Belgian research lab IMEC and TSMC have formed an alliance to offer CMOS enhancements including MEMS, photonics and high voltage bipolar transistors.
The deal also covers through-silicon vias, capping structures for MEMS, and multi-layer thin-film chip coatings.
"Optical, thermal, chemical, acoustical, bio-sensing, display, memory and wireless communication functions have become a vital part of our multifunctional electronic products," said IMEC. "Moreover, miniaturisation of all these functions into compact form-factors is essential to meet the consumer electronics demands for low-cost and energy-efficient solutions."
IMEC has what it calls its CMOR tool box which includes developed device technologies, packaging, design software and device models, as well as test data and reliability data.
TSMC will now offer the contents of the tool box to its customers, and together IMEC and TSMC will select CMOR technologies and techniques to meet individual customer requirements, and migrate them to TSMC foundries.
"The IMEC-TSMC alliance provides a platform for turning innovative concepts into packaged microsystem products with enhanced functionality," said IMEC. "Customers get access to emerging technologies, validate concepts at product level, and rapidly transfer to volume manufacturing."