SMIC and Magma Announce Availability of Enhanced Reference Flow for SMIC's 90-Nanometer Low-Power Process
18 October 2007 - 6:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Blast Power-based Solution Uses SMIC's Multi-threshold CMOS
Technology and Magma's Low-power Flow to Optimize Dynamic Power and
Minimize Leakage Power SHANGHAI, China and SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct.
18 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International
Corporation ("SMIC", NYSE: SMI; HKSE: 981), one of the leading
foundries in the world, and Magma(R) Design Automation Inc.
(NASDAQ:LAVA), a provider of semiconductor design software, jointly
announced today the availability of an enhanced low-power IC
implementation reference flow for SMIC's 90-nanometer (nm) process
featuring Magma's Blast Power(TM), Blast Fusion(R) and Blast
Create(TM). The SMIC-Magma flow utilizes SMIC's 90-nm standard cell
and IO libraries with multi-threshold CMOS (MTCMOS) technology,
along with Magma's low-power design flow, automatic switched domain
creation, retention flip-flop insertion, and power analysis for
active and sleep modes. These technologies coupled with SMIC's
advanced 90nm technology enhance the customers' design by
optimizing dynamic power and minimizing leakage power. Blast Power,
a key component of Magma's low-power design methodology, uses
MTCMOS switches that control leakage power by connecting global
constant power rails to local switched power rails. These switches
effectively allow certain blocks in the design to be powered off
depending on the mode of operation of the chip, thereby
significantly reducing leakage power. It also meets leakage power
requirements with libraries that automatically select the cells
most suitable to control leakage. Blast Power optimizes dynamic
power with flexible voltage islands that selectively shut down
different regions of a chip and uses automatic power grid synthesis
to enable optimal power distribution. "The adoption of Magma's
enhanced low-power RTL-to-GDSII reference flow for our 90-nm
process reiterates the commitment both companies have to helping
customers deliver complex low-power ICs faster," said David Lin,
division head of Design Services at SMIC. "We look forward to
cultivating our cooperation with Magma to provide leading-edge
solutions that meet the low-power design needs of our customers."
"The availability of this enhanced low-power reference flow clearly
strengthens our partnership with SMIC, a leader in IC
manufacturing," said Kam Kittrell, general manager of Magma's
Design Implementation Business Unit. "Our design flow provides
leading-edge power optimization capabilities that enable our
customers to successfully compete in many high-growth markets,
including handheld devices such as cell phones and MP3 players."
The low-power reference flow guides designers through an
RTL-to-GDSII methodology, which enables fast optimal
timing-versus-power and area-versus- power tradeoffs at different
stages of the implementation flow. With the ability to address
power considerations during implementation and within a single
environment, designers can minimize the power consumption of the
design and reduce turnaround time. The low-power reference flow
data package is currently available for customer download through
SMIC-Now, the dedicated online services for SMIC customers. About
SMIC Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC";
NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) is one of the top semiconductor foundries in
the world and the largest and most advanced foundry in Mainland
China. Headquartered in Shanghai, SMIC provides integrated circuit
manufacturing service at 0.35um to 90-nm and finer line
technologies. SMIC has a 300mm wafer fabrication facility (fab)
under start-up and three 200mm wafer fabs in its Shanghai mega-
fab, two 300mm wafer fabs in its Beijing mega-fab, a 200mm wafer
fab in Tianjin, and an in-house assembly and testing facility in
Chengdu. SMIC also has customer service and marketing offices in
the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and a representative office in Hong
Kong. In addition, SMIC manages and operates a 200mm wafer fab in
Chengdu owned by Cension Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation
and a 300mm wafer fab under construction in Wuhan owned by Wuhan
Xinxin Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation. For more
information, please visit http://www.smics.com/ . About Magma
Magma's software for designing integrated circuits (ICs) is used to
create complex, high-performance chips required in cellular
telephones, electronic games, Wi-Fi, MP3 players, DVD/digital
video, networking, automotive electronics and other electronic
applications. Magma's EDA software for IC implementation, analysis,
physical verification, circuit simulation and characterization is
recognized as embodying the best in semiconductor technology,
enabling the world's top chip companies to "Design Ahead of the
Curve"(TM) while reducing design time and costs. Magma is
headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with offices around the world.
Magma's stock trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LAVA. Visit
Magma Design Automation on the Web at http://www.magma-da.com/ .
Blast Fusion and Magma are registered trademarks and Blast Power,
Blast Create and "Design Ahead of the Curve" are trademarks of
Magma Design Automation. All other trademarks and registered
trademarks are held by their respective owners. Safe Harbor
Statements (Under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995) Information provided in this press release may contain
statements relating to current expectations, estimates, forecasts
and projections about future events that are "forward-looking
statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including statements
of "enable our customers to successfully compete in many
high-growth markets" and "designers can minimize the power
consumption of the design and reduce turnaround time" generally
relate to the company's plans, objectives and expectations for
future operations and are based upon management's current estimates
and projections of future results or trends. Actual future results
may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain
risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and
uncertainties, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 20-F filed on June 29, 2007 with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are made only
as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update or
revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise. For more information,
please contact: International Media: Reiko Chang Corporate
Relations SMIC Tel: +86-21-5080-2000 x10544 Email: Mainland China
Media: Angela Miao SMIC Shanghai Public Relations Tel:
+86-21-5080-2000 x10088 Email: Rena Xia SMIC Beijing Public
Relations Tel: +86-10-6785-5000 x20403 Email: Magma Design
Automation Monica Marmie Director, Marketing Communications Tel:
+1-408-565-7689 Email: DATASOURCE: Semiconductor Manufacturing
International Corporation CONTACT: International Media: Reiko
Chang, Corporate Relations, +86-21-5080-2000 x10544, OR , for SMIC;
Mainland China Media: Angela Miao, Public Relations for SMIC
Shanghai, +86-21-5080-2000 x10088, or ; Rena Xia, Public Relations
for SMIC Beijing, +86-10-6785-5000 x20403, or ; or Monica Marmie,
Director of Marketing Communications of Magma Design Automation,
+1-408-565-7689, Web site: http://www.smics.com/
http://www.magma-da.com/
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