Spansion Extends SMIC Agreement to Include 43nm MirrorBit(R) ORNAND2(TM) Technology
21 August 2008 - 10:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
SMIC to Produce Differentiated MirrorBit ORNAND2 Solutions for
High-Value Wireless and Embedded Flash Memory Applications
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Spansion Inc.
(NASDAQ:SPSN), the world's largest pure-play provider of Flash
memory solutions, today announced it has extended its current
agreement with Semiconductor Manufacturing International
Corporation ("SMIC", NYSE: SMI and SEHK: 0981.HK) for the
production of 65-nanometer MirrorBit NOR to include the manufacture
of 43-nanometer Spansion(R) MirrorBit(R) ORNAND2(TM) Flash memory
on 300mm wafers. By leveraging SMIC's world-class manufacturing
expertise, Spansion can offer a more cost-effective and
differentiated product portfolio for its embedded and wireless
Flash memory customers. Specific terms of the deal were not
disclosed. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060118/SFW077LOGO)
"Spansion's expanded agreement with SMIC for leading-edge MirrorBit
production is a strategic move to increase Spansion's ability to
serve our customer base with a richer range of solutions," said
Bertrand Cambou, chief executive officer and president of Spansion
Inc. "The deepening of our relationship with SMIC also further
expands our presence in China, one of the fastest growing markets
for Flash memory." MirrorBit ORNAND2 Flash memory is the next
generation of Spansion's MirrorBit ORNAND family expanding the
company's current portfolio with more diversified, high-value
solutions. By leveraging the company's proprietary MirrorBit charge
trapping technology with memory cells connected in a NAND array
architecture, Spansion MirrorBit ORNAND2 is designed to support
faster write performance and a broader range of densities.
Spansion's proprietary MirrorBit technology serves as the basis for
all of the company's leading-edge offerings including MirrorBit
ORNAND2, MirrorBit NOR, MirrorBit Eclipse and Spansion EcoRAM
architectures. With the successful transfer of Spansion's MirrorBit
technology, SMIC will ramp production of 65nm MirrorBit Eclipse and
Spansion EcoRAM. Capitalizing on the efficiency of Spansion
MirrorBit technology developed over a decade through extensive
research, development and commercial success, the new MirrorBit
ORNAND2 technology will require 25 percent fewer masking layers
than MirrorBit NOR technology and is expected to deliver superior
quality over floating-gate NAND solutions. As floating gate NAND
Flash memory technology faces increasing scaling challenges,
Spansion is in a unique position based on its experience with
charge trapping technology to deliver compelling solutions at
leading edge nodes. "By manufacturing Spansion MirrorBit technology
at leading-edge technology nodes, SMIC can optimize fab
utilization," said Dr. Richard Chang, president and CEO of SMIC.
"Working closely with Spansion, SMIC will be able to extend our
leadership in Flash memory production to increase participation in
high-value markets." After completing development at its Submicron
Development Center (SDC) in Sunnyvale, California, Spansion plans
to transition 43nm MirrorBit ORNAND2 technology to SMIC's 300mm
facility in Wuhan, China. Concurrently, Spansion also plans to ramp
production of 45nm Spansion EcoRAM, MirrorBit NOR and Eclipse
solutions at its own SP1 flagship 300mm wafer fabrication facility
in 2009. Spansion expects to complete the development of 32nm
MirrorBit technology for MirrorBit ORNAND2, MirrorBit Eclipse and
Spansion EcoRAM at its SDC facility and ramp the technology to
production in 2010. The extended relationship with SMIC is a key
element in Spansion's strategy to broaden strategic alliances.
Spansion plans to focus its own capital investments on the
accelerated development of leading-edge MirrorBit Flash memory
technology, the development of value-added, high margin solutions,
as well as its state of the art 300-millimeter SP1 Flash memory
manufacturing facility in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan. About Spansion
Spansion is a leading Flash memory solutions provider, dedicated to
enabling, storing and protecting digital content in wireless,
automotive, networking and consumer electronics applications.
Spansion, previously a joint venture of AMD and Fujitsu, is the
largest company in the world dedicated exclusively to designing,
developing, manufacturing, marketing and selling Flash memory
solutions. For more information, visit http://www.spansion.com/.
Cautionary Statement This release contains forward-looking
statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including
statements regarding plans to: develop and deploy 43 and 32-
nanometer ORNAND2, EcoRAM, MirrorBit NOR and Eclipse technology,
offer more cost effective products or solutions, develop future
technologies, deliver product performance and quality improvements,
or realize potential benefits from leveraging strategic
relationships. Investors are cautioned that the forward-looking
statements in this release involve risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's
current expectations. The company urges investors to review in
detail the risks and uncertainties in the company's Securities and
Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the
company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 30, 2007. The company assumes no obligation to update any
forward-looking statements or information included in this press
release. Spansion(R), the Spansion Logo(R) , MirrorBit(R),
MirrorBit(R) Eclipse(TM), ORNAND(TM), ORNAND2(TM), HD-SIM(TM),
Spansion(R) EcoRAM(TM) and combinations thereof, are trademarks of
Spansion LLC. Spansion, the Spansion Logo and MirrorBit are
registered in the U.S. and other countries. Other names used are
for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their
respective owners.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060118/SFW077LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Spansion Inc. CONTACT:
Press, Holly Burkhart of Spansion, +1-408-616-1170; or Investors,
Linda Rothemund of Market Street Partners, +1-415-445-3236 Web
site: http://www.spansion.com/
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