Chartered,
Tezzaron Team Up to Deliver Ultra High-Speed Memory Solution
Leading foundry, innovative chip designer will also collaborate
on breakthrough 3D ICs using wafer stacking approach
MILPITAS, Calif. - June 12, 2007
Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq: CHRT
and SGX-ST: Chartered), one of the world's top dedicated foundries, and
Tezzaron Semiconductor, a specialist in high-speed memory solutions and
three-dimensional (3D) wafer stacking processes, today announced that
Chartered is beginning to ramp production of Tezzaron's unique ultra
high-speed memory chips. In addition, the two companies are working on
the manufacture of Tezzaron's groundbreaking 3D devices, and hope to see
them become the first 3D ICs to be manufactured in volume.
Chartered is manufacturing Tezzaron's 3T-iRAM™
family of two-dimensional 72Mb memory devices. These parts use
proprietary technology that mimics today's fastest electronic memory
(SRAM) but provides even greater speed and higher reliability while
drawing less power. The devices will be packaged with industry-standard
interfaces so that equipment suppliers can swap them into their current
products with no design changes. Chartered worked closely with Tezzaron
to support the development of this product to improve its
manufacturability and reduce manufacturing costs. The devices, built on
Chartered's 0.13-micron process, are well-suited for applications such
as telecom and datacom equipment.
"Chartered has shown a willingness to work with
us and push the envelope on some new approaches that we believe hold
great potential for the entire IC industry," said J.T. Ayers, CEO
of Tezzaron. "We are very pleased with the results achieved with
our 3T-iRAM family of SRAM replacement devices. Chartered's capabilities
have been instrumental in implementing them with the reliability and
cost model we require. We believe 3D technology can directly address the
growing interconnect and real estate issue in today's complex chips, and
it's assuring to have a partner like Chartered to demonstrate its
commercial viability in volume production."
The promise of 3D ICs is the potential to improve
performance, density, and error resistance capabilities over traditional
two-dimensional methods. With Tezzaron's FaStack® technology, device
circuitry is divided into sections that are built onto separate wafers
using standard processing. Chartered enables 3D stacking of these wafers
by building hundreds of thousands of Tezzaron's embedded thru-silicon
interconnections, called Super-Contacts™, into the circuitry on each
wafer. The wafers are then aligned with a precision of 0.5-micron,
bonded, thinned, and diced into individual devices. Unlike many 3D
solutions that connect only at the I/O pads, a FaStack chip functions as
a single device due to its abundant internal Super-Contacts.
The first products manufactured at Chartered using
this approach will be the proven 72Mb memory device, currently in
production, which will be double stacked to create a 144Mb SRAM
replacement product. The increased density of this product will allow
system developers to use fewer components, create simpler designs,
reduce cost and power requirements, make testing easier, and still keep
pace with the ever-accelerating demand for more computer memory.
"Tezzaron is driving innovative solutions with
its memory technologies and unique 3D wafer stacking method, and
Chartered is pleased to be Tezzaron's innovation partner in delivering
these solutions to the market. By working closely with Tezzaron,
Chartered has been able to develop a reliable manufacturing approach to
produce 3D ICs," said Mike Rekuc, president of the Americas at
Chartered. "We look forward to working with Tezzaron to further the
development of this type of technology, delivering solutions and more
value to the industry as a whole."
Chartered and Tezzaron will continue to enhance the 3D
IC designs and build them into wafers produced by Chartered. Tezzaron
plans to offer many types of 3D IC memories in two, three, and even five
layers, using their NanoTSV™ (nanoscale thru-silicon via) technology
to enable ultra-high capacity devices and chips with built-in repair
capabilities.
About Chartered
Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (NASDAQ: CHRT, SGX-ST:
CHARTERED), one of the world's top dedicated semiconductor foundries,
offers leading-edge technologies down to 65 nanometer (nm), enabling
today's system-on-chip designs. The company further serves the needs of
customers through its collaborative, joint development approach on a
technology roadmap that extends to 32nm. Chartered's strategy is based
on open and comprehensive design enablement solutions, manufacturing
enhancement methodologies, and a commitment to flexible sourcing. In
Singapore, the company operates a 300mm fabrication facility and four
200mm facilities. Information about Chartered can be found at http://www.charteredsemi.com.
About Tezzaron
Tezzaron® Semiconductor (USA and Singapore) specializes in
high-speed memory products, 3D wafer stacking processes, and other
innovations that propel the semiconductor industry toward higher
performance and greater profitability. The company has produced
extremely fast memory prototypes and has demonstrated the world's first
successful wafer-stacked 3D ICs, including stacked microprocessors,
stacked DRAM, stacked sensors, and stacked SRAM devices. Information
about Tezzaron is available at http://www.tezzaron.com
Chartered Safe Harbor Statement under the
provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995:
This news release may contain forward-looking
statements, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could
cause actual results to differ materially. Among the factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially are: customer demands, changes
in the market outlook and trends or specific products; competition from
other foundries; unforeseen delays, interruptions and performance level
in our fabrication facilities; changes in capacity plans, changes in
allocation and process technology mix, and the unavailability of
materials, equipment, manpower and expertise; the successful
implementation of our collaboration with Tezzaron; demand and supply
outlook in the semiconductor market and the economic conditions in the
United States as well as globally. Although we believe the expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable
assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be
attained. In addition to the foregoing factors, a description of certain
other risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ
materially can be found in "Item 3. Key Information -- D. Risk
Factors" in our company's 2006 Annual Report on Form 20-F filed
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not
to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which
reflect our management's current analysis of future events. We undertake
no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
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