Cristal Clear and Secure Oscillator design
SemiBlocks, the Eindhoven-based fabless semiconductor company, has received a € 1.7 million innovation credit from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland or RVO.nl). This will help the company to turn its breakthrough crystal oscillator technology solution from a working proof-of-concept prototype into first silicon.
SemiBlocks crystal oscillator technology is a disruptive technology that offers significant cost and performance benefits particularly for emerging 5G technology markets, from mobile devices and infrastructure to electric and autonomous vehicles. Operating with standard low-cost crystals, the SemiBlocks IC will eliminate the effects of hysteresis and compensate for frequency errors due to temperature variations while improving timing accuracy.
Along with the € 3 million raised last summer from BOM Brabant Ventures and a major US-based strategic partner, the innovation credit from the RVO.nl will help SemiBlocks complete chip tape out of the first engineering samples (ES0) next month. This will be followed by a period of intensive testing before producing a second engineering sample run (ES1), featuring improved functionality and performance. Which keeps SemiBlocks on track to have production of the first commercial products for small 4G/5G base stations up and running early in 2020.
Karl McGoldrick, CEO of SemiBlocks states, “As most companies know, moving from proof-of-concept to actual product is one of those defining moments. That’s particularly true for young semiconductor companies like SemiBlocks during the high-risk step of moving from a breadboard design to first silicon tape out. Fortunately for high-tech start-ups in The Netherlands we can get funding support from government agencies like the RVO.nl to help us achieve that critical milestone of first silicon. A milestone that also opens the door to other investors who see the massive opportunity that is coming with 5G infrastructure demands”.
More information: https://www.semiblocks.com
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