X-FAB Unveils MOSFETs with 10x Lower 1/f Noise

X-FAB announces the expansion of its 180 nm XH018 mixed-signal CMOS process with three new transistors: a 1.8 V low-noise NMOS, a 3.3 V low-noise NMOS and a 3.3 V low-noise PMOS – all of which offer drastically reduced flicker noise compared to standard CMOS offerings.

The new 1.8 V low-noise NMOS transistor introduced by X-FAB delivers an improvement factor of eight times lower flicker noise compared to the standard XH018 device. The new 3.3 V low-noise NMOS transistor gives up to ten times lower flicker noise, while the flicker noise for the 3.3 V low-noise PMOS transistor that complements it is halved for all drain currents.

Although XH018 process is not an image sensor process, it offers a photodiode module. It's not immediately clear whether the new transistors can be used in X-FAB's XS018 180nm image sensor-dedicated process.

Luigi Di Capua, Director Marketing at X-FAB, commented: “X-FAB has been setting the benchmark for low-noise performance in its 350 nm technology for many years. We are proud to now also offer industry-leading low-noise devices via our 180 nm XH018 platform. By adding just one extra mask layer, all three ultra-low-noise transistors can be incorporated into noise-sensitive circuit designs.”