Chartered Teams With Virage Logic To Support 0.13 Micron Designs With High-Performance Memory Solutions.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

FREMONT, Calif. & MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 5, 2001

Companies leverage long-standing relationship to provide enhanced performance and accuracy in memory-rich chip designs

Virage Logic Corp. (Nasdaq:VIRL) and Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq:CHRT) (SGX-ST:CHARTERED) today announced efforts to develop Virage Logic's Custom-Touch ASAP embedded memory compilers for Chartered's all-copper, low-k dielectric, 0.13 micron "communications-smart" manufacturing process. The agreement provides chip designers utilizing the new Chartered process with enhanced performance and accuracy for designs containing embedded memory.

Chartered's communications-smart technology strategy, which is tuned to the needs of the high-growth and technically demanding communications segments of the electronics industry, requires an application-specific approach to dealing with memory-intensive chip designs typical of today's high-speed and mobile communications products. Virage Logic's ASAP embedded memory is optimized for density, speed and low power. The companies' relationship will enable Chartered's customers to gain access to Virage Logic's offerings, which are intended to provide improvements aimed at enhanced reliability and manufacturability.

In order to achieve the highest level of system reliability and to keep power consumption in the idle state as low as possible to extend battery life, Virage Logic has made several architectural improvements to minimize gate leakage current and to keep idle power consumption under check. For instance, Virage Logic has designed more robust memories with detailed layout guidelines. In addition, the company has included proprietary technology that minimizes the possibility of data corruption through the addition of sense amplifiers that operate at the lower voltages typical of the 0.13-micron process.

"Chartered was the first foundry to work with Virage Logic, and we remain committed to working with them as we advance our process technology," said Michael Buehler-Garcia, vice president of marketing and worldwide EDA at Chartered. "The production-proven and reliable memory solutions they offer are of great benefit to our customers who value the efficiency and reliability of the Virage Logic family of embedded memories."

"Chartered is a key partner for us and their communications-smart processes are a valuable way for us to reach important customers of our technology. The close working relationship we enjoy with their teams has allowed us to develop critical solutions for our mutual customers," said Vin Ratford, vice president of marketing at Virage Logic. "We are pleased to be able to continue the progress we've achieved with earlier processes, and look forward to defining new and improved approaches in the future."

Chartered, which has an extensive network of electronic design automation (EDA) and intellectual property (IP) partners, has reached an agreement with Virage Logic to jointly define a memory solution based on mutual customer input. These solutions are designed to consider such issues as redundancy and optimized core, bit-cell sizes. Previous generations of the Virage Logic compilers have been used successfully for designs manufactured with Chartered's 0.35-micron through 0.18-micron processes.

Within the ASAP compiler family, Virage Logic has the following compilers available in the Chartered 0.13 micron process: 1- and 2-port register files, 1-port high-density SRAM and dual port high-density SRAM. The Chartered 0.13 micron design kit for early adopters is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2001, and target availability for silicon-validated compilers from Virage Logic is the third quarter of 2001.

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.

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 2000 revenues of over US$1.1 billion. More than 4,300 Chartered employees are based at 11 locations around the world. Information about Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing can be found at www.charteredsemi.com.

About Virage Logic

Virage Logic is a technology and market leader in embedded memory. To meet custoerm design goals with the highest level of quality, Virage Logic products are production tested, and optimized for area, power and spped. These products include embedded memory cores, which are critical componets of communications, consumer and computer products including switches, routers, modems, cellular phones, set-top boxes, HDTVs, DVD players and PCs. In addition, the company offers software tools and custom memory design services. The company's customers include fabless semiconductor companies targeting pure-play foundries and semiconductor companies. Founded in Janaury 1996, the company has over 140 employees and is located at 46501 Landing Pkwy., Fremont, Calif., 94538. Telephone [phone] (toll free) or [phone]. Fax: [phone]. For more information, please visit www.viragelogic.com.