Coventor develops DALSA CMOS-MEMS-process design kits

Coventor, Inc., a leader in design automation for micro- and nano-scale devices and systems, and DALSA Corporation, an international leader in high-performance digital imaging and semiconductors, have announced the availability of design kits enabling users to design and manufacture devices based on DALSA’s high-voltage CMOS-MEMS technology. The new design kits reduce development times and prototyping cycles, to decrease the time-to-market.

The design kits now allow users to access DALSA’s new fabrication services supporting the integration of MEMS and microelectronics, including high voltage access (300V) on a single, tiny chip. These integrated devices are more versatile and consume less power than traditional systems, create new opportunities to increase the safety of automobiles, improve patient health monitoring and enhance entertainment and other consumer electronic devices. The design kits, sometimes called process access kits, provide the large installed base of users of Coventor’s industry-standard design tools with DALSA-processes- and material specific template files, reference design flows, CAD libraries and other electrical and physical parameters needed to fully characterize, optimize and work with the DALSA processes.

DALSA’s MEMS post-processing process is applied to conventional 0.8 micron High Voltage CMOS/DMOS wafers to create structural materials from different interconnect layer combinations, using a single mask, two-step etching process. This will result in fine lines and gaps released microstructures, which can sense or be actuated using the wide voltage range provided by the high voltage CMOS process (from 3.3V to 300V).

MEMS design kits are based on CoventorWare or MEMS design and simulation as well as on MEMulator for 3D process modeling. Coventor works closely with leading MEMS foundries such as DALSA and with packaging providers to build and deliver comprehensive process access kits and reference design flows targeting mainstream and advanced process and packaging technologies. Coventor collaborates with its foundry partners to ensure that MEMS engineers using Coventor's design and simulation platforms enjoy reduced design and manufacturing complexity and faster time-to-market.

Coventor, Inc.