UMC and Cadence Collaborate on 3D-IC Hybrid Bonding Reference Flow

Rhea-AI Summary

United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) and Cadence Design Systems have certified the Cadence 3D-IC reference flow for UMC’s advanced chip stacking technologies. This collaboration aims to streamline the design process for edge AI, image processing, and wireless communication applications, enhancing performance while minimizing costs. The new certification supports UMC’s wafer-on-wafer stacking, demonstrating integration across various technology nodes. Cadence's Integrity 3D-IC platform will facilitate design planning, implementation, and system-level analysis, significantly accelerating the time to market for mutual customers. This partnership responds to increasing demands for 3D-IC solutions in an evolving semiconductor landscape.

Positive

• Certification of Cadence's 3D-IC reference flow enhances UMC's chip stacking technologies.
• Collaboration supports broad technology nodes suitable for edge AI and wireless applications.
• Improved design efficiency through integration of various tools in a single platform.

Negative

• None.

HSINCHU, Taiwan & SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC; TWSE: 2303) (“UMC”), a leading global semiconductor foundry, and Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDNS) today announced that the Cadence^® 3D-IC reference flow, featuring the Integrity^™ 3D-IC Platform, has been certified for UMC’s chip stacking technologies, enabling faster time to market.

UMC’s hybrid bonding solutions are now ready to support the integration across a broad range of technology nodes that are suitable for edge AI, image processing, and wireless communication applications. Using UMC’s 40nm low power (40LP) process as a wafer-on-wafer stacking demonstration, the two companies collaborated to validate key 3D-IC features in this design flow, including system planning and intelligent bump creation with Cadence’s Integrity 3D-IC platform, the industry’s first comprehensive solution that integrates system planning, chip and packaging implementation, and system analysis in a single platform.

“Interest in 3D-IC solutions has increased notably in the past year as our customers seek ways to boost design performance without sacrificing area or cost,” said Osbert Cheng, vice president of device technology development & design support at UMC. “Cost-effectiveness and design reliability are the pillars of UMC’s hybrid bonding technologies, and this collaboration with Cadence provides mutual customers with both, helping them reap the benefits of 3D structures while also accelerating the time needed to complete their integrated designs.”

"With increasing design complexity for IoT, AI, and 5G applications, wafer-on-wafer technology automation is increasingly important for chip designers,” said Don Chan, vice president, R&D in the Digital & Signoff Group at Cadence. “The Cadence 3D-IC flow with the Integrity 3D-IC platform is optimized for use on UMC’s hybrid bonding technologies, providing customers with a comprehensive design, verification and implementation solution that enables them to create and verify innovative 3D-IC designs with confidence while accelerating time to market.”

The reference flow, featuring Cadence’s Integrity 3D-IC Platform, is built around a high-capacity, multi-technology hierarchical database. The platform offers design planning, implementation and analysis of full 3D designs within a single, unified cockpit. Multiple chiplets in a 3D stack can be designed and analyzed together through integrated early analysis for thermal, power and static timing analysis. The reference flow also enables system-level layout versus schematic (LVS) checking to connectivity accuracy, electric rule-checking (ERC) for coverage and alignment checking, and thermal analysis for heat distribution in a 3D stacked-die design structure.

In addition to the Integrity 3D-IC platform, the Cadence 3D-IC flow also includes the Innovus^™ Implementation System, Quantus^™ Extraction Solution, Tempus^™ Timing Signoff Solution, Pegasus^™ Verification System, Voltus^™ IC Power Integrity Solution and Celsius^™ Thermal Solver for system analysis. For more information, please visit www.cadence.com/go/integrityflowpr.

About UMC

UMC (NYSE: UMC, TWSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry company. The company provides high quality IC fabrication services, focusing on logic and various specialty technologies to serve all major sectors of the electronics industry. UMC’s comprehensive IC processing technologies and manufacturing solutions include Logic/Mixed-Signal, embedded High-Voltage, embedded Non-Volatile-Memory, RFSOI and BCD etc. Most of UMC's 12-in & 8-in fabs with its core R&D are located in Taiwan, with additional ones throughout Asia. UMC has total 12 fabs in production with combined capacity over 850,000 wafers per month (8-in equivalent), and all of them are certified with IATF 16949 automotive quality standard. UMC is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, plus local offices in United States, Europe, China, Japan, Korea & Singapore, with worldwide total 20,000 employees. For more information, please visit: http://www.umc.com.

Note from UMC Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in the foregoing announcement are forward-looking within the meaning of the U.S. Federal Securities laws, including statements about introduction of new services and technologies, future outsourcing, competition, wafer capacity, business relationships and market conditions. Investors are cautioned that actual events and results could differ materially from these statements as a result of a variety of factors, including conditions in the overall semiconductor market and economy; acceptance and demand for products from UMC; and technological and development risks. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in UMC’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. UMC does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

About Cadence

Cadence is a pivotal leader in electronic systems design, building upon more than 30 years of computational software expertise. The company applies its underlying Intelligent System Design strategy to deliver software, hardware and IP that turn design concepts into reality. Cadence customers are the world’s most innovative companies, delivering extraordinary electronic products from chips to boards to complete systems for the most dynamic market applications, including hyperscale computing, 5G communications, automotive, mobile, aerospace, consumer, industrial and healthcare. For eight years in a row, Fortune magazine has named Cadence one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. Learn more at cadence.com.

© 2022 Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Cadence, the Cadence logo and the other Cadence marks found at www.cadence.com/go/trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Media

UMC Corporate Communications

Michelle Yun

886-3-578-2258 x16951

michelle_yun@umc.com

Source: United Microelectronics Corporation

FAQ

What is the significance of the Cadence and UMC partnership?

The partnership leads to the certification of Cadence's 3D-IC flow for UMC's chip stacking technologies, enhancing design efficiency for advanced applications.

How does UMC's technology support AI and wireless communication?

UMC's hybrid bonding solutions facilitate chip stacking which is critical for applications in edge AI, image processing, and wireless communication.

What does the Cadence Integrity 3D-IC platform offer?

The platform provides a comprehensive design solution, integrating planning, implementation, and analysis within a single system for 3D designs.

Where are UMC's manufacturing facilities located?

UMC operates 12 fabs primarily in Taiwan, with additional facilities throughout Asia.

What is the impact of the certification on UMC's market position?

The certification is expected to enhance UMC's competitiveness in the semiconductor industry by improving design capabilities and reducing time to market.