Resonant Releases New PMTx Extension For TC-SAW Filter Technologies

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Resonant Inc., a leader in transforming the way radio frequency, or RF, front-ends are being designed and delivered for mobile handset and wireless devices, announced the release of a new extension to its PMTx, Process Monitoring Tool, enabling PMTx to model and measure the fabrication processes of TC-SAW (Temperature-Compensated Surface Acoustic Wave)– both Thick SiO₂ and Bonded Wafer - filter technologies.

PMTx is an ISN® service that precisely monitors and improves the fabrication process of SAW—and now the more-complex and challenging-to-fabricate, TC-SAW—wafer technologies. A TC-SAW process is used to fabricate filters that are more stable over the expected device operating temperatures. Leveraging ISN, foundries can improve yields, increase profit margins and accelerate technology development. Leveraging electronic models to more efficiently monitor the fabrication process, PMTx provides a significant advantage over traditional imaging technologies which are significantly slower and more expensive, such as FIB-SEM and TEM. With PMTx customers enter their target dimensions and PMTx measures actual production dimensions against those targets, allowing customers to use the results to make adjustments in their processes.

“The new PMTx extensions are significant because they enable PMTx to monitor the fabrication processes of TC-SAW, including Bonded Wafer, which the market is rapidly moving toward from the SAW fabrication process that still dominates the market today,” said George B. Holmes, Chairman and CEO of Resonant. “Competition is fierce in this rapidly growing market, so any improvement in cost efficiency is important. Our fab customers have been increasingly asking for TC-SAW capabilities, and we believe we now have the potential for new evaluation licenses and/or customers. In fact, we expect at least one customer to sign an evaluation license for PMTx TC-SAW in the fourth quarter of 2020.”