WASHINGTON, D.C. -- During the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) here today, Conexant Systems Inc. disclosed what the company claims is the world's fastest silicon germanium (SiGe) process for the development of chips at speeds of 80-gigabits-per-second.
Conexant's new SiGe200 process technology is said to support transit frequencies (Ft) equal to 200-GHz and power maximum frequencies (Fmax) of 180-GHz.
Reaching this performance milestone, the company's SiGe process will enable the development of chips at speeds of 80-gigabits-per-second and ultra-low-power devices at 10-gigabits-per-second. Wireless communications devices will also benefit from the low noise, low power and improved linearity of this new process.
"Increasing optical communications data rates are driving the need for higher performance process technology," said Dwight W. Decker, Conexant chairman and chief executive. "Our ultra-high speed, SiGe200 process technology provides a clear path to the manufacturing technology required to deliver high-performance, cost competitive wireless and infrastructure components that will continue to drive communications advances."
Conexant's SiGe200 technology evolved from the company's 0.18-micron, BiCMOS manufacturing process. Dubbed SiGe120, the process incorporates a proprietary bipolar transistor design that can be scaled down in size in order to boost overall performance levels in chip products.
Conexant is expected to offer the new SiGe process in early-2003, according to officials from the Newport Beach-based company.
