Epson offers new foundry service

Seiko Epson Corp. has started offering its silicon foundry customers a high-voltage, low-leakage-current process used in fabricating such products as liquid crystal drivers. Epson expects the service to be used for fabricating liquid crystal drivers, power supplies, and other ICs that require high-voltage driving.

This CMOS logic process, originally developed for Epson's wristwatches and other mobile devices, is favored by customers needing low-voltage, low-power products. The foundry is currently able to volume-produce devices that feature geometries as small as 0.18&181;m. This process readily accommodates ICs for CMOS logic process Ds and other display devices that demand high voltage, and can help customers boost the competitiveness of their end products.

Epson is currently developing a competitive 0.25&181;m process that the company will offer to customers needing smaller geometries in the future.