cost and reliability gains in automotive electronics - sofics 2014
DESCRIPTION
Several experts predict a bright future for IC makers in the automotive semiconductor market. They expect that the yearly growth in the automotive electronics applications will be about 40% higher than the growth of the total semiconductor market. It is expected to reach $40B in 2017, about 10th of the total semiconductor market. An increase in the number of cars combined with an increasing semiconductor value per car are the main drivers. But developing and selling automotive electronics is not an easy ‘ride’. There are plenty of strict safety regulations, zero defect requirements and extended functional ranges as compared to consumer electronics. Clearly there is a need for IC design solutions that can help to reduce cost, ensure high reliability while enabling novel features. Therefore, Sofics’ PowerQubic ESD technology is perfect match. It can enable new interface designs, protect against the most severe stress tests and can typically reduce the ESD related area drastically.TRANSCRIPT
KOEN VERHAEGE
TOKYO, MAY 16, 2014
COST & RELIABILITY GAINS IN AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS
Sofics – Solutions for ICs
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• Develop, customize, and license solutions for ICs
– Track record in on-chip electrical overstress protection
More than 75 patents
More than 50 licensees
More than 1 IC release per day including Sofics solution
• Serving customers worldwide
PowerQubic
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• On-chip EOS/ESD protection for automotive and high voltage applications
– Worldwide track record
Three reasons why companies rely on Sofics PowerQubic
1. Reduce cost of development/silicon/manufacturing 2. Meet hard/harsh specifications 3. Enable IC performance with (standard) EOS/ESD reliability
The automotive market
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• Trend: more electronics in harsh EMI/EOS automotive environments
– Electrification of systems
– New regulations
– New applications
• Trend: more semiconductors in light cars
– $300 [2013]
– $400 [2017]
• TAM:
– $30B i.e. 10% semi market
• Reliability challenges:
– Zero defect requirements
– Very long system lifetime
Automotive electronics: not an “easy ride”
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• Operation conditions different than consumer and industrial
• System (reliability) requirements are equally more stringent
– DC: 12V, 24V, 40V…
– Transient currents: several Amperes
Consumer Industrial Automotive
Temperature 0 to 40⁰C -10 to 70⁰C -40 to 160⁰C
Operation time 2 to 5 years 5 to 10 years up to 15 years
Humidity low environment 0% to 100%
Field failure rate <10% <<1% 0 failure
Supply ~ 1 year ~ 2 to 5 years up to 30 years
Automotive electronics: not an “easy ride”
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• Zero defect requirements
– Severe reliability tests and qualification
– Cost of errors over product(ion) life time
Early-built-in reliability
• Trend:
– OEM push reliability specifications on the IC
Adds complexity and cost to the IC
Source: Freescale, David Lopez
Source: Audi, Christian Lippert
Automotive electronics: not an “easy ride”
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• Severe reliability requirements passed on component and system level
– Above standard HBM, MM requirements
– Transient latch-up immune
-27V..+40V
– ESD under powered conditions
0V..+18V
– IEC 61000-4-2 system ESD
– ISO 7637-2 load dump pulse
– EMC IEC 62132 DPI
• Requirements strongly depend on application
– Automotive, industrial applications: IEC 61000-4-2, ISO 7637, IEC 62132 …
– Battery, power management: IEC 61000-4-2
Source: STMicroelectronics, Philippe Merceron
Automotive IC reliability design challenges
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• EOS: Block DC current at high voltages
• ESD: Dissipate transient current, above (high) supply voltage
• EMC: Avoid false triggering
• Cost opportunity:
– Reduce development time
– Minimize on-chip protection area
– Avoid dedicated process steps
Sofics solution: PowerQubic clamps
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• Tunable trigger voltage Vt1
– Customized DC and transient response
• Tunable holding voltage Vhold
– To adapt to application/requirements
• Tunable performance It2, Ron
– High current
– Low on-resistance
• …and:
– Bi-directional, standard process compatible, compact silicon area…
I
V
It2
Vh VDD Vt1
Ron
Sofics solution: PowerQubic clamp – example
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• Automotive LIN interface protection clamp
– High ESD performance
16A TLP current (@ 48V)
24kV HBM
6kV IEC 61000-4-2 direct injection
– EOS tolerant
Load dump pulse ISO 7637-2
Tolerant above 40V
– Transient Latch-up immune
High holding voltage
At high temperature
For fast events
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
0 10 20 30 40 50
I [A]
V [V]
PowerQubic adapts to applications, processes
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• Flexible solution set for different voltages, applications
– Different concepts, applied in portfolio of novel device types
Hebistor, quadristor, SMOS, RCS, MCA, MCE, …
– Tunable for triggering, holding and protection performance
By layout variation
By schematic adaptation
– Standard process compatible: no process changes
Several concepts are even compatible with standard CMOS process flow
No additional masks, and no special implants required
• Multiple projects, customers, product implementations
– Silicon proven in BCD, HV CMOS and advanced CMOS
– >35 voltage domains protected (5V – 60V)
– >15 man years of research & development
3 main reasons why automotive IC designers rely on Sofics solutions
Reduce IC cost lower development, design, silicon and manufacturing costs
Pass any ESD/EOS/LU specification flexible technology adapts to your requirements
Enhance IC performance lowest leakage, capacitance ...
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PowerQubic, TakeCharge, Sofics are trademarks of Sofics bvba
Contact us
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• Sofics contact Koen Verhaege [email protected]
Pieter Donck [email protected]
Bart Keppens [email protected]
SOFICS bvba – RPR 0472.687.037
Groendreef 31, 9880 Aalter, Belgium
(tel) +32-9-21-68-333, (fax) +32-9-3-746-846
www.sofics.com