CHANDLER, Ariz., Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integrated Circuit (IC) designers are increasingly seeking ways to keep production costs down while implementing low-power, high-endurance embedded Flash. Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) via its subsidiary Silicon Storage Technology (SST) today announced a strategic partnership with SK hynix system ic to expand the availability of SuperFlash^® technology. The partnership will introduce SST’s embedded SuperFlash technology to SK hynix system ic’s 110 nanometer (nm) CMOS platform, providing designers a cost-effective and low-power embedded Flash memory solution. 

SST’s embedded SuperFlash technology offers low power, high reliability, superior data retention and endurance for a range of applications, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, smart cards and microcontroller-based applications. The technology’s power efficiency and fast erase time are ideal for low-power applications such as remote IoT edge nodes and contactless payment devices.

“The combination of area-efficient, low-power SuperFlash technology and the highly cost-effective 110 nm process node opens up exciting new product opportunities, especially for IoT and microcontroller-based applications,” said Mark Reiten, vice president of SST, a wholly owned subsidiary of Microchip. “This partnership will enable customers who require low-power, high-endurance embedded Flash to keep their production costs down by using the highly optimized 8-inch CMOS platform.”         

SST’s SuperFlash technology complements SK hynix system ic’s embedded Flash memory solutions with low power and high reliability IP. SK hynix system ic is a fully owned subsidiary spun off from SK hynix (000660: Korea SE) in July 2017. It is a pure 200 mm foundry specialized in Display Driver IC (DDI), CMOS Image Sensor (CIS), and Power IC with a process range of 500 nm to 57 nm.

“We believe that the adoption of SST’s embedded SuperFlash will enable SK hynix system ic to expand our technology portfolio, and it will help to respond to customer requests for highly reliable and robust embedded non-volatile memory solutions,” said Dr. SB You, marketing vice president of SK hynix system ic. “Moreover, we will provide customers with a cost-effective embedded Flash solution to support their competitiveness in the market. As the demand for embedded Flash memory solutions increases, there will be many customers coming to us to use our 110 nm CMOS technology-based embedded Flash memory solution.”

The process development commenced earlier this year and is expected to be completed in early 2019. Contact SST for more information on the company’s extensive custom library of off-the-shelf IP blocks optimized for smartcard System-on-Chips (SoCs).

For more information on SST's patented and proprietary SuperFlash NOR Flash technology, please visit www.sst.com/technology/SuperFlash-Overview.

About Silicon Storage Technology (SST)
Microchip Technology’s SST subsidiary is a leading provider of embedded Flash technology. SST develops, designs, licenses and markets a diversified range of proprietary and patented SuperFlash memory technology solutions for the consumer, industrial, automotive and Internet of Things (IoT) markets. SST was founded in 1989, went public in 1995 (NASDAQ: SSTI), and was acquired by Microchip in April 2010. SST is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Microchip, and is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. For more information, visit the SST Web site at www.sst.com.

About Microchip Technology
Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading provider of microcontroller, analog, FPGA, connectivity and power management semiconductors. Its easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio enable customers to create optimal designs which reduce risk while lowering total system cost and time to market. The company’s solutions serve more than 130,000 customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing markets. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.

Note:  The SST name, the SST logo and SuperFlash are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. and Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., as applicable, in the USA and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.