AMI Semiconductor and MOSIS Partner for Multi-Project Wafer and MOSIS Education Programs; Separate Chip Designs Consolidated and Manufactured on a Single Wafer for Low Cost Manufacturing
POCATELLO, Idaho—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Aug. 29, 2005—
AMI Semiconductor (Nasdaq:AMIS), a designer and
manufacturer of state-of-the-art integrated mixed-signal and
structured digital products for the automotive, medical and industrial
markets, today renewed its partnership with MOSIS, a prototype and low
volume production integrated circuit fabrication service, to
participate in the MOSIS multi-project wafer (MPW) program and MOSIS
education program (MEP). These programs provide access to wafers for
IC development, semiconductor prototyping and test chips as an
inexpensive method to prove out silicon to small businesses,
start-ups, educational facilities and other MOSIS customers.
Through the MPW program, development and manufacturing expenses
are shared across multiple MOSIS customers by consolidating separate
chip designs onto a single wafer. The wafers are processed in AMIS
fabs in a variety of mixed-signal/analog CMOS process technologies,
ranging from 1.5- to 0.35-micron.
AMIS will continue to provide a quarterly run of wafers at no cost
to MOSIS for use with its education program -- MEP. "We are proud to
have AMIS as a key sponsor of the MEP program," said Cesar Pina,
director of MOSIS. "The prototyping costs of many new designs make
them impractical to manufacture on a dedicated run basis. MOSIS' MEP
program, in conjunction with AMI Semiconductor's generosity, enables
educational facilities to bring these designs to life."
"Through its support of MEP, AMIS is helping to educate and train
future semiconductor design engineers," said Al Morrison, vice
president of AMI Semiconductor's mixed-signal foundry business.
"Graduating students and small or start-up businesses using these
programs represent possible future employees, partners or customers of
AMIS who will have experience designing and working with our
manufacturing processes."
With the support of AMIS, the MEP program supports more than 5,000
students per year and generates more than 1,000 designs per year.
These designs are used for classroom instruction and un-sponsored
research, giving engineering students hands-on, practical IC design
and manufacturing experience using AMIS technologies at an affordable
price.
"The whole U.S. IC design community owes MOSIS and AMIS a debt of
gratitude for the opportunities they are affording our students," said
Richard B. Brown, chairman of the MOSIS Advisory Council for Education
and dean of engineering at the University of Utah. "By providing
students access to real-world technology, AMIS enables them to test
the circuits that they have designed in class, gaining valuable
maturity as chip designers, as well as a great sense of
accomplishment. Without AMIS support, the number of IC design courses
and qualified engineering graduates would drop precipitously."
About MOSIS
MOSIS is part of the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) of the
University of Southern California. It provides prototyping and
short-run production access to technologies ranging from 1.5-micron
analog processes to 0.18-micron digital processes. MOSIS has
fabricated more than 50,000 integrated circuit designs for commercial
firms, government agencies and universities. For more information
about the MOSIS organization, please visit www.mosis.org.
About AMI Semiconductor
AMI Semiconductor (AMIS) is a leader in the design and manufacture
of silicon solutions for the real world. As a widely recognized
innovator in state-of-the-art integrated mixed-signal and structured
digital products, AMIS is committed to providing customers with the
optimal value, quickest time-to-market semiconductor solutions.
Offering unparalleled manufacturing flexibility and dedication to
customer service, AMI Semiconductor operates globally with
headquarters in Pocatello, Idaho, European corporate offices in
Oudenaarde, Belgium, and a network of sales and design centers located
in the key markets of North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific
region. For more information please visit the AMIS Web site at
www.amis.com.
Contact:
AMI Semiconductor, Pocatello
Tamera Drake, 208-234-6890
Email Contact
or
Shelton
Helen Garrett, 972-239-5119, x201
Email Contact
or
Jason Caldwell, 972-239-5119, x119
Email Contact
or
AMIS European Editorial Contact:
Pinnacle Marketing
Simon Flatt, +44-20-8869-9229
Email Contact
or
MOSIS Contact:
Wes Hansford, 310-448-9199
Email Contact
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