What is SPG?

1
What is SPG?

• Signal Processing Group Inc., is a fabless
  semiconductor company specializing in the design,
  development, manufacture and supply of MMICs,
  RFICs and mixed signal ASICs.

2
SPG LOCATION AND BACKGROUND

• SPG is located in Chandler, Arizona, a suburb of
  Phoenix.
• SPG has been in business continuously since 1988.
• SPG has always been a very small, specialized
  custom IC capability provider.

3
SPG custom IC service features

• Low risk design total lowest cost development.
• No minimum volume restrictions
• Low cost prototyping/ low cost fabrication
  available.

4
How can an MMIC/RFIC/ASIC help the customer?

• Cost reduction
• Size reduction
• Power savings
• Increased reliability
• Increase in ease of manufacture
• Enhance the overall product
• Replace obsolete devices
• Hide the RD for a customers invention.

5
What technologies are used at SPG?

• SiGe BICMOS
• CMOS
• BICMOS
• BIPOLAR
• GaAs

6
Design Tools used

• Agilent ADS
• Cadence Virtuoso
• Tanner Research LEDIT

7
Examples of recent projects ( 2005-2012)

• SiGe Block Up Converter at Ku Band MMIC with
  external higher power GaAs power amplifier.
• Log Amps ( various) ( 850 Mhz to 1.036 Mhz)
• Combined RSSI and Quad detector ( 850 Mhz 1036
  Mhz)
• Medium power Cascode amplifier up to 5 Ghz
• Gilbert cell mixer ( 2.4 Ghz max, 16 dB)
• Complete FM transmitter including MPX and RF
  amplifier
• RFID transceivers ( passive and active, 400 Mhz
  to 2.4 Ghz)
• Various functional blocks for the MMICs ( VGA,
  Mixer, PA, IF Amp, VCO,frequency synthesizer)
• A/D Converters ( Sigma-Delta, SAR, Pipeline)
• D/A Converters
• Display drivers
• Families of analog switches and muxes
• Analog signal processor

8
Design and Manufacturing Options

• Full custom
• Semi-custom ( standard cell)
• Macro Cell ( IP ) based design

9
Design and Manufacturing Options

• Multi project Wafer (MPW)
• Multi Layer Mask (MLM)
• Full Mask Set (FMS)

10
Design and Manufacturing Options

• Multi-Project-Wafer (MPW)
• Semiconductor wafer is shared with multiple
  customers.
• Substantially ( at least 101) reduced
  fabrication cost.
• Used for low volume ( 10 20 pieces) prototype
  fabrication.

11
Design and Manufacturing Options

• Multi - Level - Masking (MLM)
• Multiple masks share the same piece of glass.
• Reduces the cost of masks for the wafer.
• The entire wafer is dedicated to customer.

12
Design and Manufacturing Options

• Full Mask Set
• Most expensive option
• Used exclusively for high volumes (gt100k
  units/annum)

13
Typical Investments

• Design investment 10k to 200k depending on
  complexity of the device.
• Fabrication investment 10k to 50k depending on
  option chosen.
• Test investment 0.10 to 1.00 per device for
  high volume test
• Package investment 0.5 - 3.0 for a 24 pin
  package (includes setup charge).

14
Typical Timelines

• Semi Custom ( 8 weeks 20 weeks)
• Macro-cell ( 12 weeks to 1 year)
• Full Custom ( 12 weeks to 18 months)
• ( Timing depends on complexity and technology)

15
Deliverables for chip

• Layouts and layout plots and databases,
• Test programs,
• Prototype packaged parts,
• Test results
• Production volume devices.
• Schematics and simulation results

16
Why go SPG instead of someone else?

• Total lowest cost
• Low risk
• Fast moving, quick to respond, efficient.
• User friendly.
• Tried and trusted infrastructure
• Focused on higher performance operation
• Very structured operating procedure for low risk

17
Why go to SPG instead of someone else?

• SPG is focused on higher performance operation.
• Higher voltage ( up to 400V),
• Higher frequency ( up to K band),
• Higher accuracy ( up to16 bits ) etc.
• Reduction of risk as a primary principle
• Total lowest cost ( TLC) solution

18
Business model for custom chip supply from SPG

• Prototype fabrication ( based on development
  agreement)
• Milestone based payments to complete prototype
  development.
• Production ( based on supply agreement) Purchase
  order or L/C, plus purchase order for volume
  deliveries of complete parts.

19
Ownership issues who owns what?

• SPG owns the functional blocks used to build the
  overall device.
• Customer owns the overall device if customer pays
  for the development.

20
What are confidentiality issues?

• SPG and customer mutually agree that all
  information exchanged during the course of the
  project and during the delivery of the device in
  production is confidential and proprietary

21
How does a customer engage SPG?

• Please see SPG Background Information. for
  detailed descriptions. Please request SPG
  publication
• Doing business with Signal Processing Group
  Inc

22
Certifications

• SPG supplies custom devices with all the
  relevant certifications, ISO, FCC, Automotive.
  Military.

23
Development and supply agreements

• Please see SPG development agreement for an
  example.
• Please see SPG supply agreement for an example.
• Documents available upon request.

24
Warranties

• These are part of the supply agreement. See the
  example in SPG supply agreement.

25
Engineering Change Request

• Changes are handled through the ECR procedure.
• ECR document available upon request.

26
Conclusions

• Contact SPG for all your custom device needs!!
• Web Site www.signalpro.biz
• Email spg_at_signalpro.biz
• Tel [phone]
• Street Address Signal Processing Group Inc.
• 561 E. Elliot Road, 170, Chandler,
  Arizona 85225

27
Thank You!

• Thank you for your time
• Thank you for your interest in SPG
• If engaged we will provide the highest quality
  service we are capable of.
• You will love our total lowest cost and low risk
  service!