Menta and LIRMM Launch Manufacturing of World's First RAM-based FPGA

MONTPELLIER, France, June 9, 2010 — Menta SAS and LIRMM, an embedded programmable logic provider of embedded-FPGA Intellectual Property (IP) and a joint CNRS and University of Montpellier 2 research laboratory, today confirmed the tape out of world’s first MRAM-based FPGA. The MRAM-based FPGA leverages key innovations including non-volatile magnetic memory and patent-protected circuitry enabling compact integration of MRAM and embedded-FPGA solutions.

Based on Menta’s eFPGA Core™ programmable logic architecture and on CEA-LETI and CROCUS magnetic technology, this first member of a family of MRAM-based FPGAs,is manufactured in CMOS 130 nm with magnetic junction in 120 nm and provides capacity of 1,444 LUT4, equivalent to approximatively 20K logic gates.

Developed in joint collaboration with Microelectronic department of LIRMM (Laboratory of Informatics, Robotics and Microelectronics of Montpellier) in the frame of SPIN, the large scale initiative for Spintronics devices supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR), this tapeout validates the possibility to stack MRAM technology over traditional CMOS logic and introduces to the market a new type of robust non-volatile FPGA. Market potential of MRAM-based FPGA is being validated for defense, aerospace, automotive and consumer applications.

“This world first MRAM-based FPGA demonstrates the versatility of our eFPGA Core technology”, stated Laurent Rougé, Menta founder and CEO. “Taping out this first MRAM-based FPGA device confirms our intent to build a product strategy that leverages and complements our IP business. One of the key benefits of developing an FPGA with MRAM technology, is that is enables high-density non-volatile FPGA based on leading edge CMOS technology nodes, unlike traditional Flash-based approaches only available on mature CMOS processes.”

Pr Lionel Torres, in charge of the MRAM design project at LIRMM, claims that “MRAM-based FPGA proposes better versatility with partial or dynamic re-configurability capabilities, instant on/off total or partial energy saving”.

About Menta's eFPGA Core IP

Menta’s eFPGA Core IP is a programmable logic architecture IP core that leverages Menta’s proprietary ultra-compact architecture to provide the SoC designer with post-fabrication flexibility at near ASIC performance. The Menta eFPGA Core IP is customizable so a domain specific-FPGA (dsFPGA) can be used in a SoC with target applications features, and benefits in terms of area, power consumption and speed. The eFPGA Programmer® tool suite configures the core and supports the tools used to map and place and route the design.

Availability

Menta expects sample of MRAM-based FPGA in Q3 2010. MRAM-based FPGA will be supported with Menta eFPGA Programmer® tool suite. To learn more, contact Menta at contact@menta.fr.

About Menta

Menta SAS is a privately held company based in Montpellier (France). The company provides embedded-FPGA (eFPGA) technology for SoC (System on Chip), ASIC or SiP (System in Package) designs, from EDA tools to IP generation. As a result of years of research at LIRMM (Laboratory of Informatics, Microelectronics and Robotics from the University of Montpellier and CNRS), Menta’s programmable logic architecture is based on scalable, customizable, easily programmable architecture that was created to provide programmability for next generation ASIC design that incorporates the benefits of FPGA design flexibility. For more information, visit the company website at: www.menta.fr

About LIRMM

The Montpellier Laboratory of Informatics, Robotics, and Microelectronics (LIRMM in french) is a cross-faculty research entity of the University of Montpellier 2 (UM2) and the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) Its activities include design and verification of integrated, mobile and communicating systems, agent-based modeling of complex systems, as well as research on algorithms, bioinformatics, human-machine interaction and robotics.