TSMC Launches Integrated Sign-Off Flow To Shorten Design Cycle, Enhance Tape-Out Quality

- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. (TSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) today unveiled the first foundry-specific Integrated Sign-Off Flow at its North American Technology Symposium in San Jose, CA. The new flow is available now for 65nm designs. Integrated Sign-Off Flow is an automated RTL to GDSII chip implementation flow that tightly integrates all process-specific items including pre-qualified library and IP, selected EDA tools, production-quality flow, advanced design methodology, and TSMC foundry technology files that have been proven and refined over hundreds of applications. With embedded TSMC design know-how and sign-off recommendations, the new flow utilizes pre-qualified EDA toolsets from multiple vendors and leverages industry-proven TSMC Reference Flow methodology.

The Integrated Sign-Off Flow, targeting initially at 65nm process node with planned extensions into other process technology nodes, supports advanced design techniques for low power and design-for-manufacturability (DFM). It includes executable scripts for complete flow automation and EDA tool queuing system support. With validated libraries and IP, qualified EDA tools, full set of proper technology files, and automated installation scripts, Integrated Sign-Off Flow significantly shortens the time it normally takes design team to set up the design environment and flow before starting the design project. The built-in advanced design methodology and proven sign-off scripts further shortens the design cycle, and improves tape-out quality.

“The ability to reduce design setup effort and design cycle time clearly result in design cost reduction, and this is one of the key objectives of the recently launched TSMC Open Innovation PlatformTM,” explains ST Juang, senior director of Design Infrastructure Marketing at TSMC “If we can lower design costs, we can help eliminate a major source of profit erosion that impacts all ecosystem parties, including our customers, our EDA partners and, of course, our own foundry services. This Integrated Sign-Off Flow represents a highly collaborative effort to increase reuse and reduce engineering waste.”

Pricing and Availability

The TSMC 65nm Integrated Sign-Off Flow is available now in limited release and at no charge to selective customers during Q2 2009. General release to other customers is targeted for Q3 2009. Customers may access the Integrated Sign-Off Flow at the TSMC Online customer design portal http://online.tsmc.com/online/ or contact their local sales and support representatives for details.

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 ™, 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.