X-FAB Collaborates with Cadence to Accelerate Analog and Mixed-Signal

X-FAB Collaborates with Cadence to Accelerate Analog and Mixed-Signal Designs

    Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

    ERFURT, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2005--

Leading Mixed-Signal Foundry and EDA Supplier Work Together to Deliver Process Design Kits to Lower Customer Development Time and Costs
    X-FAB Semiconductor Foundries AG, one of the world's leading independent analog mixed-signal semiconductor foundries, today announced a collaborative agreement with Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CDN) (Nasdaq:CDN). X-FAB will work closely with Cadence to build and deliver comprehensive design kits for analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) targeting mainstream and advanced process technologies.
    "The proliferation of consumer electronics, including wireless technology, has driven an increase in mixed-signal content within complex system-on-chips (SoCs)," said Jan Willis, Senior Vice President, Industry Alliances, at Cadence. "To address this increased complexity, design chain collaboration is critical to produce silicon-validated reference flows and process design kits (PDKs) that ease the challenges designers are facing. The combination of jointly developed PDKs with X-FAB and our proven analog and mixed-signal solutions enables mixed-signal chip designers to integrate more functionality onto a single chip."
    "The strategic alliance between Cadence and X-FAB helps us to provide mixed-signal design kits targeted to the challenging needs of this growing mixed-signal market segment," said Hans-Juergen Straub, CEO of X-FAB Group. "This alliance enables engineers using the Cadence(R) Virtuoso(R) custom design platform to have a smooth and efficient path from design through physical implementation. Our customers will benefit with faster time to market with lower risk and shorter design cycle times."
    Fully qualified mixed-signal design kits, including physical verification runsets for Cadence's mixed-signal design flow, are offered through X-FAB's online service, X-TIC. PDKs from X-FAB are available for all offered technologies from 1.0 micron down to 0.35 micron, with voltage ranges from 1.0 V up to 650 V on CMOS and BiCMOS processes. Each process family has add-on modules that offer an incredible variety of process combinations.
    High-performance process modules, well-defined primitive devices, and accurate device models are critical to the success of analog and mixed-signal designs. X-FAB, with more than 36 years of experience in silicon manufacturing, offers CMOS and BiCMOS mixed-signal semiconductor technologies at three different locations. The company offers high-quality, high-performance process technologies, excellent technical support and fast, easy and flexible access to manufacturing capabilities.
    More information about X-FAB and its collaboration with Cadence can be found at: http://www.cadence.com/partners/foundry_program/index.aspx?lid= foundries (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists).

    About X-FAB

    X-FAB Semiconductor Foundries AG, headquartered in Erfurt, Germany, is an independent analog/mixed-signal foundry manufacturing silicon wafers for analog-digital integrated circuits (mixed-signal ICs) on customer order. The company maintains production facilities in Erfurt (Germany), Plymouth (UK) and Lubbock, Texas (US), and employs approximately 1,000 people worldwide. Wafers are manufactured based on ultra-modern modular CMOS- and BiCMOS- processes with technologies ranging from 1.0 down to 0.35 micron. Main application areas are the automotive, communications, consumer and industrial sectors. More information is available at www.xfab.com.

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CONTACT: X-FAB Semiconductor Foundries AG Thomas Hartung, +49-361-427-6160 thomas.hartung@xfab.com or ThinkBold Corporate Communications Sarah Miller, 978-369-9675 sarah@thinkbold.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA GERMANY INTERNATIONAL EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE MANUFACTURING SOFTWARE PRODUCT MARKETING AGREEMENTS EDA SOURCE: X-FAB Semiconductor Foundries AG

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