Delta helps bring wireless MCU to market: News from Jennic

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Delta Microelectronics and fabless semiconductor company Jennic are partnering to bring to volume production Jennic's JN5121 single chip IEEE802.15.4-compliant wireless microcontroller. The partnership marries Jennic's expertise in systems, software, RF and digital chip design with Delta's test development and components production capabilities. The JN5121 system-on-chip implementation features a 2.4GHz radio, analogue peripheral blocks which include a 12bit ADC, twin 11bit DACs, two comparators and a temperature sensor, and a digital subsystem which comprises a 32bit RISC processor, 96Kbit RAM, 64Kbit ROM.

Devices are fabricated on IBM's 180nm CMOS 7RF process.

Paul Wells, Jennic's VP of Manufacturing, comments: 'Our aggressive time-to-market schedule presented us with a range of challenges in establishing our supply chain'.

'Instead of having to co-ordinate multiple subcontractors, each with their own specialism, Delta provided us with a comprehensive range of services and expert advice that ensured we made the right decisions at the right time'.

To bring the JN5121 to market, Delta Microelectronics has been responsible for the development of test solutions and production testing.

The company is also responsible for assembly, qualification and logistics.

Mohamed Wahab, Delta Microelectronics Managing Director, comments: 'Today's fabless industry is very much dependent on strong partnerships, with companies making the best of their core competencies and partnering with others where necessary to achieve common goals'.

'At Delta we have considerable experience of bringing semiconductor components to volume production including all the logistics associated with wafer procurement, testing and package assembly'.

'In particular, we have significant expertise in developing test and packaging solutions for wireless devices'.

'We are extremely pleased to partner with Jennic for the manufacture of a device that's likely to be at the heart of many of tomorrow's wireless embedded applications'.

In conjunction with the partnership, Jennic has purchased an Agilent 93000 SoC series RF IC tester.

This will be installed into Jennic's Sheffield headquarters.

Delta has an identical test system in its headquarters in Denmark.

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