United Microelectronics Corporation (“UMC”), a leading global semiconductor foundry, presented today its 28eHV+ platform, the most recent upgrade to its industry-leading 28nm embedded high voltage (eHV) technology. 28eHV+ is a perfect display driver solution for next-generation displays used in smartphones, virtual and augmented reality devices, and the Internet of Things since it provides improved power efficiency and superior visual quality.
In comparison to the established 28nm eHV process, UMC’s 28eHV+ solution reduces power consumption by up to 15% without sacrificing picture quality or data rates, thus meeting the demand for extended battery life in mobile devices. It also offers improved features that enable increased voltage control precision and chip designer freedom.
For eHV technology, 28nm is the most advanced foundry process for small-panel display driver ICs (SDDI), which are utilized in AMOLED panels that are increasingly employed in high-end smartphones and AR/VR equipment. Around 85% of the 28nm SDDI market is dominated by UMC’s foundry, and since commercial manufacturing began in 2020, more than 400 million devices have been supplied.
“We are excited to introduce our 28eHV+ platform, which has already gained the interest of several customers and will enter production in the first half of 2023,” said Steven Hsu, UMC’s Vice President of Technology Development. “As a leading provider of specialty foundry technologies, UMC offers differentiated solutions that are aligned with our customers roadmaps, enabling them to capture opportunities in fast-growing markets. Following the release of 28eHV+, our development teams will work on extending our display driver solutions to 22nm and beyond.”
UMC’s 28eHV+ technology has the shortest SRAM bit cells in the industry, hence lowering the chip footprint. It is based on the company’s cutting-edge 28nm gate-last High-K/Metal Gate technology, which offers exceptional low leakage and dynamic power performance.
