MAGMA DISTRIBUTES TSMC LIBRARIES FOR SOC DESIGNS.

Magma Design Automation, Inc. (Nasdaq:LAVA), Cupertino, Calif., a provider of chip design solutions, will distribute advanced technology libraries developed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). The distribution agreement allows Magma to offer TSMC's 0.13-micron and Nexsys(SM) 90-nanometer libraries to both companies' mutual customers, integrated with Magma's design automation software. With this combination, designers will be able to fully exploit Blast Fusion's optimization capabilities to deliver better quality of results (QOR) and accelerate the design cycle, for smaller, faster chips with greater functionality.

Magma and TSMC worked closely together to validate the libraries in Magma's design environment, from RTL to tape-out-quality GDSII. This demonstrates that Magma software supports TSMC's manufacturing rules for 90-nanometer technology, such as complex antenna rules, via farm rules and metal rules for nine layers of metal routing.

"TSMC's goal for our Library Alliance is to team up with the industry's best to provide high-quality libraries," said Genda Hu, vice president of marketing at TSMC. "Additional value that Magma brings to the design community through this partnership with TSMC is that they can now integrate these process-tuned libraries directly to their proven EDA tools, to improve faster time to volume."

"With the advent of nanometer technology, designers need a solution that integrates library design with physical design and design for manufacturing," said Nitin Deo, vice president of business development for Magma. "With the FixedTiming(R) methodology, integrated architecture and a complete IC implementation solution, Magma's system leverages TSMC's silicon-tuned libraries to enable users to achieve better quality of results and a faster path from RTL to silicon."

Tuned to Magma Flow

The integration of Magma's design flow with TSMC's libraries resulted in some optimization of the TSMC libraries. Using feedback from Magma's library analysis tools, TSMC was able to optimize cell drive strengths and tweak the physical and electrical parameters of the cells, resulting in an expanded range of capabilities for design closure.

Pricing and Availability

The TSMC 0.13-micron and Nexsys(SM) 90-nanometer libraries are available now from Magma. The libraries are available at no charge but require a fee-based support contract from Magma. Those interested in obtaining the TSMC libraries should contact Magma's sales representatives or e-mail [e-mail].

About TSMC

TSMC is the world's largest dedicated semiconductor foundry, providing the industry's leading process technology and the foundry industry's largest portfolio of process-proven library, IP, design tools and reference flows. The company operates one advanced 300mm wafer fab, five eight-inch fabs and one six-inch wafer fab. TSMC also has substantial capacity commitments at two joint venture fabs (Vanguard and SSMC) and at its wholly owned subsidiary, WaferTech. In early 2001, TSMC became the first IC manufacturer to announce a 90-nanometer technology alignment program with its customers. TSMC's corporate headquarters are in Hsin-Chu, Taiwan.

For more information about TSMC go to http://www.tsmc.com or call 408/578-1783.

About Magma Design Automation

Magma software is used to design fast, multimillion-gate integrated circuits, providing the "Fastest Path from RTL to Silicon"(TM) to enable chip designers to reduce the time required to produce complex ICs. Magma's products for prototyping, synthesis, and place & route provide a single executable for RTL-to-GDSII chip design. The company's Blast Fusion(TM), Blast Fusion APX(TM), Blast Plan(TM), Blast Noise(R) and Blast RTL(TM) products utilize Magma's proprietary FixedTiming(R) methodology and single data model architecture to reduce the timing-closure iterations often required between the logic and physical processes in conventional IC design flows.

Magma maintains headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., as well as sales and support facilities in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego, Calif.; Boston, Mass.; Durham, N.C.; Austin and Dallas, Texas; Newcastle, Wash.; and in Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. The company's stock trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LAVA.

For more information, visit http://www.magma-da.com or call 408/864-2027.