A&D

SkyWater Receives Funding from DOD, Partners with Google to Facilitate Open Source Design for its new 90 nm Technology Offering

By Rocket55 |

Open source program enables a pipeline for IP creation, accelerates innovation and provides a pathway to volume production

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – July 28, 2022 – SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT), the trusted technology realization partner, today announced it is receiving $15 million in funding from the Department of Defense (DOD) to facilitate open source design for its 90 nm process offering, part of the previously announced $27 million investment. To enable this initiative, SkyWater has partnered with Google, through Google Public Sector and company-wide engineering teams, to build on its commitment to open source silicon. SkyWater previously announced a partnership with Google to enable open source design of custom application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) on its 130 nm mixed-signal CMOS process through the open source SKY130 PDK.

SkyWater’s new commercial SKY90-FD open source offering is based on MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s 90 nm fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) CMOS process technology. Through this latest government funded program at SkyWater, innovation that is enabled by open source design is focused on commercial use of this technology.

According to Dr. Matthew Kay, DOD program manager for this project, “Investments in commercial endeavors such as the partnership between SkyWater and Google is another example of how the Department of Defense can leverage technology advancements within the open source community to effectively and efficiently improve our defensive posture for the future.”

The DOD is using many OSS (Open Source Software) programs which play a growing role in mission-critical systems and defense applications that must perform repeatedly and reliably. Open source accelerates innovation through cumulative efforts and fosters trust due to its transparency, which enables identification of design flaws and malicious code, something that is not always possible with proprietary software. This use of open source has greatly improved technology and furthered the state of the art in the defense of the United States.

Google has a long-standing history of supporting open source silicon as both a founding member of the RISC-V Foundation and the Linux Foundation’s CHIPS Alliance project, along with an active role in the Open Compute Foundation. The open source model taps into a talent pool of software engineers to design chips in code and run design simulations that test, optimize, and validate specific chip designs. As a result, chip designers are able to iterate and innovate faster, and they have more frequent tape-outs than previously realized through more traditional models. Google became involved in open silicon with the goal of driving down cost over time and reducing barriers to entry for hardware startups and small businesses.

“Through this important investment from the DOD and collaboration with Google, we will enable open source design for our commercial SKY90-FD process technology, creating an IP pipeline and pathway to commercial volume manufacturing,” said SkyWater President and CEO Thomas Sonderman. “This will expand our 90 nm foundry offering as a platform for innovation and productization here in the U.S.”

“Our public-private partnership with the DOD and SkyWater enables a new era in accessible, collaborative chip design that will be driven by an open source ecosystem,” said Will Grannis, CEO of Google Public Sector. “Our collaboration will help address the historical limitations of chip design and production for national defense by improving accessibility for researchers and developers to innovate faster and at lower costs. Google provides the compute, engineering know-how and platform that accelerates chip design; SkyWater provides the next-gen chip design system and fabrication in a secure commercial environment; and the DOD investment makes this all scalable and accessible.”

For technical information on the SkyWater-Google open source initiative, please visit: Google Open Source Blog (googleblog.com).

About SkyWater Technology
SkyWater (NASDAQ: SKYT) is a U.S.-owned semiconductor manufacturer and a DMEA-accredited Trusted supplier. SkyWater’s Technology as a ServiceSM model streamlines the path to production for customers with development services, volume production and heterogeneous integration solutions in its world-class U.S. facilities. This pioneering model enables innovators to co-create the next wave of technology with diverse categories including mixed-signal CMOS, ROICs, rad-hard ICs, power management, MEMS, superconducting ICs, photonics, carbon nanotubes and interposers. SkyWater serves growing markets including aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial and IoT.  For more information, visit: www.skywatertechnology.com.

SkyWater Technology Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events, rather than past events and outcomes, and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Key factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to be different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and in other documents that the Company files with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

SkyWater Company Contact: Tara Luther | 952.851.5023 | tara.luther@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

SkyWater Announces Availability of SRAM Memory Compiler for 90 nm Strategic Rad Hard by Process Offering

By Rocket55 |

Mobile Semiconductor provides IP for SkyWater’s customers developing strategic space, defense and high reliability programs

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. and SEATTLE, Wash. – June 9, 2022 – SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT), the trusted technology realization partner, today announced a new component of its RH90 IP ecosystem to enable 90 nm strategic rad-hard by process solutions for microelectronic devices used in harsh environments. Mobile Semiconductor will provide two static random-access memory (SRAM) compilers for SkyWater customers developing products on its maturing RH90 platform.

This is the latest step in SkyWater’s RH90 technology roadmap. The company has leveraged the $170 million investment by the Department of Defense (DOD) to broaden onshore production capabilities for strategic rad-hard electronics. Through the DOD’s support, SkyWater also provides complementary technologies for commercial applications in extreme environments such as space and medical imaging.

Mobile Semiconductor’s 90 nm strategic rad-hard single port SRAM and dual port SRAM memory compilers are built on a soft error resistant fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) technology. Strategic rad-hard performance is achieved using dual interlocked storage cell elements (DICE). These compilers incorporate additional innovative rad-hard by design (RHBD) techniques including triple mode redundancy (TMR), DICE latches, and critical charge analysis to reduce single event transients (SET) and single event upset (SEU), as well as bit separation to reduce multi-bit upset (MBU). Optional multi-bit error detection and single-bit error correction is available to reduce soft error rates even further.

SkyWater’s RH90 platform is based on MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s 90 nm FDSOI CMOS process technology with enhancements including dual gate transistors and copper dual damascene interconnect. Early access multi-project wafer (MPW) and dedicated product development engagements are available for customers to develop next generation products.

According to Brad Ferguson, SkyWater’s SVP/GM of aerospace and defense business and chief government affairs officer, “We continue making strides toward maturing and qualifying our Trusted, onshore RH90 foundry technology to support high reliability strategic defense programs. SRAM is a foundational building block for this platform, and our partnership with Mobile Semiconductor has enabled us to offer an SRAM compiler developed specifically to meet our RH90 customers’ performance requirements.”

Mobile Semiconductor’s CEO, Cameron Fisher said, “Mobile Semiconductor has been providing radiation hardened memory compilers to the aerospace industry for over 14 years. We are excited to be working with SkyWater as they set a new standard for hardened microelectronics. I am confident that the performance of these two new rad-hard memory compilers will be of great value to SkyWater’s RH90 customers.”

For more information on SkyWater’s RH90 and Mobile Semiconductor’s SRAM compilers, please visit: Rad-Hard EAP – Skywater Technology.

About Mobile Semiconductor
Mobile Semiconductor, located in Seattle, Washington, is 100 percent U.S.-based and ITAR compliant. The company offers SRAM, ROM and Register File memory compilers optimized for applications requiring small area, ultra-low power, low leakage and/or ultra-high performance. Several of these compilers are RHBD (Rad Hard by Design) and are currently in use in space applications. Mobile Semiconductor’s customers differentiate their products by using these application-optimized memories to meet their high performance and ultra-low power product requirements. For more information, visit: www.mobile-semi.com/.

About SkyWater Technology
SkyWater (NASDAQ: SKYT) is a U.S.-owned semiconductor manufacturer and a DMEA-accredited Category 1A Trusted Foundry. SkyWater’s Technology as a ServiceSM model streamlines the path to production for customers with development services, volume production and heterogeneous integration solutions in its world-class U.S. facilities. This pioneering model enables innovators to co-create the next wave of technology with diverse categories including mixed-signal CMOS, ROICs, rad-hard ICs, power discretes, MEMS, superconducting ICs, photonics, carbon nanotubes and interposers. SkyWater serves growing markets including aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial and IoT. For more information, visit: www.skywatertechnology.com.

SkyWater Technology Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events, rather than past events and outcomes, and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Key factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to be different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and in other documents that the Company files with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Mobile Semiconductor Company Contact: Mike Phipps | michael.phipps@mobile-semi.com
SkyWater Company Contact: Tara Luther | 952.851.5023 | tara.luther@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

ReRAM NVM – Coming Soon for your Embedded Design

By Rocket55 |

SkyWater and Weebit Nano have been working together for several months following the announcement of our agreement through which SkyWater will take Weebit’s ReRAM Non-Volatile Memory, or NVM technology, to volume production.

We sat down with Ross Miller, VP strategic marketing & business unit at SkyWater, and Eran Briman, Weebit Nano’s VP of marketing and business development, to understand more about the partnership and hear about what’s next.

Can you give us a quick overview of Weebit Nano and what the company provides?

Eran: Weebit Nano is a developer of Resistive RAM, or ReRAM — a new type of NVM. Up until now, the standard for this type of memory has been flash technology, but with the emergence of new applications, skyrocketing data movement and storage needs, and tightening cost and power constraints, the industry is looking for a new type of NVM.

Weebit was founded to provide NVM that is higher performance and lower power than flash and has a long list of other advantages. A key consideration from the outset of the company was ensuring the technology would be commercially accessible, so our ReRAM is based on the most common materials and equipment used in fabs today. This makes it low cost and easy to integrate into existing flows and processes.

What are Weebit and SkyWater doing together?

Ross: SkyWater helps our customers bring new ideas to market with differentiated technologies, materials and processes. To this end, we partner with companies like Weebit that have bold ideas, solid technology, and the ability to have a big impact on our customers’ designs. Weebit ReRAM is an innovative emerging technology that is at the forefront of NVM. Now it is reaching maturity and approaching volume production.

SkyWater will initially offer Weebit ReRAM to customers as embedded NVM IP on our 130nm CMOS process. The technology can also be scaled in the future to a number of other platforms such as our 90nm and carbon nanotube CMOS technologies. The Weebit team has a great deal of commercialization experience, making the process quite straightforward as we move toward production.

Can you tell me a little bit about the applications where you see Weebit’s ReRAM being a good fit initially?

Eran: Since nearly every electronic product requires NVM, and ReRAM enables semiconductor memory elements to be much faster, lower cost, more reliable and more energy efficient than those using flash, target applications are extremely broad and diverse. Some initial applications where we see ReRAM being adopted are industrial, automotive and aerospace & defense.

Ross: SkyWater’s 130nm process, where we’re first rolling out the Weebit technology, is a sweet spot for a broad range of mixed-signal designs like analog, power management, sensors as well as rad-hard designs. Because ReRAM has such low power consumption and integration flexibility, we see a lot of interest in the near-term in IoT and general mixed-signal / ASIC designs.

Can you explain why ReRAM is a good fit for some of the vertical market segments? Let’s start with aerospace and defense.

Ross: Aerospace and defense applications are among the most demanding, requiring extremely high levels of precision and accuracy. ICs for aerospace and defense also have unique requirements for robustness and reliability in harsh environmental conditions. Since these products must often last for years – mostly without maintenance – longevity is another key trait.

Eran: Weebit ReRAM provides excellent endurance and retention even at high temperatures, retaining data for up to 20 years at 175 degrees Celsius. It can also withstand 350x more ionizing radiation than flash. If you’re designing a product today with flash, it’s going to require extra design for redundancy or shielding, and this isn’t needed with ReRAM. Our technology also has advantages over other emerging NVMs like MRAM such as cost, access time and immunity to electromagnetic fields.

What about industrial and automotive applications?

Ross: Both industrial and automotive ICs must be designed for safety and longevity, as well as robustness against vibration, humidity, extreme temperatures and other harsh environmental conditions. In rechargeable-battery applications like electric vehicles, there is also a need to withstand electromagnetic interference. The key with safety-critical industrial and automotive technologies is using proven, solid technologies. SkyWater’s proven analog/mixed-signal process technologies are a great fit for both industrial and automotive ICs, and we’re able to provide a high degree of customization needed to enable highly differentiated products.

Eran: The number of chips across the car and industrial environments continues to increase. Most of these chips require NVM, whether it be for trimming, code storage, or data logging. Key considerations are fast boot and code execution, handling frequent updates, and responding instantly even during power loss. For the growing number of small, low-power sensors that are often in remote and inaccessible locations, embedded NVM must also have ultra-low power consumption, and the performance to enable the shortest possible active power usage. Along with the excellent retention and endurance that Ross mentioned, this is what ReRAM offers.

Where do you see ReRAM going in the future?

Eran: As discussed, there is a broad and growing opportunity for ReRAM to replace flash across a broad range of applications. A bit longer term, one of the exciting opportunities is in neuromorphic computing where ReRAM isn’t acting as a traditional NVM, but also as a computing element. Today’s AI uses artificial neural networks to simulate brain function, but with neuromorphic computing, we’re talking about true brain inspired AI systems. Since a ReRAM cell physically resembles a biological synapse, it has functional similarities as well. This means that emulating neural networks with ReRAM consumes orders of magnitude less power than today’s neural network simulations.

Weebit has been working for several years with a number of global academic institutions toward ReRAM-based neuromorphic computing. A couple of years ago, together with our development partner CEA-Leti, we were the first to demonstrate ReRAM based spiking neural networks, and now we’re working on the next generation of this. Industry-wide, we’re starting to see neuromorphic developments moving from academia into commercial companies – both established and startups. With this move, ReRAM-based neuromorphic computing might be closer than people think.

Ross: ReRAM fits with SkyWater’s vision for the future as we look toward technologies that will enable differentiation and advanced performance the market demands. Consumers have a growing expectation of more capabilities and functionality at the same cost, so on-chip integration continues to increase. The natural evolution of this is toward hybrid monolithic integration, combining for example a MEMS structure or photonics device on top of a CMOS wafer. Or layers of carbon nanotube-based CMOS with layers of NVM.

Because ReRAM is a back-end-of-line, or BEOL technology, it can be integrated at various points in the fabrication process. And because it can be used as a computing element as well as an NVM, there is the possibility to increase density and bring more device-level capability to designs. Weebit ReRAM is a rich building block for hybrid architectures that can be flexibly integrated in new and interesting ways, making it a really exciting option for innovators as they look to bring new ideas from concept to reality.

SkyWater has a lot of experience in this area with the work we’ve done with MIT on Darpa’s 3DSoC architecture. That work showed the viability of this type of paradigm-shifting solution. Now with Weebit ReRAM we can make it a commercial reality.

Where do you stand in the technology transfer process, and when can customers get started?

Eran: Since announcing our partnership we’ve been working together with Weebit’s R&D partner CEA-Leti on transferring the Weebit ReRAM technology to SkyWater’s production fab. This process is moving forward smoothly as planned and once it is completed, qualification can begin..

Ross: As soon as the initial qualification is complete, SkyWater customers can have the confidence to tape-out their designs with ReRAM. Customers should reach out to us now to learn more about how ReRAM can help differentiate their solution for their specific application.

SkyWater Achieves AS9100, the International Quality Management System for the Aviation, Space and Defense Industries

By Rocket55 |

Achievement for the company’s Minnesota facility benefits customers by streamlining procurement process and manufacturing operations

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – November 4, 2021 – SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT), the trusted technology realization partner, today announced its Minnesota facility has completed certification to AS9100, the standardized quality management system for organizations that design, develop or provide aviation, space and defense products and services. The designation is the result of passing stringent audit requirements and evaluations of the facility’s manufacturing processes to achieve this standard of quality. This achievement streamlines customer engagement with SkyWater in a number of technology categories, including readout integrated circuits, radiation hardening and a range of other customized solutions.

“Achieving the AS9100 certification for our Minnesota operation reflects SkyWater’s further commitment to meet the critical requirements of our aerospace and defense customers and next, we intend to pursue this certification for our advanced packaging facility in Florida,” said Thomas Sonderman, SkyWater president and CEO. “We believe advanced packaging is a growing part of the end-to-end semiconductor value chain that both the U.S. government and industry customers want to expand domestically. This certification opens up new missions and market segments for SkyWater to serve – and as a U.S.-based, DOD-Trusted facility, this level of quality management will benefit all of our customers, regardless of market.”

AS9100 is a widely adopted and standardized quality management system for the aerospace industry. It was released in October 1999, by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the European Association of Aerospace Industries. The certification aims to improve product quality and on-time delivery, more efficient labor utilization and increased customer satisfaction in supplier-customer relationships.

About SkyWater Technology

SkyWater (NASDAQ: SKYT) is a U.S.-owned semiconductor manufacturer and a DOD-accredited Trusted supplier. SkyWater’s Technology as a ServiceSMmodel streamlines the path to production for customers with development services, volume production and advanced packaging solutions in its world-class U.S. facilities. This pioneering model enables innovators to co-create the next wave of technology with diverse categories including mixed-signal CMOS, read-out ICs, rad-hard, power discretes, MEMS, superconducting ICs, photonics, carbon nanotubes and interposers. SkyWater serves growing markets including aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial and IoT. For more information, visit: www.skywatertechnology.com.

SkyWater Technology Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events, rather than past events and outcomes, and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Key factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to be different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the prospectus the Company filed with the SEC on April 22, 2021, its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 4, 2021 and in other documents that the Company files with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

SkyWater Company Contact: Tara Luther | tara.luther@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | media@skywatertechnology.com

CAES and SkyWater to Expand US Strategic Radiation Hardened Semiconductor Platform

By Rocket55 |
  • CAES provides expertise in 90 nm RadHard design and technology qualification
  • Engagement advances an on-shore, Trusted ecosystem for the microelectronics industry

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. and BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – June 14, 2021 – CAES, a pioneer in advanced electronics design and manufacturing of secure and trusted solutions for aerospace and defense, announced today an agreement with SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT) to advance the design and manufacturing of SkyWater’s strategic radiation hardened integrated circuits and systems-in-package. The evolution of this strategic RadHard microelectronic design and manufacturing ecosystem will strengthen SkyWater’s DOD-accredited Trusted, on-shore semiconductor supply chain.

CAES leverages its expertise in the design, testing, qualification and manufacturing of RadHard high reliability ICs and SiPs to enable ecosystem partners to collaborate on furthering U.S. national security missions.

Thomas Sonderman, president and CEO of SkyWater said, “CAES’ 90 nm process qualification expertise for the U.S. government is unique in the industry and will be a key milestone for the modernization of U.S. strategic systems while increasing performance and lowering risk. By partnering with CAES, we expect to accelerate our on-shore, Trusted ecosystem for strategic defense missions that require extremely specialized, radiation-immune microelectronic process technologies.”

“CAES is excited to partner with SkyWater and provide our expertise in trusted radiation hardened design and qualification to help strengthen the strategic, Trusted supply chain with products designed and manufactured here in America,” said Mike Kahn, president and CEO of CAES. “We look forward to playing our part in close collaboration with SkyWater to meet the most demanding national security missions.”

Qualification and productization of SkyWater’s 90 nm RadHard process technology (RH90) and the development of intellectual property design libraries enable CAES and ecosystem design and manufacturing partners to produce processors, security engines, memory, interface devices application-specific integrated circuits and other mission critical strategic products.

About CAES

CAES is a pioneer of advanced electronics for the most technologically challenging military and aerospace trusted systems. As the largest provider of mixed-signal and radiation-hardened technology to the aerospace and defense industry, CAES delivers high-reliability RF, microwave and millimeter wave, microelectronic and digital solutions that enable our customers to ensure a safer, more secure planet. On land, at sea, in the air, in space and in cyberspace, CAES’ extensive electronics and enhanced manufacturing capabilities are at the forefront of mission-critical military and aerospace innovation. www.caes.com

About SkyWater

SkyWater is a U.S.-owned and U.S.-based pure play semiconductor foundry and is a DMEA-accredited Trusted supplier, specializing in custom technology development services, volume manufacturing and advanced packaging capabilities. Through its Technology Foundry model, SkyWater’s world-class operations in Bloomington, Minnesota and Kissimmee, Florida provide unique processing capabilities to enable quality production and advanced packaging for mixed-signal CMOS, power, rad-hard and ROIC solutions. SkyWater’s Advanced Technology Services empower development of superconducting and 3D ICs, along with carbon nanotube, photonic and MEMS devices. The company serves customers in growing markets such as aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial and IoT. Please visit www.skywatertechnology.com/ for more information.

CAES Company/Media Contact: Colleen Cronin | colleen.cronin@caes.com
SkyWater Company Contact: Tara Luther | tara.luther@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | media@skywatertechnology.com