austriamicrosystems Announces New 12V process Option for its Advanced 0.35um SiGe-BiCMOS Technology.

A Further Step in Expanding austriamicrosystems' Leadership in SiGe-BiCMOS Technology

UNTERPREMSTAETTEN, Austria -- austriamicrosystems' (SWX:AMS) Full Service Foundry business unit today announced a further expansion of its leading edge 0.35um SiGe-BiCMOS (S35) process technology with the availability of a set of additional 12V devices. This new extension allows the integration of 2.7V, 3.3V, 5V and 12V devices on a single chip without any process changes.

The new 12V devices are a modular extension of austriamicrosystems' 0.35um SiBe-BiCMOS process with 100% compatibility to the base CMOS process which allows the re-use of IP Blocks from pure CMOS designs or existing designs on austriamicrosystems' 0.35um SiBe-BiCMOS process. New SiGe-BiCMOS designs utilizing the 12V devices can be started immediately and are supported by austriamicrosystems' well known foundry services like MPW runs allowing fast prototyping, engineering runs and high volume production in its state-of-the-art 200mm wafer fabrication facility.

The new devices allow high operating voltages for advanced high frequency operations, in particular NPNs with a BVceo of 14V and ft/fmax of 15/32 GHz and a RF-PLDMOS (P-type lateral extended MOS transistor) with a BVds of 18V and ft/fmax of 11/28GHz. Thus austriamicrosystems' enhanced SiGe-BiCMOS technology with complementary high voltage devices is a highly competitive solution for fabless design houses and IDMs developing products such as line drivers for xDSL modems, Ethernet applications, power amplifiers and broadband data transfer products.

"Offering 12V devices in 0.35um SiGe-BiCMOS technology strengthens our leading position in the RF arena and as an analog foundry service supplier," states Peter Gasteiner, Senior Vice President and General Manager Full Service Foundry. "With these new 12V devices we extend the range of potential applications for our SiGe-BiCMOS technology and therefore provide our customers a competitive solution for requirements which cannot be realized by any RF CMOS process technologies."

For its advanced SiGe-BiCMOS process, austriamicrosystems delivers its industry benchmark design environment ("HIT-Kit"), which comes complete with device generators, DRC rule set, I/O libraries, special utilities optimized for RF product design and excellent characterized circuit simulation models. The new devices are available as an add-on to the current version of the HIT-Kit.

About austriamicrosystems

austriamicrosystems' business unit Full Service Foundry has successfully positioned itself in the mixed-signal foundry market offering well-established RF CMOS, High-Voltage CMOS, BiCMOS and SiGe-BiCMOS processes. With superior support during the design phase, high-end tools and experienced engineers, austriamicrosystems succeeds to be an attractive analog/mixed-signal foundry partner especially for fabless design houses.

austriamicrosystems is a leading designer and manufacturer of high performance analog ICs, combining more than 25 years of analog design capabilities and system know-how with its own state-of-the-art manufacturing and test facilities. austriamicrosystems leverages its expertise in low power and high accuracy to provide industry-leading customized and standard analog products. Operating worldwide with more than 1,000 employees, austriamicrosystems focuses on the areas of power management, sensors & sensor interfaces, portable audio and car access in its markets Communications, Industry & Medical and Automotive, complemented by its Full Service Foundry activities. austriamicrosystems is listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange in Zurich (ticker symbol: AMS). For more information, please visit the web site at www.austriamicrosystems.com.