution for NVM in the market today due to its small cell size, zero mask adder and flexibility to implement various memory sizes. Current competing NVM solutions for medium density memories add 11 or more masks to the process flow, over the standard ~20 masks, making it impossible to have a one-chip solution for digital power management.

Y-Flash can support a variety of memory densities from a few bits for trimming and chip ID applications up to 256Kb and more for code storage. NVM blocks that utilize this proprietary technology include array sizes that are up to five times smaller than other competitive solutions and can be built using only one gate oxide allowing for ultra low cost designs. Y-Flash is well-suited for applications such as digital controlled power, portable products and products requiring very tight and well matched IOs.

TowerJazz’s Y-Flash module was recently integrated into Exar Corporation’s latest digital power management design, and Richard Randlett, Division Vice President, Advanced Analog Design, commented, “TowerJazz has long experience and expertise in NVM technology and is well known in the industry and highly appreciated by Exar. We will definitely gain a great deal by using this technology in our new line of digital power products.”

“Our new Y-Flash memory blocks are an industry leading solution for NVM technology and further validate our business strategy and commitment to providing the most complete power management platform in the industry,” said Dr. Avi Strum, Vice President and General Manager, Specialty Business Unit at TowerJazz. “We developed this proprietary technology to further enhance our power management offerings, allowing for faster design cycles and lower cost designs for the emerging digital power applications.”

The Y-Flash IP is available in the TS35PM/TS18PM design kits. This IP combined with TowerJazz’s continuously customizable LDMOS from 20V to 80V process provides design flexibility and optimization demanded by today’s power management ICs.