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SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 4, 2001-- Atmel® Corporation (Nasdaq:ATML) announced today that it has introduced the world's lowest cost, RISC-based programmable system-on-a-chip (SoC); the AT94K05 micro-FPSLIC. With volume unit pricing under $5, Atmel's newest Field Programmable System Level IC is the first programmable SoC to offer 20+ MIPS performance in a programmable SoC, with ASIC-level pricing and ultra-low power consumption. Micro-FPSLIC consumes only 50 uA in standby mode and 2 to 3 mA/MHz during operation, a fraction of the power of any other programmable SoC available today.

The micro-FPSLIC programmable SoC integrates, on a single chip, a high performance 8-bit AVR RISC processor, peripherals that include UARTS, timer/counters, oscillators, I/O ports, 8x8 multiplier and a two-wire serial interface plus 5,000 gates of AT40K FPGA, and 20 Kbytes of program and dual port data SRAM.

Atmel was the first vendor to introduce a RISC-based programmable system-on-a-chip in 1999 with its AT94K40 FPSLIC device. Micro-FPSLIC is the third in a family of FPSLIC products that bring the advantages of user-programmability to system-on-chip design.

According to Martin Mason, Atmel's Programmable SLI Marketing Manager, ``Our goal, when we introduced FPSLIC, was to be able to replace masked ASICs in the system-on-a-chip market with a competitive programmable solution. With the introduction of micro-FPSLIC and our complete suite of SoC design tools, we have achieved that goal.''

``Atmel's micro-FPSLIC offers substantial advantages over ASIC solutions, including the elimination of NRE charges, expensive tools and the long time-to-market issues associated with custom ASICs, including Fab through out times, debug cycles, and inability to make field updates. Micro-FPSLIC offers the combination of high performance, low power and low cost required for high volume portable, industrial and consumer products. ''Unlike other programmable SoCs, which sell between $35 and $1,000, micro-FPSLIC offers ASIC-level pricing of less than $5 for a programmable system solution,`` Mason concluded.

High Performance RISC Processor -- The heart of micro-FPSLIC is the 20+ MIPS AVR RISC processor with hardware multiplier. Similar to the ARM Thumb, the AVR is a pipelined RISC processor. The micro-FPSLIC's 129 instructions are optimized so that nearly all the processor's functions can be executed in a single clock cycle, resulting in very compact code size, higher system performance, and lower power consumption.

With a fixed 16-bit instruction, 8-bit data, and the capability to perform very efficient 32-bit math, the combination of the AVR's very dense code and single cycle instructions give it performance characteristics that compare favorably to many 32-bit processors running at the same clock speed. This exceptional performance allows designers to make trade-offs between throughput and power consumption, when designing portable consumer products.

Low cost comprehensive tools -- Atmel's System Designer(TM) EDA tool suite seamlessly integrates Atmel's FPGA design tools, Exemplar® Lenonardo® Synthesis, MTI® HDL simulator and AVR Studio® debugging tools. In addition designers can use the supplied co-verification tools to simulate C or assembly language microcontroller code with the FPGA HDL code, as well as evaluate hardware and software tradeoffs early in the design cycle.

Pricing, Packages & Availability -- micro-FPSLIC (AT94K05AL) is available now in 84 PLCC, 100 VQFP (Very thin Quad Flat Pack), 144 TQFP (Thin QFP) and 208 PQFP package. Micro-FPSLIC prices start at $7.00 now and will be $4.95 in quantities of 100,000 in 2002.

Prices for Atmel's System Design programmable SoC tool suite start at $495.

About Atmel

Founded in 1984, Atmel Corporation is headquartered in San Jose, California with manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe. Atmel designs, manufactures and markets worldwide, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and RF semiconductors. Atmel is also a leading provider of system-level integration semiconductor solutions using CMOS, BiCMOS, bipolar SiGe, and high-voltage BCDMOS process technologies.

Atmel product and financial information can be retrieved from its Fax-on-Demand service. In North America call 800/292-8635. Internationally from a fax phone, dial 408/441-0732. Requests may be sent via e-mail to literature@atmel.com or by visiting Atmel's website at www.atmel.com.

Note to Editors: Atmel, the Atmel logo and combinations thereof are registered trademarks and others contained herein, are trademarks of Atmel Corporation. Terms and product names in this document may be the trademarks of others.

     Atmel, San Jose
     Martin Mason, 408/436-4178
     Programmable SLI Marketing Manager
     mmason@atmel.com
     Clive Over, 408/451-2855
     Director of Advertising and Public Relations
     cliveover@atmel.com