Weebit Nano Limited (ASX:WBT), a leading developer of advanced memory technologies for the global semiconductor industry, and DB HiTek, one of the world’s largest foundries, have signed a commercial agreement whereby DB HiTek has licensed Weebit ReRAM for its customers to integrate as embedded non-volatile memory (NVM) in their systems on chips (SoCs).
Under the agreement, Weebit ReRAM will be available in DB HiTek’s 130nm Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) process – ideal for many analog, mixed-signal and power designs in consumer, industrial, and other IoT devices. For these applications, Weebit ReRAM provides a low-power, low-voltage, cost-effective NVM that is easy to integrate and has proven excellent retention at high temperatures. As a back-end-of-line (BEOL) technology which does not require process tuning, ReRAM offers significant advantages over flash for BCD processes. Weebit ReRAM also provides higher density and endurance than conventional Multi-Time Programmable (MTP) technologies.
The agreement includes technology transfer, qualification, and licensing. In addition to its 130nm BCD process, DB HiTek has the option to use Weebit ReRAM technology for other process nodes.
Coby Hanoch, CEO of Weebit Nano, said: “DB HiTek is one of the world’s top-tier foundries for analog and power integrated circuits. As one of the world’s largest contract chip manufacturers, DB HiTek’s extensive customer base can gain significant advantage from using Weebit ReRAM in their new product designs, including improvements to retention, endurance, and power consumption. Our collaboration with DB HiTek is commencing immediately, beginning with the transfer of our technology to the company’s production fab. We are seeing increasingly strong market demand for Weebit ReRAM and expect to sign further commercial agreements, including many of the top-tier foundries and integrated device manufacturers as well as fabless design companies, in the coming months.”
Ki-Seog Cho, CEO, DB HiTek, said: “Weebit ReRAM will provide customers using our 130nm BCD process with a very low-power, high-density and cost-effective NVM. Given Weebit’s high-quality technology and unique combination of design and process engineering, we believe the technology transfer and qualification processes will proceed quickly. Looking ahead, we’re delighted to see Weebit’s strong commitment to continued roadmap innovation.”
Under the technology transfer and qualification agreement, Weebit and DB HiTek will immediately cooperate in transferring Weebit’s embedded ReRAM technology to a DB HiTek production fab and then continue to qualify the technology towards volume production.
The technology licensing agreement grants DB HiTek a non-exclusive license to manufacture Weebit ReRAM as embedded NVM in designs from customers globally. DB HiTek will add Weebit’s memory module to its BCD 130nm Process Design Kit (PDK). DB HiTek customers can use the standard modules in the PDK or have modules customized for their needs. Weebit will receive manufacturing license fees, project use fees and royalties based on production volumes.