Connecting people and devices worldwide

RF and Wireless

In today’s connected world, radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic signals are key for enabling many everyday tasks. Making a phone call or browsing the Internet with your smartphone at home or on the street is only possible with RF signals. Likewise, it is thanks to RF signals that you can find the right direction to your destination with your car’s on-board GPS device.

RF signals are used not only for human–machine interfaces, but also for machine-to-machine communication. As wireless means of communication, they enable more flexibility and scalability without overloading existing infrastructures with cables or wires.

To satisfy the corresponding demand, we offer RF solutions for various applications, such as: 

  • Cellular standards: 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE) and now 5G NR
  • WLAN connectivity: up to 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6
  • Short and medium range communication, such as Bluetooth
  • Positioning: GPS, Galileo, BeiDou or GLONASS
  • Vehicle-to-everything communication (V2x)
  • Internet of Things (IoT): RFID and low-power networks, such as LoRa or Sigfox

Around 25% of the smartphones shipped worldwide contain a chip produced by X-FAB.

Areas of expertise

  • RF SOI

    Our RF SOI technology is made available through a 130 nm feature-rich, modular RF platform that allows you to achieve low-loss, high-isolation and low-noise RF designs.

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  • RF CMOS

    Our RF CMOS technology enables a comprehensive 180 nm and 350 nm portfolio that also supports high-voltage, optoelectronic and high-temperature devices.

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  • RF Integrated Passive Devices

    Our RF IPD technology is offered through a engineered HR-Si substrate and thick-Cu metallization to achieve compact and low-loss RF passive designs

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  • BiCMOS

    Our BiCMOS technology is provided through a 0.60 µm modular platform for mixed high-precision analog and digital designs and RF circuits.

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    Solutions

    RF SOI platform – XR013

    XR013 is our 130 nm modular, feature-rich RF SOI technology solution suitable for multiple air interface standards and both fixed and mobile applications, such as smartphones, infrastructure and WLAN connectivity devices. The high isolation and low insertion losses make XR013 a good fit for RF switching applications in front-end modules for 2G, 3G, 4G LTE Advanced and 5G New Radio designs. Low-noise amplifiers demonstrating low noise figure, high gain and high linearity thanks to NFET options complete our XR013 RF SOI offer.

    Standard features include a twin-well 2.5 V CMOS technology on a linear, high-impedance SOI substrate with four levels of metal in a hybrid copper and aluminum metallization that supports wire bond, bump, or Cu pillar chip–package interfaces and a large array of passive analog RF devices.
     
    Optional features include a range of FET devices such as multiple threshold voltage (Vt) options, up to two additional digital routings and up to two additional thick copper metal levels. 

    The technology offers a comprehensive set of components supported by Si-proven, advanced RF models. In addition, as design enablers, we have created and provide a wide range of IP blocks.  

    With economy of scale advantages and opportunities for further innovative RF integration, XR013 deliver both performance and cost advantages.

    All in all, our XR013 platform offers flexibility to customize and create cost-effective configurations with few mutually exclusive features.

    Key features:

    • Low RonCoff figure of merit for RF switches with surface-potential-based (PSP) compact models, including advanced modelization of a high-impedance SOI substrate
    • Low-noise, high-gain, high-linearity NFET options for RF switch and low-noise amplifier integration
    • 2.5 V CMOS platform with hybrid Cu/Al metallization with optional thick Cu levels
    • Both low- and high-value diffusion and poly resistors including a 3 kΩ/sq p-poly resistor
    • High-density vertical RF metal–insulator–metal (MIM) capacitor and vertical parallel plate capacitors (VPP)
    • Large catalog of high-Q, symmetric, octagonal inductors for multiple metallization configurations
    • 1.2 V- and 2.5 V-based RF varactors 
    • Optional low-leakage 1.2 V CMOS module 
    • Si-proven RF reference kits 
    • Si-proven analog and digital IP
    • Si-proven I-fuse OTP memory IP by Attopsemi
    • Si-proven eFuse and supporting IP 
    • Si-proven general-purpose input/output (GPIO) libraries including electrostatic discharge (ESD) solutions 
    • Comprehensive PDK support for Cadence, Siemens EDA and Keysight ADS with Electromagnetic simulations possible with Cadence EMX, Keysight Momentum & RFpro and Ansys HFSS

    RF CMOS

    • Comprehensive 350 nm automotive sensor and high-voltage technology platform

      XA035 is a comprehensive modular 350 nm sensor and high-voltage EPI technology. It combines the benefit of a 350 nm modular 3.3 V ultra low noise process supporting an extended temperature range of -40 to 175 °C with an extensive portfolio of high voltage and analog devices. The XA035 platform is designed for robust automotive sensor, sensor interface and actuator applications.
      Best-in-class PDK support for all major EDA vendors, extensive device characterization and modelling, comprehensive analog, digital, and memory IPs.

      Key features:

      • Fully modular 350 nm EPI process based on 3.3 V ultra low noise core module
      • Optional 3.3 V / 5 V dual gate
      • Best-in-class ultra low noise 3.3 V PMOS
      • Up to four metal layers with thick metal options
      • Up to 175 ºC operating temperature supporting AEC-Q100 grade 0 
      • Unique integration of digital, analog, HV and NVM in a single process 
      • High-reliability automotive NVM solutions including EEPROM
      • Optical window etching and Anti Reflecting Coating for high sensitive photodiodes
      • 10 V – 100 V HV CMOS transistors with 3.3 V, 5 V or 18 V Gate Oxide
      • High gain BJTs
      • HV Schottky diodes 
      • Standard single, double MIM, Poly and Metal Fringe capacitors
      • Comprehensive PDK support for Cadence, Siemens EDA, Synopsys and others
    • Comprehensive 350 nm sensor and high-voltage technology platform

      XH035 is a comprehensive modular 350 nm sensor and high-voltage EPI technology. It combines the benefit of a 350 nm modular 3.3 V ultra low noise process with an extensive portfolio of high voltage and analog devices. The XH035 platform is designed for robust sensor and sensor interface applications.
      Best-in-class PDK support for all major EDA vendors, extensive device characterization and modelling, comprehensive analog, digital, and memory IPs.

      Key features:

      • Fully modular 350 nm EPI process based on 3.3 V ultra low noise core module
      • Alternative 5 V core module or 3.3 V / 5 V dual gate
      • Best-in-class ultra low noise 3.3 V PMOS
      • Up to four metal layers with thick metal options
      • Up to 125 ºC operating temperature supporting AEC-Q100 grade 1
      • Unique integration of digital, analog, HV and NVM in a single process 
      • High-reliability automotive NVM solutions including EEPROM
      • Optical window etching and Anti Reflecting Coating for high sensitive photodiodes
      • 10 V – 100 V HV CMOS transistors with 3.3 V, 5 V or 18 V Gate Oxide
      • High gain BJTs
      • HV Schottky diodes 
      • Standard single, double MIM, Poly and metal fringe capacitors
      • Comprehensive PDK support for Cadence, Siemens EDA, Synopsys and others
    • 350 nm modular sensor technology platform

      XO035 is X-FAB’s specialized process for high-speed optoelectronics. It is especially suited for applications needing high-sensitivity high-bandwidth photodiodes arrays, such as optical data storage, optical data communication or high dynamic range sensors. Special opto-process modules allow an optimised PIN cathode implantation, optical window etching and dedicated ARC layer deposition.
      Best-in-class PDK support for all major EDA vendors, extensive device characterization and modelling, comprehensive analog, digital, and memory IPs.

      Key features:

      • Fully modular 350 nm EPI process based on 3.3 V core module
      • Alternative 5 V module
      • Up to four metal layers with different thick metal options
      • High-sensitive PIN photodiodes 
      • Optical window etching and Anti Reflecting Coating optimized for different wavelengths 
      • High gain BJTs
      • Standard single, double MIM, Poly and metal fringe capacitors
      • Comprehensive PDK support for Cadence, Siemens EDA, Synopsys and others

    XIPD – RF Integrated Passive Devices

    The XIPD is X-FAB’s modular High-Resistivity Silicon passive technology suitable for high RF performance Integrated Passive Devices (inductors, capacitors and resistors) required in multiple air interface standards, including 5G mmW or coming 6G, operating in the temperature range of -40 to 125°C. Standard features include engineered high-impedance Si substrate with 3 levels of metal in a hybrid thick copper and aluminum metallization that supports wire-bond, bump, or Cu-pillar chip-package interfaces and a large array of passive analog RF devices.  Optional feature includes 1 additional thick Cu metal level.

    Globally, the platform offers flexibility to customize and create cost effective & high-performance configurations with few mutually exclusive features. XIPD offers a full PDK support for major EDA vendors, comprehensive set of components supported by Si-proven, advanced RF models.

    Through use of the XIPD platform, demands for more compact RF/EMI filtering, matching networks, baluns and couplers can be met via the fabrication of fully integrated high-quality passive components with improved performance characteristics.

    Key Features:

    • Large catalog of high-Q, symmetric, octagonal inductors for multiple metallization configurations
    • Thick Cu levels provide a high-performance pathway to minimize system losses
    • 2.1 fF/ µm2 vertical RF Metal-Insulator-Metal capacitor
    • Comprehensive PDK support for Cadence, Siemens EDA and Keysight ADS
    • Electromagnetic simulations possible with Cadence EMX, Keysight Momentum & RFpro

    Applications

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    Related Resources

    Contact

    David Auffret

    Technical Marketing Manager
    RF

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