UMC Launches 55nm BCD Platform to Power Next-Generation Smart, Efficient Electronics

United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC; TWSE: 2303)(“UMC”), a leading global semiconductor foundry,  announced the release of its 55nm Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) platform, enabling a new level of performance and power efficiency in next-generation mobile devices, consumer electronics, automotive, and industrial applications. Designed to address the growing complexity of power management in electronic devices, the new 55nm BCD platform delivers smaller chip area, lower power consumption, and superior noise reduction, enabling greater flexibility and reliability in power circuit designs.

Combining analog, digital, and power functions on a single chip, BCD technology is widely used in power management and mixed-signal ICs. UMC’s new 55nm BCD platform offers comprehensive solutions to serve diversified power IC applications:

• Non-Epitaxy (Non-EPI) process: A cost-effective solution with unique device architecture, providing power efficiency and analog performance for mobile and consumer devices.
• Epitaxy (EPI) process: Compliant with the most stringent AEC-Q100 Grade 0 automotive standards, the 55nm EPI solution supports operating voltage up to 150V, enhancing automotive electronic reliability even under extreme environments.
• Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) process: Ideal for high-grade automotive and industrial uses, this solution is AEC-Q100 Grade 1 automotive compliant, featuring superior noise reduction, high speeds, and low leakage.
• The platform also integrated ultra-thick metal (UTM), embedded flash, and resistive random-access memory (RRAM) technologies for enhanced performance and functionalities.

“The readiness of our 55nm BCD platform marks a major milestone for UMC, rounding out our specialty BCD technology portfolio and boosting our competitiveness in the power management market,” said Steven Hsu, Vice President of Technology Development at UMC. “While 55nm BCD has been in production for several years in the market, UMC provides brand-new comprehensive 55nm BCD solutions with competitive device performance, enabling our customers to build innovative power solutions for everything from smartphones and wearables, to automotive, smart homes and factories.

UMC now offers one of the industry’s most comprehensive and mature BCD portfolios, spanning process nodes from 0.35µm, 0.25µm, 0.18µm, and 0.11µm down to 55nm. Leveraging extensive voltage capabilities, broad IP resources, and robust design support, UMC delivers differentiated solutions that align with customers’ technology roadmaps and enhance their product competitiveness.