SK keyfoundry has launched its Multi-Level Thick IMD (Inter-Metal Dielectric) process, which features high breakdown voltage characteristics, for capacitors.

High breakdown voltage characteristics of digital insulators enhance the safety and reliability of semiconductor devices, and also improve their lifespan and noise immunity. SK keyfoundry’s new Multi-Level Thick IMD process enables the stacking of up to three inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layers, each with a maximum thickness of 6µm, creating a total thickness of up to 18µm in a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure. This provides high breakdown voltage characteristics of up to 19kV along with high capacitance performance. The process is expected to be used in the manufacturing of capacitors for digital isolation and for suppressing capacitive coupling in electronic circuits.

Capacitors manufactured with this process have successfully passed major customers’ TDDB (Time Dependent Dielectric Breakdown) evaluations and have met the AEC-Q100 international automotive semiconductor quality standard for high-reliability operation in harsh environments. In particular, the process can be integrated into 0.13µm and 0.18µm BCD process technologies, making it highly applicable to the automotive semiconductor field. In addition, design support tools, including PDK (Process Design Kit), DRC, LPE, LVS, and Pcell, are provided to help customers accelerate product development.

SK keyfoundry highlighted that this digital isolation technology will offer a competitive advantage in performance, reliability, integration, and cost-efficiency for electronic devices that require high noise immunity in the fields of EVs, industry, telecommunications, and healthcare, compared to devices based on conventional optical isolators.

By: DocMemory
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