STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies with net revenues of US$10.0 billion in 2007. ST’s process technology portfolio includes advanced CMOS logic (including embedded memory variants), mixed-signal, analog, and power processes.

In advanced CMOS, ST is to partner with the IBM consortium for the development of next-generation process technologies, including 32 nm and 22 nm CMOS process development, design enablement and advanced research adapted to the manufacturing of 300 mm silicon wafers. ST and IBM will also cooperate at ST’s Crolles 300 mm facility in the development of value-added CMOS derivative SoC technologies.

ST has a worldwide network of front-end (wafer fabrication) and back-end (assembly, packaging and test) plants. The company is moving towards a less capital-intensive manufacturing strategy and has recently announced plans to phase out some of its older facilities. ST’s principal wafer fabs are presently located in Agrate Brianza and Catania (Italy), Crolles, Rousset and Tours (France), Phoenix and Carrollton (USA) and Singapore. The wafer fabs are complemented by highly efficient assembly and test facilities located in China, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco and Singapore.

In 2003, Mentor Graphics formed a technology alliance with STMicroelectronics to address the needs of analog/mixed-signal (AMS) and radio frequency (RF) designers. The two companies created a common R&D team with the goal of maximizing AMS and RF design productivity for the companies' mutual customers and internal ST design teams. Central to this alliance is the adoption of the ADVance MSTM tool suite, which enables a top-down design methodology based on VHDL-AMS to significantly increase speed and detail in mixed-signal simulations.