Behind the scenes, ST’s semiconductor solutions contribute to improving every aspect of daily life:
The Company’s rich portfolio of products and technologies is designed to support its corporate vision, which is based on two pillars:
to be the clear world leader in power applications and multimedia convergence.
Power applications are those that manage flows of electricity in industrial automation systems, in automobiles, in lighting, or in a large variety of household appliances, while multimedia convergence controls the way audio, video and telecommunications data is disseminated in the age of the Internet, where consumers increasingly expect a fully connected wireless world, with information and entertainment available at any time, in any place, on any device.
Within this vision, ST is also placing a strong focus on three key challenges facing the world today: energy saving
, affordable and more accessible healthcare
and security and data protection.
ST serves its customers in these areas with five main blocks of products
, namely:
Power Devices
ST offers a wide range of discrete and smart power products and has a solid worldwide leadership position in this field. It is one of the world's leading suppliers of discrete power devices with a product range including power transistors, EMI filtering and signal conditioning, diodes, protection devices, thyristors and AC switches.
ST offers two families of smart power technologies: VIPower is a family of proprietary ST technologies in which a discrete power structure is integrated with analog and digital control and diagnostic circuitry, resulting in a device that combines the robustness of discrete technology with integrated control and diagnostic circuitry. The second is ST’s BCD (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) technology combines bipolar, CMOS and DMOS processes, allowing additional system functions, such as voltage regulators, communication interfaces, as well as multiple-load drivers, to be integrated along with logic circuitry in a single device.
MEMS and Advanced Analog ICs
MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) devices include silicon motion sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and compasses, and pressure sensors and silicon microphones. MEMS-based motion sensors are now finding new applications in game controllers, medical equipment, and a whole spectrum of portable equipment.
ST’s advanced analog portfolio includes high-performance power management ICs, lighting ICs, motor control ICs, sensors (touch, proximity, temperature), photovoltaic power conversion ICs, low-power RF transceivers, power-line communication, battery monitoring, clocks and timing circuits and mixed-signal ICs.
Microcontrollers and Embedded Microprocessors
ST offers a full range of microcontroller families. These include general-purpose
8-bit and 32-bit microcontrollers, secure
microcontrollers for applications such as bank cards, IT Security, e-Government, Public Transport, and Mobile Communications, dedicated microcontrollers for automotive
applications, and a series of embedded microprocessors
for various applications in industrial, computing and communications markets.
ASICs / ASSPs
ST’s ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) and ASSP (Application-Specific Standard Product) devices range from very complex chips based on the most advanced CMOS technology to BiCMOS technologies used, for example, for optical cable applications and radio frequency applications. ST’s ASIC and ASSP portfolio includes many types of application-specific products optimized for applications in the key growth segments of Digital Consumer, Computer Peripherals, Automotive and Industrial. ST is also a key supplier to the Wireless Terminals industry via ST-Ericsson, a 50/50 joint venture focusing on semiconductors and platforms for mobile applications.
Platforms
Platforms are complete solutions that build upon ASSP chips by adding reference designs, board support packages, application software, and manufacturing tools and specifications. Platforms are transforming the Company from an ASSP supplier into a supplier of overall solutions that allow customers to minimise development costs and time to market while retaining the ability to differentiate their products. Examples include ST’s advanced set-top box and TV platforms delivering high-definition content and rich services to end users, as well as the wireless platform offered via ST-Ericsson.
Rounding out the portfolio
In addition to the five main product blocks above, ST also offers many other types of products, including:
December 2010
