ARM Collaborates With ASPLA And STARC To Provide ASPLA Technology-Based Core.

ARM core is ready for use in Japanese standard 90nm process

CAMBRIDGE, UK – Sept. 4, 2003 – ARM [(LSE:ARM); (Nasdaq:ARMHY)], the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC processor solutions, today announced a collaboration with ASPLA, (Advanced SoC Platform Corporation), and STARC (Semiconductor Technology Academic Research Center), to make the ARM7TDMI® core available in the ASPLA 90nm (nanometer) manufacturing process technology as first step.

ARM will work closely with ASPLA, a wafer fab established by Japan's leading integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) to jointly develop mainstream and low-power process technologies, to port the ARM core to the ASPLA 90nm process. ARM will then license the new core layout to ASPLA and STARC members, as well existing ARM® Partners currently using the ASPLA process.

"This collaboration with STARC and ASPLA will enable ARM cores to become even more widely used in the Japanese market, as ASPLA's 90nm manufacturing process is appealing to our existing Partners as well as new venture companies in Japan," said Takio Ishikawa, president, ARM KK. "The adoption of the ARM7TDMI core by STARC and ASPLA is as a first step, and will expand to more high-performance ARM cores."

STARC and ASPLA are collaborative research organizations comprising Fujitsu, Matsushita, NEC Electronics, Renesas, Toshiba, and six other companies. The 11 member companies are working together to offer a standardization of IP components for SoC design and establish a design and manufacturing technology platform to drive the fabrication of these devices in 90nm and lower process technologies in Japan.

"Our technology partnership with ARM is part of our mission to develop and verify core technologies for the design and manufacture of next-generation, 90nm semiconductor devices," said Keiichi awate, president and CEO ASPLA. "This collaboration will enable ASPLA's 90nm manufacturing process to become more widely adopted as standard technology in Japan. In addition, this cooperation with ARM will help to shorten the development time and reduce the cost on SoC design developments in advanced 90nm process of each member company."

Availability

The ARM7TDMI core ported to the ASPLA 90nm manufacturing process will be available from ARM in Q4 2003.

About ARM

ARM is the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions. The company licenses its high-performance, low-cost, power-efficient RISC processors, peripherals, and system-chip designs to leading international electronics companies. ARM also provides comprehensive support required in developing a complete system. ARM's microprocessor cores are rapidly becoming a volume RISC standard in markets such as portable communications, hand-held computing, multimedia digital consumer and embedded solutions.