Atmel and Tower Semiconductor Announce Joint CMOS Image Sensor Technology and Product Development Agreement; Tower's 0.18-Micron Technology Will Be Used in Atmel's Next-Generation CMOS Image Sensor Products.SAN JOSE San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif. & MIGDAL HAEMEK Migdal HaEmek (Hebrew: מִגְדַּל הָעֶמֶק, also officially spelt Migdal HaEmeq, Arabic: , Israel -- Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq:ATML ATML Automatic Test Markup Language ATML Automated Test Markup Language ), a global leader in the development and fabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´sh  n),n the construction or making of a restoration. of advanced semiconductor solutions, and Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (Nasdaq:TSEM TSEM Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (stock symbol) TSEM Transmission Scanning Electron Microscopy TSEM TOW System Evaluation Missile )(TASE TASE Tel Aviv Stock Exchange TASE The All Seeing Eye TASE Tactical Air Support Element TASE Thrust Assessment Support Environment TASE Telecontrol Application Service Elements (IEC communications protocol) :TSEM), a pure-play independent specialty foundry, announced today that they have agreed on a CMOS image sensor A CMOS-based chip that records the intensities of light as variable charges similar to a CCD chip. Although initially used in less expensive digital cameras, the quality of CMOS sensors has improved steadily. CMOS sensors have advantages over CCDs. technology development partnership. Atmel and Tower will work together to design and develop process technology predominantly to be used in consumer products. Under the agreement, both companies have rights to use the jointly developed technology. Tower revenue from this agreement will be from foundry wafer sales and is expected to start in 2006. Tower and Atmel will be developing CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) Pronounced "c-moss." The most widely used integrated circuit design. It is found in almost every electronic product from handheld devices to mainframes. image sensor-related processes, including technology modules specifically designed for advanced photodiode A light sensor (photodetector) that allows current to flow in one direction from one side to the other when it absorbs photons (light). The more light, the more the current. Used to detect light pulses in optical fibers and other light-sensitive applications, it works the opposite of a structures. Process development and fabrication activities will be carried out at Tower's Fab2 in Migdal Haemek, Israel. Atmel's engineering team in Grenoble, France, will perform circuit and pixel design and productization activities. "We're excited to be teaming with Tower on design and development efforts to produce cutting-edge CMOS image sensors," said Jean-Philippe Lamarcq, Imaging Product Line director of Atmel. "As our customers' technology demands get more sophisticated, we realize the value of working with a specialized foundry that has a well-deserved reputation for manufacturing state-of-the-art CMOS image sensors." "Partnering with Atmel, which brings years of image sensor experience in both CCD CCD in full charge-coupled device Semiconductor device in which the individual semiconductor components are connected so that the electrical charge at the output of one device provides the input to the next device. and CMOS technologies, will benefit both Tower and its customers by creating innovative technologies to produce a wide variety of advanced CMOS image sensors," said Cliff Drowley, vice president of Tower's CMOS Image Sensor Technology Line. "We are excited to be working with Atmel to create next-generation solutions." About Atmel Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest intellectual property (IP) portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with complete system solutions. Focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets, Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere You Are(R). (C) Atmel Corporation 2005. All rights reserved. Atmel(R), logo and combinations thereof, Everywhere You Are(R) and others, are registered trademarks and others are the trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others. About Tower Semiconductor Ltd. Tower Semiconductor Ltd. is a pure-play independent wafer foundry established in 1993. The company manufactures integrated circuits with geometries ranging from 1.0 to 0.13 micron; it also provides complementary technical services and design support. In addition to digital CMOS process technology, Tower offers advanced non-volatile memory solutions, mixed-signal and CMOS image-sensor technologies. To provide world-class customer service, the company maintains two manufacturing facilities: Fab 1 has process technologies from 1.0 to 0.35 micron and can produce up to 16,000 150mm wafers per month. Fab 2 features 0.18-micron and below standard and specialized process technologies, and has the current capacity of up to 15,000 200mm wafers per month. Tower's Web site is located at http://www.towersemi.com/. Safe Harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary from those projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) the successful completion of the development by Atmel and Tower of the CMOS image-sensor process technologies to be utilized in Tower's facility, (ii) market acceptance and competitiveness of the products to be manufactured by Tower for Atmel using these technologies and (iii) the successful ramp-up of production of the developed technologies. A complete discussion of risks and uncertainties that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements included in this press release or which may otherwise affect our business is included under the heading "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Forms 20-F and 6-K, as were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Israel Securities Authority The Israel Securities Authority (ISA) is Israel's securities regulator. Its Chairman since 2002 is Moshe Tery. Establishment The ISA was established pursuant to the Securities Law, 5728-1968. . Information: Information on Atmel can be retrieved at: http://www.atmel.com. Information on Tower can be retrieved at: http://www.towersemi.com/. |
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