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JAZZ SEMICONDUCTOR'S 0.18-MICRON SILICON RADIO
PLATFORM ALLOWS COMPLETE RADIO INTEGRATION
Reduces Die Cost up to 50% Versus Existing GaAs
Solutions
for Wireless and Broadband Applications
MUNICH, GERMANY October 9, 2007 - Jazz Semiconductor®,
the leader in Analog-Intensive Mixed-Signal (AIMS) foundry solutions
and wholly owned subsidiary of Jazz Technologies, Inc. (AMEX:
JAZ) today announced at European Microwave Week (EuMW), the availability
of its 0.18-micron Silicon Radio platform for complete radio integration.
The 0.18- micron Jazz Silicon Radio platform allows complete integration
of the radio in a wireless device on a single piece of silicon integrating
the transceiver, antenna switch, power amplifier (PA) and controllers,
eliminating the need for expensive discrete GaAs devices. Jazz's
0.18-micron RF CMOS process (CA18) and its 0.18-micron SiGe BiCMOS
process (SBC18) include an SOI option that enables the integration
of the antenna switch, but, unlike other solutions, also enables
the integration of the power amplifier. This new technology promises
to deliver higher levels of integration for future cell phones,
wireless LANs, and WiMAX systems while displacing chips today built
in more expensive GaAs and reducing die costs up to fifty percent.
Jazz Semiconductor's 0.18-micron Silicon Radio platform is composed
of the 0.18-micron base CMOS or SiGe BiCMOS with four modules: an
SOI module for the integration of the antenna switch, a PA module
with high-power SiGe or CMOS devices, an LNA module with SiGe low-noise
devices, and a Passive module consisting of a suite of high quality
passive elements for the realization of inter-stage filter and matching
circuits. All the modules (including SOI) can be combined or used
independently to achieve the right level of cost and integration
and optimally address each market need. Characterized building blocks
are available for critical elements to ensure fast time to market.
A through-wafer-via (TWV) module, to improve the efficiency of power
amplifiers, is under development.
Prior Jazz SiGe technology has enabled integration of power amplifiers
and transceivers for lower power standards such as 802.11b,g and
PHS, and these products now enjoy significant production volume
in the mature 0.35-micron node. The new 0.18-micron Silicon Radio
Platform is addressing next-generation requirements for higher frequencies
(such as the 5GHz bands in 802.11n and WiMax) or higher power (as
in cellular 2G, 2.5G and 3G standards such as CDMA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE,
WCDMA and WEDGE).
"Jazz Semiconductor's 0.18-micron Silicon Radio platform
is a perfect match to our requirements for highly integrated, intelligent
Wimax front-end components," said Vikram Krishnamurthy, chief
technology officer of VT Silicon. "Their modular SiGe process
affords us the ability to put very sophisticated control and intelligence
within the power amplifier because it combines both CMOS - which
is low power control circuitry - and bipolar transistors in one
fabrication process. Building our PAs on SiGe instead of the more
costly GaAs, used in most existing WiMax PAs, enables us to reduce
chip costs to justify high-volume consumer applications."
"We look forward to helping our customers push the bounds
of radio integration with this new technology," said Marco
Racanelli, vice president of technology and engineering, Jazz Semiconductor.
"Our Silicon Radio Platform includes an SOI module that for
the first time enables a single-chip radio front-end. This, coupled
with Jazz's strong wireless customer base and design enablement
libraries, will allow the fast realization of more highly integrated,
breakthrough radio products."
About Jazz Semiconductor
Jazz Semiconductor,® a wholly owned subsidiary of Jazz Technologies,
Inc. (AMEX: JAZ), is the leading independent wafer foundry focused
on Analog-Intensive Mixed-Signal (AIMS) CMOS process technologies.
The company's broad portfolio of modular AIMS technologies includes
RFCMOS and specialty CMOS processes, such as Enhanced RFCMOS, BiCMOS,
SiGe BiCMOS, Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS, and High Voltage CMOS. These technologies
are designed to produce analog and mixed-signal semiconductor devices
that are smaller and more highly integrated, power-efficient, feature-rich
and cost-effective than those produced using standard process technologies.
Jazz also offers world-class design enablement tools to speed customers'
time from design to revenue production. The Company serves customers
in the wireless and high-speed wireline communications, consumer
electronics, automotive and industrial end markets. Jazz executive
offices and its U.S. wafer fabrication facilities are located in
Newport Beach, CA. Jazz Semiconductor also has engineering, manufacturing,
and sales support in Shanghai, China. For more information, please
visit www.jazzsemi.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
including the statements relating to growth in the analog IC market
and the development and execution of our strategic business initiatives.
Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or
phrases such as "trend," "potential," "opportunity,"
"pipeline," "believe," "expect," "anticipate,"
"intention," "estimate," "position,"
"assume," "outlook," "continue," "remain,"
"maintain," "create" "sustain," "seek,"
"achieve," and similar expressions, or future or conditional
verbs such as "will," "would," "should,"
"could," "may" and similar expressions. Forward-looking
statements are based largely on expectations and projections about
future events and future trends and are subject to numerous assumptions,
risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Actual results
and consequences, including any expected benefits and anticipated
cost savings over competing technologies, could differ materially
from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and you should
not place any undue reliance on such forward looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual performance to differ from these
forward-looking statements include the risks and uncertainties disclosed
in Jazz Technologies' filings with the SEC. Jazz Technologies' filings
with the SEC are accessible on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made.
Jazz Technologies assumes no obligation to update forward-looking
statements.
Jazz Company Contact
Melinda Jarrell
949/435-8181
melinda.jarrell@jazzsemi.com
Jazz Media Contact
Lauri Julian
949/715-3049
lauri.julian@jazzsemi.com
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