Complies with AEC-Q100 Grade 0 automotive requirements
Operates at temperatures up to +165°C
Also provides radiation tolerance

STMicroelectronics announced the architecture and performance benchmarks of its ePCM (embedded Phase-Change Memory) designed for automotive MCUs and technology based on 28nm FD-SOI at IEDM (International Electron Devices Meeting) 2018, held in San Francisco, USA on December 4th.
ST products based on ePCM are currently being supplied as samples to alpha customers, and field testing is underway in 2020 to meet automotive application requirements and achieve complete technical qualification.

This MCU, the world's first to use ePCM, targets powertrain systems and advanced secure gateways, safety/ADAS applications, and the automotive charging market.

Demanding automotive applications with constraints including processing performance, power consumption reduction, and large memory requirements need new automotive MCU architectures.

One of the most demanding requirements is the need to use large-capacity embedded memory as the complexity and size of firmware increases rapidly.

ePCM presents a solution to these chip-level and system-level challenges, meets AEC-Q100 Grade 0 automotive requirements, and can operate at temperatures up to +165°C. Additionally, ST's technology provides tolerance to high-temperature solder reflow processes and radiation, enabling firmware/data retention and enhanced data security.

Marco Monti, President of ST Automotive and Discrete Group, stated, "By applying ST's process, design, technology, and application expertise to ePCM, we were able to develop an innovative solution that combines 28nm FD-SOI and nonvolatile memory for the first time for high-performance, low-power automotive microcontrollers."

He added, "ePCM samples are already being provided to some leading customers, and with outstanding temperature performance and the ability to meet all automotive standards, we are confident in future market adoption and its success."