AnSem, a fabless analog and mixed-signal IC design house offering advanced RF CMOS, high-speed data communication, data acquisition and low-power design services, has announced the successful design of its first analog IP in standard 90-nanometer (nm) TSMC technology.

Further extending AnSem''s technology expertise in analog IC design, the custom designed 2.5~3.125 Gb/s multi-standard (SONET, XAUI and Rapid I/O) SerDes PHY, has been designed for use in Kawasaki Microelectronics'' advanced communication ASICs. Development is now underway to apply the 90nm design to advanced RF CMOS ICs and advanced data-acquisition IP''s. The development enables AnSem to offer customers advanced 90nm analog design that can be monolithically integrated with state of the art digital design. For customers, such advanced system on chip (SoC) design results in increased functionality, reduced costs, energy savings and miniaturization.

"The realization of a state-of-the-art SerDes PHY in 90nm technology proves AnSem''s exceptional analog and mixed-signal design skills," said Dr. Jan Crols, AnSem''s CTO. "We overcame the challenges related to analog circuit design in 90nm technology and fully exploited the speed advantages offered by this technology node. The next development step will be to meet the design challenges of the upcoming 65nm technology node in realizing advanced analog IP''s that enable our customers to continue being market leaders in advanced mixed-signal SoCs with SerDes, RF CMOS or data-acquisition functionality."

Continuously striving to be at the forefront of technological advancement, and always one of the first analog design-houses to offer the latest technology node, AnSem designed its first 0.13µm IC in 2002 and plans to introduce a 65nm IC at the end of 2006.. These evolutions confirm AnSem''s position as a technology led analog IC design house, delivering next-generation ASICs and building blocks. AnSem''s in-house skills and expertise enables it to provide advanced analog IC design for functions such as analog radio front ends for cell phone, DECT, GPS and other standards; set top box analog front ends; SerDes PHY''s for high-speed data-communications; high speed Analog-to-Digital converters (ADC''s) and Digital-to-Analog converters (DAC''s).