Crocus Technology and SMIC Sign Agreements for Developing Technology and Manufacturing Wafers

US- based Crocus Technology specialising in the development of magnetically enhanced semiconductors, has signed agreements for the joint development of technology and the production of wafers with Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) from China.

As per the agreement, the two companies will be involved in the development of high temperature magnetic logic unit (MLU) technology to be used primarily in automotive applications. While SMIC will be responsible for the manufacturing and delivery of CMOS base wafers on advanced technology nodes, Crocus Nano Electronics will be responsible for further processing at its advanced magnetic manufacturing plant.

The MLU technology from Crocus is an enhanced version of its Thermally Assisted Switching (TAS) technology and is based on magnetic architecture. MLU helps in the implementation of memory and logic capabilities. Apart from this agreement, the MLU technology is also likely to be licensed to SMIC for use in their embedded chip applications. The two companies also intend to jointly market smart cards, which use the TAS MLU technology and the Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory technology. According to the Chairman of Crocus-Technology Dr. Bertrand F. Cambou, the collaboration between the CMOS manufacturing facility from SMIC and the MLU technology from Crocus will enable them to meet customer and manufacturer requirements.