Certus Semiconductor has joined TSMC’s IP Alliance Program, part of the TSMC Open Innovation Platform. Through this partnership Certus can now offer its proven ESD protection and input/output building blocks directly to TSMC customers. Working together will make it easier to integrate Certus designs into chips built on TSMC’s wide range of process options.
Certus creates high-performance protection designs and interface blocks for many common connections. These include Wi-Fi and cellular radios, HDMI displays, LVDS links, USB ports and ultra-fast SerDes links up to 256 Gbps. Its libraries feature flexible general purpose I/O blocks and open-drain I/O blocks operating from 0.9 V to 5 V and special structures that handle voltages up to 20 V on low-voltage CMOS chips. These designs are built for tough conditions such as the heat under the hood of a car, the demands of aerospace systems and even applications exposed to radiation. They also keep capacitance low, cut electrical noise and improve ESD protection to safeguard sensitive circuits.
As a member of the IP Alliance, Certus provides ready-to-use IP compatible with TSMC process nodes from 180 nm down to 12 nm. The portfolio offers multi-protocol, multi-voltage I/O libraries that consists of general purpose I/O blocks with extra features, specialized die-to-die interface solutions and high-voltage to very-high-voltage ESD protection (over 10 V) in 65 nm and smaller nodes. Each IP block meets strict automotive-grade requirements and has passed radiation-hardness tests, demonstrating reliable performance in the most demanding settings.
Stephen Fairbanks, CEO and CTO of Certus Semiconductor said, “For 16 years, we have worked with TSMC to deliver reliable I/O and ESD solutions. Officially joining the IP Alliance will allow us to offer our designs across TSMC’s OIP ecosystem”. Lipen Yuan, Senior Director of Business Development at TSMC added, “Certus’s IP will expand our portfolio and help customers accelerate product development with proven I/O and ESD technologies”.
