New Design Kits from Coventor Enable Reduced Prototyping, Faster Time-to-Market for Users of Dalsa's CMOS-MEMS-Process
CARY, NC (November 6, 2007) - Coventor, Inc., the 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 (300 V) 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.
"The design kits we are now offering with Coventor gives customers a way to develop and produce highly integrated systems using their existing, powerful design tools," said Claude Jean, VP & General Manager, DALSA Semiconductor. "The design kits also provide users with complete access to the capabilities of our HV CMOS MEMS-process, which is unique in the world. In addition to offering leading-edge and legacy CMOS technologies, our patented low-temperature, low-stress version of silicon enables MEMS devices to be built on top of any CMOS or high-voltage CMOS wafer without damaging it. Moreover, our proven high-voltage CMOS process allows powerful electrostatic actuation for microactuators, micropumps, and dielectrophoretic biochips."
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 3.3 V to 300 V).
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.
For more information about Coventor's software suite, or to arrange a demonstration, please contact your local Coventor representative or visit Coventor at coventor.com; e-mail foundryprogram@coventor.com or marketing@coventor.com; or phone 1-919-854-7500; or send mail to CentreGreen Two, Suite 190; 4000 CentreGreen Way, Cary, NC 27513.
About Coventor, Inc.
Coventor, Inc., headquartered in Cary, NC provides a comprehensive suite of software tools for the development of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), microfluidics systems and semiconductor processes. CoventorWare is the industry-standard platform adopted by leading MEMS and microfluidics manufacturers around the globe, and by an extensive network of university partners. Coventor is a privately held company with offices in Cambridge, MA and San Mateo, CA. European headquarters is in Paris, France. Coventor also serves Asia Pacific through regional distributors. More information is available at www.coventor.com.
About DALSA Corporation
DALSA is an international leader in high performance digital imaging and semiconductors with approximately 1000 employees world-wide. Established in 1980, the company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets digital imaging products and solutions, in addition to providing semiconductor products and services. DALSA's core competencies are in specialized integrated circuit and electronics technology, software, and highly engineered semiconductor wafer processing. Products and services include image sensor components (CCD and CMOS); electronic digital cameras; vision processors; image processing software; and semiconductor wafer foundry services for use in MEMS, high-voltage semiconductors, image sensors and mixed-signal CMOS chips. DALSA is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "DSA" and has its corporate offices in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
For more information, contact:
Josephus van Kuijk, Ph.D.
VP Marketing & Business Development
Coventor, Inc.
919-854-7500 x115
marketing@coventor.com
