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Chartered Uses
"Communications-Smart" Approach to
Deliver 0.13-Micron
Capability
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Leading foundry to offer more SOC capacity for high
performance applications
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MILPITAS, CA and SINGAPORE, September 19, 2000 - Chartered Semiconductor
Manufacturing (Nasdaq:CHRT and SGX-ST:Chartered), one of the world's top three
silicon foundries, today detailed major milestones and capabilities for its
0.13-micron manufacturing process. The 0.13-micron technology offering
includes a suite of application-specific transistor options that are optimized
for key communications solutions. The first in a series of technology
platforms targeting performance-driven systems on chip, the all-copper, low-k
dielectric 0.13-micron process will be ready for early adopter customers in
the fourth quarter of this year, prototype designs in the second quarter of
2001, and ramp up to pilot production one quarter later.
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This announcement follows the August disclosure of the Company's strategic
alliance with communications semiconductor leader Lucent Technologies
Microelectronics Group. A joint Bell Labs and Chartered team of R&D
engineers are tuning the Chartered 0.13-micron process to the rigorous
performance, silicon density, and reliability requirements of communications
applications. Chartered believes its "communications-smart" approach to
silicon manufacturing will produce robust, reliable solutions that are
especially well suited for communications products, as well as consumer and
peripheral electronics.
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Dr. John Martin, Chartered's chief technology officer, described the new
0.13-micron process at the Company's annual Technology Forum in Santa Clara,
California today, and also revealed preliminary research and development
results for its multi-generation roadmap down to 0.08-micron.
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The New Frontier
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"Simply providing state-of-the-art process geometries is no longer enough
of a competitive edge, nor is it a long-term customer strategy," said Jim
Feldhan, president of Semico Research and the keynote speaker at Chartered's
Technology Forum. "Chartered is taking a progressive approach by focusing on
specific market segments. They have lined up the right partners and have the
right technical vision to service customers in dynamic markets like broadband
communications, wireless and networking."
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Echoing this point, Chartered's president and CEO Barry Waite told
Technology Forum attendees, "The industry is on the verge of a whole new
frontier of opportunity fueled in large part by the communications revolution.
Winning the time-to-production, time-to-market, and time-to-revenue race
requires that today's pioneers reshape business models, forge new alliances,
and initiate unprecedented levels of collaboration."
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Primed for System-on-Chip
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Building on both Chartered's proven practice of offering plug-in modules
for baseline technology and the application expertise of Lucent's Bell Labs
developers, customers will benefit from communications-smart modules for
embedded memory, mixed-signal, and/or RFCMOS applications. Key features
include a high-speed option targeted at the broadband data communications
segment, as well as a low-power, low-leakage option optimized for wireless
applications. The RFCMOS and mixed-signal offering is a continuation of
Chartered's comprehensive roadmap for emerging Bluetooth market solutions. It
will also be supported by Chartered's global network of electronic design
automation (EDA) partners.
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"In-depth analysis proves that Chartered's 0.13-micron technology is
primed for system on chip. The device and interconnect design rules are
excellent. They enable maximum gate-packing density and very high utilization,
so you can put lots of transistors on a single chip. Our studies yielded
calculations in the range of 260,000 raw gates per square mm, which in our
experience, is close to the practical limit of 0.13-micron solutions," said
Tushar Gheewala, president and CEO of In-Chip Systems, Inc., a silicon
architecture company.
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"The communications segment of the semiconductor industry is the fastest
growing, and is also the most demanding in terms of expertise, reliability,
and quality. We targeted this segment as the benchmark for ensuring that our
foundation technology for system on chip meets the needs of the full spectrum
of high performance applications across market segments," added Chartered's
Dr. Martin.
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Since 1997, Chartered has seen an increasing percentage of its production
shift to communications-related markets, with shipments to companies in this
segment accounting for 52 percent of revenues for the 12 months ending June
2000.
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About Chartered
Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing is one of
the world's top three silicon foundries. The Company's business model is
distinguished by its strategy to build trusted long-term relationships, where
manufacturing is part of a larger customer-service focus that includes joint
development and implementation of new process technologies supporting novel
applications within the broad communications market. Chartered operates five
semiconductor fabrication facilities at its Singapore headquarters, with a
sixth fab under construction.
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A company with both global presence and perspective, Chartered is traded
on both the Nasdaq Stock Market in the United States (NASDAQ:CHRT) and on the
Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited in Singapore (SGX-ST:CHARTERED).
The Company reported 1999 revenues of US$694.3 million. More than 3400
Chartered employees are based at 11 locations around the world.
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Chartered Safe Harbor Statement under the provisions of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
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This news release contains forward-looking statements, as defined in
the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including without
limitation, the statements relating to the availability of Chartered's
0.13-micron technology process, the appropriateness of its business strategy
and technology roadmap reflect our current views with respect to future events
and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual
results to differ materially from those anticipated. For example, changes in
the market outlook, customer demand, and the availability of materials,
equipment and manpower could affect the above-mentioned forward-looking
statements. Although Chartered believes the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give
no assurance that its expectations will be attained. A description of certain
of the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements can be found
in the section captioned "Risk Factors" in the Chartered's Annual Report on
Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Chartered
undertakes 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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