SVTC Technologies
Encyclopedia
SVTC Technologies is a technology services company that provides development and commercialization services for semiconductor
process-based technologies and products. It has facilities in San Jose, California and Austin, Texas. SVTC provides development and production services for MEMS, microfluidics
, high voltage, and Through-silicon via
(TSV) technologies. These technologies are used in a variety of industries including semiconductor, life sciences, aerospace and defense, consumer-mobility and clean energy.
SVTC Technologies' fabrication facilities include 8 inches (203.2 mm) CMOS
and MEMS process tools as well as microscopy (Scanning electron microscope
, Transmission electron microscopy
, Atomic Force Microscope
, Focused ion beam
) and failure analysis equipment.
in 2004. At that time, it was named the Silicon Valley Technology Center. It became a privately owned, independent company in 2007. SVTC is funded by Oakhill Capital Partners and Tallwood Venture Capital.
In December 2007, SVTC acquired the Advanced Technology Development Facility (ATDF)
, a subsidiary of SEMATECH
. At that time, the name was changed to SVTC Technologies.
In May, 2011, SVTC attained ISO 13485
certification which is targeted for next generation life science products. SVTC is also ITAR registered. ITAR is required for many defense applications.
(DOE) awarded SVTC Solar, a subsidiary of SVTC Technologies, $25 million in funding as a part of the DOE’s SunShot Initiative. This grant supports the start-up of the first photovoltaics
(PV) manufacturing development facility (MDF) in the U.S. to reduce the costs and development time for the PV industry.
On August 3, 2011, it was announced that the grant from the Department of Energy was increased to $30M. In addition, another $55M of equipment, materials and funding was committed by industry partners and customers bringing the total funding to $85M.
The DOE program provides developers two access models: a consortium
model patterned after the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (SEMATECH) effort of the 1980’s, and a commercial model based on SVTC’s Technology Development Process (TDP) — a process that provides customers access to leading-edge technology and enables accelerated commercial development while protecting their valuable IP. The SVTC MDF will provide solar energy innovators access to PV technology: multi- and monocrystalline silicon
PV, selective-emitter cells, back-contact cells, emitter wrap-through cells, PERC cells, PERL cells, thin-silicon, 3D cells and hybrid PV technologies.
Semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...
process-based technologies and products. It has facilities in San Jose, California and Austin, Texas. SVTC provides development and production services for MEMS, microfluidics
Microfluidics
Microfluidics deals with the behavior, precise control and manipulation of fluids that are geometrically constrained to a small, typically sub-millimeter, scale.Typically, micro means one of the following features:* small volumes...
, high voltage, and Through-silicon via
Through-silicon via
In electronic engineering, a through-silicon via is a vertical electrical connection passing completely through a silicon wafer or die...
(TSV) technologies. These technologies are used in a variety of industries including semiconductor, life sciences, aerospace and defense, consumer-mobility and clean energy.
SVTC Technologies' fabrication facilities include 8 inches (203.2 mm) CMOS
CMOS
Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor is a technology for constructing integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits...
and MEMS process tools as well as microscopy (Scanning electron microscope
Scanning electron microscope
A scanning electron microscope is a type of electron microscope that images a sample by scanning it with a high-energy beam of electrons in a raster scan pattern...
, Transmission electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy is a microscopy technique whereby a beam of electrons is transmitted through an ultra thin specimen, interacting with the specimen as it passes through...
, Atomic Force Microscope
Atomic force microscope
Atomic force microscopy or scanning force microscopy is a very high-resolution type of scanning probe microscopy, with demonstrated resolution on the order of fractions of a nanometer, more than 1000 times better than the optical diffraction limit...
, Focused ion beam
Focused ion beam
Focused ion beam, also known as FIB, is a technique used particularly in the semiconductor industry, materials science and increasingly in the biological field for site-specific analysis, deposition, and ablation of materials. An FIB setup is a scientific instrument that resembles a scanning...
) and failure analysis equipment.
History
SVTC Technologies began operations as a subsidiary of Cypress SemiconductorCypress Semiconductor
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation is a Silicon Valley-based semiconductor design and manufacturing company founded by T. J. Rodgers and others from Advanced Micro Devices. It was formed in 1982 with backing by Sevin Rosen and went public in 1986. The company initially focused on the design and...
in 2004. At that time, it was named the Silicon Valley Technology Center. It became a privately owned, independent company in 2007. SVTC is funded by Oakhill Capital Partners and Tallwood Venture Capital.
In December 2007, SVTC acquired the Advanced Technology Development Facility (ATDF)
Advanced Technology Development Facility (ATDF)
Advanced Technology Development Facility is a research and development foundry for the semiconductor industry. It began operations as a research plant for SEMATECH in 1988, but was reorganized as a for-profit subsidiary in July 2004....
, a subsidiary of SEMATECH
SEMATECH
- Purpose :SEMATECH , a not-for-profit consortium, performs research and development to advance chip manufacturing. SEMATECH has broad engagement with various sectors of the R&D community, including chipmakers, equipment and material suppliers, universities, research institutes, and government...
. At that time, the name was changed to SVTC Technologies.
In May, 2011, SVTC attained ISO 13485
ISO 13485
ISO 13485 is an ISO standard, published in 2003, that represents the requirements for a comprehensive management system for the design and manufacture of medical devices...
certification which is targeted for next generation life science products. SVTC is also ITAR registered. ITAR is required for many defense applications.
Grant from U.S. Department of Energy to Build Nation’s First Photovoltaic Manufacturing Development Facility
On April 10, 2011, the United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
(DOE) awarded SVTC Solar, a subsidiary of SVTC Technologies, $25 million in funding as a part of the DOE’s SunShot Initiative. This grant supports the start-up of the first photovoltaics
Photovoltaics
Photovoltaics is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels composed of a number of solar cells containing a photovoltaic material...
(PV) manufacturing development facility (MDF) in the U.S. to reduce the costs and development time for the PV industry.
On August 3, 2011, it was announced that the grant from the Department of Energy was increased to $30M. In addition, another $55M of equipment, materials and funding was committed by industry partners and customers bringing the total funding to $85M.
The SunShot Initiative
The SunShot Initiative was launched to make large-scale photovoltaic solar energy systems competitive with other forms of energy and eliminate the industry’s reliance on subsidies by the end of the decade. The initiative’s goal of reducing the costs of PV solar systems to roughly six cents per kilowatt-hour will allow solar energy systems to be broadly deployed across the country. “The SunShot Initiative will not only keep the United States at the forefront in solar energy research and development, but will help us win the worldwide race to build a solar manufacturing industry that produces solar systems that are cost competitive with fossil fuels,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu.The DOE program provides developers two access models: a consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
model patterned after the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (SEMATECH) effort of the 1980’s, and a commercial model based on SVTC’s Technology Development Process (TDP) — a process that provides customers access to leading-edge technology and enables accelerated commercial development while protecting their valuable IP. The SVTC MDF will provide solar energy innovators access to PV technology: multi- and monocrystalline silicon
Monocrystalline silicon
Monocrystalline silicon or single-crystal Si, or mono-Si is the base material of the electronic industry. It consists of silicon in which the crystal lattice of the entire solid is continuous, unbroken to its edges. It can be prepared intrinsic, i.e...
PV, selective-emitter cells, back-contact cells, emitter wrap-through cells, PERC cells, PERL cells, thin-silicon, 3D cells and hybrid PV technologies.