Chartered, IBM and Samsung Announce Availability of DFM Support for Common Platform 65nm Technology

Leading EDA and DFM tool suppliers support open foundry approach to DFM

SINGAPORE, EAST FISHKILL, N.Y., and SEOUL, S. KOREA - March 30, 2006 - Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, International Business Machines Corporation, and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the availability of design-for-manufacturing (DFM) technology, models, design kits and data files from leading EDA and DFM suppliers in support of the companies' 65-nanometer (nm) Common Platform technology - a multi-company semiconductor process technology, enablement and cross manufacturing initiative at 90nm and 65nm. The announcement underscores the unprecedented openness and accessibility of the common platform model, and delivers new levels of insight into the shared manufacturing processes available to customers.

The capabilities and support - from Cadence Design Systems, Inc., Clear Shape Technologies, Magma Design Automation, Mentor Graphics, Ponte Solutions, and Synopsys, Inc.- provide not only additional functionality for verification of manufacturability, but also drive greater manufacturing awareness earlier in the design process. Augmenting existing design flows, the support facilitates faster ramp to volume and better yields on the 65nm processes available at each of the companies' manufacturing facilities.

Also available immediately is an up-to-date set of 65nm DFM layout guidelines, developed through shared-learning, for the Common Platform technology.

"We have created a differentiated solution empowering customers by allowing them to make relevant tradeoffs early on in the design cycle," stated Steve Longoria, vice president, Semiconductor Technology Platform for IBM Systems and Technology Group. "Through our jointly developed robust qualification processes, we have been and continue to evaluate the best industry tools for our growing DFM suite. The capabilities we can collectively deliver to our mutual clients address head-on the most critical issues and challenges for developing designs that will be manufacturing-friendly in leading-edge process technologies."

The broad-reaching support strengthens the cross-foundry platform with a complete solution that will help designers targeting the common 65nm process to make more informed design decisions that will lead to higher yields. The kits and models offer designers detailed views and guidelines for designing to the specific physical characteristics of the Common Platform parties' highly complex, integrated manufacturing processes.

"The common platform model is built on a philosophy of openness and our approach to DFM exemplifies that through the extent and depth of information we provide to our DFM companies in order to enable designers to have tighter control and predictability," said Kevin Meyer, vice president of worldwide marketing and platform alliances at Chartered. "We have redefined the industry standard for providing insight into a manufacturing process by putting relevant DFM information into the designers' hands. The net result is a further enhancement of the flexibility and accessibility benefits of the common platform for leading-edge manufacturing."

The Common Platform technology companies outlined their DFM strategy and roadmap in September 2005, highlighting the eight key areas of focus by the joint development teams. The collaborative effort addresses pressing design closure challenges, including timing, area, power, signal integrity, and manufacturability. The DFM capabilities are delivered through a series of rules- and model-based design kits that contain critical information required by designers to better predict the impact their decisions will have on a manufactured designs implemented in a variety of operating ranges, modes, and conditions.

Specific capabilities include:

• DFM checking decks for rules compliance checking from Mentor Graphics
• Critical area analysis to identify potential yield sensitivity hotspots from Ponte
• Lithography simulation across process windows to find hotspots at standard cell, IP and full-chip level using Mentor's Calibre LFD
• CMP modeling of full-chip thickness variation from Cadence
• Full-chip-level shape simulation and design-manufacturability-check from Clear Shape Technologies
• DFM support in place-and-route reference flows from Cadence, Magma, Synopsys

The DFM support also includes simultaneous yield and leakage optimization tool support from an unannounced DFM company.

The capabilities from the EDA and DFM suppliers benefit from a rigorous qualification process in all three companies' manufacturing environments, as well as the system-level design expertise the Common Platform technology companies bring with respect to DFM.

"By expanding our cooperation in 65nm process development and design enablement to include DFM flows and tools for the Common Platform technology, we continue to improve on the design compatibility across our fabs at the GDS level to include design optimization for higher yields," said Ana Hunter, vice president of technology for Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. "Depending on a customer's preference, these tools can be integrated directly in their design flow or offered as a service by any of the Common Platform technology companies."

The DFM support strengthens the Common Platform companies' design enablement strategy, which includes a set of common reference flows and technology kits that support the use of the most popular EDA tools, libraries and IP cores. The DFM offering builds on that ecosystem of support with a DFM Rules and Utility Kit and a DFM Model Kit that package a new range of capabilities available to designers.

About Chartered

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq: CHRT, SGX-ST: CHARTERED), one of the world's top dedicated semiconductor foundries, offers leading-edge technologies down to 65 nanometer (nm), enabling today's system-on-chip designs. The company further serves its customers' needs through a collaborative, joint development approach on a technology roadmap that extends to 45nm. Chartered's strategy is based on open and comprehensive design enablement solutions, manufacturing enhancement strategies, and a commitment to flexible sourcing. In Singapore, the company operates a 300mm fabrication facility and four 200mm facilities. Information about Chartered can be found at www.charteredsemi.com.

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing on resources from across IBM and key IBM Business Partners, IBM offers a wide range of services, solutions and technologies that help enable customers, large and small, to take full advantage of the new era of e-business on demand. For more information about IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com. For more information on IBM's on demand strategy, visit http://www.ibm.com/ondemand.

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2005 parent company sales of US$56.7 billion and net income of US$7.5 billion. Employing approximately 128,000 people in over 90 offices in 51 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com All trademarks or registered marks are property of their respective companies.