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Synopsys bought Kilopass Technology to add its antifuse one-time-programmable (OTP) memory IP to Synopsys’ DesignWare non-volatile-memory portfolio. Announced on January 10, 2018, the deal broadened the memory options available to chip designers; its financial terms were not disclosed, and Synopsys said they were not material to its financials.
What Synopsys acquired
Kilopass developed semiconductor intellectual property (IP) for embedding non-volatile memory in system-on-chip designs. Its core offering used antifuse bit cells: circuits that can be programmed once to store data that remains when power is removed. Synopsys said the technology supported OTP instances up to 4 Mbit and process technologies from 180-nm to 7-nm. These were licensable design blocks for chipmakers, not standalone memory products for consumers.
At the time of the announcement, Synopsys described Kilopass as having more than 170 customers, more than 400 SoC designs and more than 10 billion units shipped. Those are figures reported by Synopsys in 2018, not current totals.
Why the deal mattered to Synopsys
The acquisition expanded Synopsys’ existing DesignWare OTP and multi-time-programmable (MTP) NVM offerings. That gave SoC designers access to additional embedded-memory IP for storing data such as device identifiers, security keys, calibration settings and code within a chip.
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Synopsys executive Joachim Kunkel said the combined portfolio was intended to address demand for “increased integration, higher densities, lower costs, better reliability, and improved security.” The announcement framed the strategic value around integration and design choices, rather than a disclosed purchase price or a promise of specific financial returns.
What Kilopass’ memory IP was used for
- Fuse replacement: OTP blocks can hold configuration or trim values otherwise stored in fuse structures.
- Security: Secure key storage, device identity, security engines and roots of trust were among the stated use cases.
- Code and settings: The portfolio targeted analog trim and code storage as well as identifiers.
Kilopass product descriptions included XPM NVM, a field-programmable OTP option positioned as an efuse replacement; Gusto NVM, described as a 4-Mbit embedded memory using a 2T antifuse bit cell for secure code storage; and SecretCode NVM, aimed at security engines and roots of trust. Intended markets included automotive, mobile, industrial and IoT products.
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How antifuse OTP differs from Flash or EEPROM
OTP memory is programmed once, whereas MTP memory can be programmed more than once. Embedded Flash and EEPROM are also rewritable technologies, but whether they suit a particular chip depends on design and manufacturing requirements. The acquisition announcement does not establish that antifuse OTP is universally smaller, lower-power, more secure or less costly than those alternatives.
For an SoC team choosing an embedded NVM approach, the relevant comparison is specific to the process and application:
- Programming: OTP is for data that does not need rewriting; MTP, Flash and EEPROM support repeated programming to varying degrees.
- Density and process portability: Compare the required capacity and the memory IP’s availability on the target manufacturing process. Synopsys stated Kilopass coverage from 180-nm to 7-nm, but that range alone does not prove support on every foundry or process variant.
- Power, area and integration: Evaluate the implementation in the intended SoC and process. The acquisition announcement emphasized these design goals but supplied no comparative measurements.
- Security and reliability: Consider the threat model, qualification evidence and use case rather than treating a memory type as secure by itself.
- Manufacturing requirements: Check whether an option needs extra mask layers or process steps; the acquisition announcement did not specify these requirements for all Kilopass IP.
What the public record says about qualification and earlier technology
In a 2011 announcement, Kilopass and GlobalFoundries reported that XPM OTP completed 1,000 hours of JEDEC high-temperature operating-life and high-temperature storage-life testing on a 0.13-µm process. Kilopass also said at that time that more than 2 billion units had shipped using its antifuse technology across 180-nm to 40-nm processes and more than 30 processes. These are historical company-reported figures; they are distinct from Synopsys’ broader 2018 adoption figures.
Kilopass also announced a vertical cross-point memory (VCM) bit cell in 2012, describing it as an approach to increase embedded NVM density for 20-nm-to-65-nm SoCs. The company said it could potentially replace serial Flash or EEPROM in applications requiring execute-in-place or extended battery operation. That announcement describes a proposed technology direction, not evidence that VCM was the basis of the 2018 acquisition.
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What was—and was not—disclosed
Synopsys announced the acquisition on January 10, 2018. It did not disclose the purchase price or other transaction terms, and said the deal was not material to its financials. The announcement explains the portfolio rationale and Kilopass’ reported reach, but does not provide a standalone valuation, revenue contribution or quantified forecast of savings or sales.
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