Specialty foundry IR has worked with TowerJazz’s TOPS (Transfer Optimization and Process Services) business unit, a group with engineering proficiency and proven models to enable Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDMs) the shortest qualification time and fastest time-to-market for moving their manufacturing into high volume foundries.
As part of this latest collaboration, IR will use multiple fabs from TowerJazz. The new deal with IR will add another layer to TowerJazz’s multiple IDM deals it is currently engaged in.
Among IR’s power management products are analog and mixed signal ICs, advanced circuit devices, integrated power systems and components that provide efficiencies to motors, the world’s single largest consumer of electricity. The company also serves the power management needs of computers, energy efficient appliances, lighting, automobiles, satellites, aircraft and defense systems.
Israel-based TowerJazz offers a range of customizable process technologies including SiGe, BiCMOS, Mixed-Signal/CMOS, RFCMOS, CMOS Image Sensor, Power Management (BCD), and MEMS capabilities. The company offers multi-fab sourcing with two manufacturing facilities in Israel, one in the U.S. and one in Japan.
Earlier this month, TowerJazz had extended its partnership agreement with Nujira Ltd. to include production of Nujira’s latest NCT-L1300 Coolteq.L with its envelope technology (ET) for LTE handsets. Nujira’s ET dynamically adapts the power amplifier (PA) supply voltage to the signal amplitude, which substantially reduces the power consumption of the PA that transmits the signal to the antenna.
According to IHS, the annual revenue for analog application-specific ICs for 4G mobile handsets is forecast to grow from $827 million in 2012 to $2.9 billion by 2017, a compound annual growth rate of 29 percent for the next five years.
