Infineon and TSMC Extend Technology And Production Partnership Agreement; Will Jointly Develop 65nm Embedded Flash Process Techn
November 05 2009 - 12:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
NEUBIBERG, Germany and HSINCHU, Taiwan, R.O.C., Nov. 5
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX /
OTCQX: IFNNY) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TWSE:
2330, NYSE: TSM) today announced that they are extending their
development and production partnership to a 65nanometer (nm)
embedded flash (eFlash) process technology targeting next
generation automotive, chip card and security applications. Based
on the agreement, Infineon and TSMC will jointly develop 65nm
process technologies for eFlash microcontrollers (MCUs) that
fulfill the stringent quality requirements of the automotive
industry, as well as the demanding security requirements of the
chip card and security markets. The partnership extension with TSMC
is in line with Infineon's strategy to outsource manufacturing and
to engage in technology co-development for 65nm and smaller
geometry processes. The 65nm eFlash technology for automotive
applications supports the high degree of functional integration
required that drive the performance and features called for in
upcoming safety and emission standards. The 65nm eFlash technology
for chip card and security applications will support Infineon's
innovation focus on tailored security that offers the appropriate
level of security at the best cost-performance ratio, for
applications in the smart card form factor and beyond. Process and
product qualification for security MCUs is scheduled for the second
half of 2012. Automotive MCU qualification and production start is
scheduled for the first half of 2013. Infineon's 32-bit TriCore(TM)
family MCUs will be the first automotive products produced on the
65nm eFlash process. Ultimately, TSMC will manufacture Infineon's
broad range of security microcontrollers that feature
contact-based, contact-less or dual interface. "We are pleased to
extend our collaboration with TSMC as a stable and reliable partner
into new applications," explained Jochen Hanebeck, President of the
Automotive Division at Infineon Technologies. "We are confident
that TSMC with its strong manufacturing excellence background will
be able to fulfill the stringent automotive market requirements
with their particular focus on quality." Dr. Helmut Gassel,
President of Infineon's Chip Card & Security Division, added:
"For smart card and security applications, Infineon has safeguarded
a long-term production partner. We trust in TSMC to master the
demanding obligations of Infineon as an innovative and reliable
source providing long-term and stable supply of security
microcontrollers. Indicating our firm and ongoing commitment to
highest security standards, it is understood that TSMC will be
audited under the most stringent international security
specifications as being provided by Infineon." "Infineon is an
acknowledged leader in a number of technology and application
segments. They have a world-class reputation in embedded flash
development and have earned the respect of the automotive and chip
card industry for their product quality and innovation. TSMC is
committed to providing the manufacturing quality required by our
automotive customers. We will provide that same level of excellence
and the security required for their smart card applications," said
C.C. Wei, Senior Vice President, Business Development, TSMC.
Infineon and TSMC have compiled more than a decade-long partnership
covering several Infineon's applications, such as industrial and
wireline. Based on a manufacturing agreement to use TSMC 65nm
low-power technology for Infineon's products employed in mobile
devices, which started about two years ago, the move to automotive
and chip card applications signals a firm and ongoing commitment on
the part of both companies to a strong development alliance and a
stable and long-term production partnership. Infineon is one of two
market leaders that both hold a 9.5% share of the worldwide
automotive electronics market in 2008, worth about US$18.3 billion.
Infineon is the number one chip card semiconductor vendor, with
25.5 percent of the worldwide market valued at US$2.4 billion in
2008. TSMC is the only dedicated foundry to offer 0.25-micron and
0.18-micron embedded flash IP that meet AEC-Q100 specification.
About Infineon Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers
semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central
challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, communications,
and security. In the 2008 fiscal year (ending September), the
company reported sales of Euro 4.3 billion with approximately
29,100 employees worldwide in continuing operations. With a global
presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the U.S.
from Milpitas, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, and
in Japan from Tokyo. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock
Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the
over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol:
IFNNY). Further information is available at
http://www.infineon.com/ About TSMC TSMC is the world's largest
dedicated semiconductor foundry, providing the industry's leading
process technology and the foundry's largest portfolio of
process-proven libraries, IP, design tools and reference flows. The
Company's total managed capacity in 2008 exceeded 9 million 8-inch
equivalent wafers, including capacity from two advanced 12-inch -
GigaFabs(TM), four eight-inch fabs, one six-inch fab, as well as
TSMC's wholly owned subsidiaries, WaferTech and TSMC (China), and
its joint venture fab, SSMC. TSMC is the first foundry to provide
40nm production capabilities. Its corporate headquarters are in
Hsinchu, Taiwan. For more information about TSMC please visit
http://www.tsmc.com/ This news release is available online at
http://www.infineon.com/press/ and at http://www.tsmc.com/
DATASOURCE: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company CONTACT:
Monika Sonntag of Infineon Technologies AG, +49 89 234-24497, or
Ferda Mehmet of A&R Edelman, +1-650-762-2946, Mobile,
+1-415-308-7877, for TSMC; or Michael Kramer, Corporate Public
Relation of TSMC, +886-3-5636688 ext: 7126216 Web Site:
http://www.infineon.com/ http://www.tsmc.com/
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