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MIRICS CHOOSES JAZZ SEMICONDUCTOR'S SiGe BiCMOS PROCESS TO INTRODUCE
A POLY-BAND TUNER FOR MOBILE BROADCAST RECEPTION
High Performance and Low Power Consumption Realized for Universal
Broadcast Receiver Using Proven 0.35-micron SiGe Process
HAMPSHIRE, UK and NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.,
November 6, 2006 -- Mirics Semiconductor, a provider
of innovative solutions for the mobile broadcast receiver market,
today announced it has partnered with Jazz Semiconductor, an independent
wafer foundry, to deliver its breakthrough device, the MSI001 poly-band
tuner for mobile digital broadcast reception, currently available.
Mirics designed its product using Jazz Semiconductor's high-volume
silicon germanium BiCMOS (SiGe BiCMOS) process to develop a high
performance, low power consumption mobile broadcast receiver. Mirics
breakthrough technology enables OEMs to design a single platform
for mobile TV and radio, independent of standards or regional differences.
The MSI001 is a universal broadcast receiver that enables designers
of mobile phones, portable media players, and PDAs to easily add
mobile broadcast reception to support any global standard. Samples
of the MSI001, manufactured in the first quarter of this year, were
based on first-pass silicon from Jazz. By leveraging SBC35, Jazz
Semiconductor's 0.35-micron SiGe BiCMOS process platform, and utilizing
its sophisticated analog and RF design flow and modeling infrastructure,
Mirics engineers were able to achieve results quickly and achieve
functional, first-pass silicon.
Jazz Semiconductor's SBC35 is a low-power, cost-effective solution
for consumer, wireless, and networking applications. Designers have
the flexibility of using any combination of three bipolar (NPN)
transistors, each of which provides a different optimization for
power and speed. Offering a transistor with a peak Ft of 62GHz,
SBC35 is a clear choice for innovative, high-performance applications.
In addition to the three bipolar (NPN) transistor types, SBC35 also
includes 3.3 volt CMOS, deep trench isolation, lateral PNP transistors,
MIM and MIS capacitors, high-performance varactors, poly and nwell
resistors, and high-Q inductors. Other available SBC35 options include
a triple-well, high performance vertical PNP, three or four layers
of metal, and a thick top-metal. SBC35 is part of Jazz's portfolio
of SiGe technology targeting next generation wireless, consumer,
and wireline products that includes a very high performance 0.18-micron
node (SBC18) supporting speeds of up to 200GHz and a recently announced
ultra low power 0.13-micron node (SBL13) supporting very high levels
of integration.
The MSI001 chip is highly price competitive and the most technically
advanced product of its type. The poly-band tuner is capable of
receiving a vast range of digital broadcast standards including
DVB-H, T-DMB, ISDB-T, DAB-IP, MediaFlo, DAB, DRM and AM/FM, solving
the fragmentation problem faced by manufacturers that want to offer
all these capabilities in one device. Mirics also designed the chip
to be configured for the reception of other standards, or unknown
future standards, i.e. the forthcoming Chinese MDTV standards, without
any cost or performance penalty. The device provides coverage for
all major broadcast bands ranging from 100KHz -1.9GHz (covering
LW/MW/SW, L-Band and VHF Bands II, III, and UHF Bands IV and V).
MSI001 also has the lowest power consumption of any tuner announced
to date, for instance using a mere 46mA in continuous DVB-H operation
in the L-Band.
"By utilizing Jazz's 0.35-micron SiGe BiCMOS process, the
production cycle for the MSI001 was fast and easy to facilitate,
an important factor in the fast growing mobile broadcast receiver
market," said Simon Atkinson, CEO of Mirics. "The combination
of Jazz's advanced process technology and design flow support, with
our strong silicon development team and leading RF technology, enabled
us to develop a tuner that is unmatched in performance and power
consumption and we are able to offer it at a very competitive price."
"Our 0.35 micron SiGe BiCMOS process has been helping our
customers achieve the demanding performance specifications and cost
targets of wireless and wireline transceivers and is now being increasingly
adopted for tuner applications," said Marco Racanelli, vice
president of technology and engineering at Jazz Semiconductor. "In
addition to providing strong performance, its proven design environment
is helping customers achieve first pass success in these demanding
applications, speeding their time to market."
Pricing and Availability
Mirics' MSI001 chip is available now, with prices starting from
$3.50 (10,000 units).
About Mirics
Mirics Semiconductor Inc. is a start-up RF and mixed signal fabless
semiconductor company delivering innovative solutions for the mobile
broadcast receiver market. Founded in 2004 and based in Hampshire,
UK, Mirics has brought together a strong silicon development team
with extensive experience in RF technology, wireless/algorithms,
IP, silicon delivery and system architecture. Mirics' first commercial
product, the MSI001, is the world's first true poly-band tuner and
represents the most technologically advanced product of its type.
Mirics employs a fabless business model with early stage funding
from Pond Venture Partners, Europe's largest early-stage technology
fund. Operating in a market that is conservatively expected to exceed
$1 billion by 2010, Mirics is well positioned to gain an important
first mover advantage in this rapidly emerging market. www.mirics.com
Mirics Company Contact
Ralph Weir
+44 (0) 779 630 7945
ralph.weir@mirics.com
Mirics Media Contact
Chris King
+44 (0) 208 408 8000
mirics@eml.com
About Jazz Semiconductor
Jazz Semiconductor is an independent wafer foundry primarily focused
on specialty CMOS process technologies, including High Voltage CMOS,
SiGe BiCMOS and RFCMOS for the manufacture of highly integrated
analog and mixed-signal semiconductor devices. The company's specialty
process technologies are designed for customers who seek 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 customers
target 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. On September 26, 2006, Jazz Semiconductor, Inc.
and Acquicor Technology Inc. (AMEX: AQR) announced that they have
entered into a merger agreement. The merger is expected to be completed
in the first quarter of 2007 subject to a number of closing conditions.
For more information, please visit www.jazzsemi.com
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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