Cadence Fire & Ice QXC Verified for TSMC'S 90 Nanometer Technology.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 9, 2003

Leading Full-Chip Extractor Accurately Accounts for In-Die Process

Variations To Improve Performance and Yield in Nanometer Designs

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CDN) today announced that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (TSMC) has validated Cadence(R) Fire & Ice(R) QXC for the company's Nexsys process.

The evaluation verified that Fire & Ice QXC is an accurate full-chip extractor, tackling in-die process variations inherent in 90nm design. With new-generation 3-D models, Fire & Ice QXC correctly accounts for all copper and optical effects, enabling designers to reduce timing margins and improve the performance and yield of their designs. The verification of Fire & Ice QXC for the TSMC Nexsys process optimizes the silicon design chain for customers.

"Our collaboration with Cadence to verify Fire & Ice QXC allows mutual customers to take full advantage of TSMC's leading-edge process technologies," said Genda Hu, vice president of Corporate Marketing for TSMC.

"Fire & Ice QXC provides the highest levels of accuracy, quality and stability we have seen," said Greg Buchner, vice president of Engineering at ATI Technologies. "We conducted a run of our RADEON 9600 production design through the new release and results from Fire & Ice QXC clearly took into account all significant nanometer effects in the most advanced process we have taped out with so far. Fire & Ice QXC's improved accuracy allows us to design with smaller margins, which lead to faster designs. Our customers demand that we deliver the fastest graphics chips with the most advanced features, and Fire & Ice QXC is one of the key tools that allow us to meet their expectations."

"We are excited to see the successful results of Fire & Ice QXC when applied to TSMC's nanometer processes," said Charlie Huang, corporate vice president of Business Development at Cadence. "Our support of TSMC's processes confirms our leadership in parasitic extraction, providing customers critical solutions to their nanometer design issues."

Fire & Ice QXC integrates seamlessly with the Cadence Encounter(TM) digital IC design platform, including Cadence timing and signal integrity analysis and power verification solutions (SignalStorm(TM), CeltIC(TM) and VoltageStorm(R)). Used during place-and-route of complex ASIC/ASSP and SoC designs, Fire & Ice QXC extracts interconnect parasitic data directly into the SoC Encounter(TM) timing database format for timing and signal integrity analysis or in standard detailed standard parasitic format (DSPF) or standard parasitic exchange format (SPEF). Fire & Ice QXC also integrates easily with any standard place-and-route or analysis flow via industry standard file formats.

Availability

Fire & Ice QXC is available now. For pricing, contact your local Cadence office.

About Cadence

Cadence is the largest supplier of electronic design technologies, methodology services, and design services. Cadence solutions are used to accelerate and manage the design of semiconductors, computer systems, networking and telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, and a variety of other electronics-based products. With approximately 5,000 employees and 2002 revenues of approximately $1.3 billion, Cadence has sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CDN. More information about the company, its products and services is available at www.cadence.com.

Cadence, the Cadence logo, Fire & Ice, and VoltageStorm are registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and SoC Encounter, SignalStorm, and CeltIC are trademarks of Cadence. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.