iSTART-TEK (iSTART, TW-6786), a leading developer in memory testing and repairing technology, cooperates with Yield Microelectronics Corporation (YMC, TW-6423). In START™ v2, the latest integrated circuit development environment for memory testing and repairing of iSTART, control circuit is automatically generated to support Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) of YMC, including MTP and OTP, which helps customer simplify design process of SoC memory repairing. In addition, NVM testing and repairing platform of iSTART supports NVM of YMC, which allows that customers of YMC can directly obtain NVM testing and repairing built-in solution, which not only shortens design time of NVM’s IP testing and repairing circuit design but also reduces testing costs.
In High-Performance Computing (HPC) SoC, the percentage of memory usage has increased significantly due to increasing computing capability needs. To ensure the yield rate of SoCs in advanced manufacturing processes, memory testing and repairing design has become an inevitable trend. Using memory repairing function of START™ v2, clients can automatically generate MTP / OTP interface control circuit of YMC that integrates with memory repairing circuit, which simplifies the design of memory testing and repairing for mutual clients. It dramatically improves the degree of automation of memory repairing, further shortens the design time of memory repair circuit.
In other words, clients can easily use START™ v2 and MTP/OTP of YMC to design memory repair circuit, which improves the efficiency of developing memory repair circuit, and remarkably shortens the developing time of SoC, reflecting the core value of iSTART,<Innovation>, <Efficiency>, and <Service>. START™ v2 has always been aiming at simpler settings and a more automated design process. According to customers’ feedbacks, with START™ v2, the design time shorten about 5 times, compared with the original tool, which meets the rapid paces of SoC time-to-market.
Michael Chang, the business development VP in iSTART, indicates that we have found a noticeable growth in the demand of memory repairing, which is influenced by the growing price of chips and the transfer of production capacities to advanced manufacturing processes, which leads to an anticipated rapid rise of chips’ price in the 4th quarter. As the price of chips rises, the yield improvement effect brought by memory repairing become more obvious, driving the demand of new customers. All in all, it is glad to cooperate with YMC to strengthen the function of START™ v2 and help joint customers to improve the developing efficiency of memory testing and repairing circuits.
Terry Yang, the vice general manager of business development, represented “YMC believes that more NVM products will be launched that meet the demand of market via cooperation with iSTART. The company expands the breadth and depth of the embedded NVM market while providing better design and more immediate technical services. We expect that the partnership with iSTART create a new generation of embedded NVM together.”
YMC, a leading provider of IP, specializes in the development of embedded NVM that is compatible with logic process and can be read and written repeatedly. The innovative IP products of YMC have been recognized by professional IC design companies and provide the key solution of integration of NVM and digital-analogy on a single chip.
In addition, YMC cooperates closely with leading wafer foundries worldwide, developing completed and advanced technologies, products, and solutions that passed verification on a wide range of manufacturing process platforms successfully, to fully meet the needs of existing and potential customers. Also, YMC provides competitive memory specifications and areas and the technology of compatible logic manufacturing process, making it flexible to be applied on various technology platforms including LG (logic), HV (high-voltage), mixed-mode, and BCD(bipolar-CMOS-DMOS), which greatly enhances the flexibility of the customers’ manufacturing processes.