Atmel Introduces New Embedded Memory Blocks to Support High Density FPGA Conversions

NANTES, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 21, 2001--Atmel® Corporation (Nasdaq:ATML - news) announced today a complete set of new 0.35 micron and 0.25 micron matrices to convert most FPGA/CPLDs to Atmel's Ultimate Logic Conversion (ULCs), enabling significant cost savings for system makers.

With these 0.35 micron matrices, Atmel can handle up to 400 K-bits Dual Port RAM and 780K gates in a single chip. These memory blocks are 100% compatible with embedded memory blocks from popular FPGA/CPLD makers Xilinx and Altera. Both Synchronous and Asynchronous DPRAM are supported. Each port parameter can be individually configured. ULC configuration uses customization levels in order to offer very low NRE charges.

By removing the silicon area needed for programmability and implementing the memory in ULC memory blocks, Atmel can significantly reduce the size of the die and can bring cost savings up to 80% for large FPGAs. Using the 0.35 micron process an FPGA with 98K bits DPRAM and 200K logic gates is approximately 252mm squared. The equivalent ULC is only 104mm squared.

With its 0.25 micron process Atmel ULCs can support up to 1500 K-bits DPRAM and 1800K ASIC gates which is equivalent to 7000K FPGA gates. The ULC's internal frequency can be run at a much faster speed than that of conventional FPGAs. By inserting standby periods, power consumption can be typically 90% lower than its FPGA counterpart.

Gerard Bouvet, ULC Marketing Manager at Atmel, says: "Key industry players, using FPGAs and CPLDs to reduce development cycle time, have a lot of pressure from the market place to reduce costs. Atmel's success in providing FPGA/CPLD conversions has benefited many companies from different market segments, including Telecom, Data Communication, Multimedia, Industrial and Automotive. Since mid 2001, Atmel has seen a dramatic increase in requests for quotations, particularly for larger FPGAs." The 0.35um matrices are available for designs now. 0.25um series will be introduced in the beginning of 2002.

About Atmel

Founded in 1984, Atmel Corporation is headquartered in San Jose, California with manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe. Atmel designs, manufactures and markets worldwide, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and RF semiconductors. Atmel is also a leading provider of system-level integration semiconductor solutions using CMOS, BiCMOS, bipolar SiGe, and high-voltage BCDMOS process technologies.

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Atmel ULC product information may be retrieved at http://www.atmel-wm.com/ulc.htm