Socle Tapes Out 28nm ASIC Design at GLOBALFOUNDRIES

Taipei, Taiwan and Milpitas, Calif. -- July 10, 2012 - Socle Technology Corporation, a leading-edge provider of SoC (System on Chip) design and implementation services, and GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced the tape out of Socle's first ARM Cortex-A9 based 28nm ASIC design using GLOBALFOUNDRIES' 28nm super low power technology (SLP) technology with Gate First High-K Metal Gate (HKMG). The ASIC design, which features low power and high performance capabilities, is soon to be mass produced at GLOBALFOUNDRIES.

"This is a major milestone for GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Socle, and a door-opener for much more business in pan-Asia," said Mojy Chian, senior vice president of design enablement at GLOBALFOUNDRIES and chairperson of Socle Technology. "GLOBALFOUNDRIES is the major shareholder of Socle, and our two companies are set to elevate our level of close cooperation and build winning market strategies together."

"28nm ASIC designs have been challenging for design service houses. Socle is one of the few leading design service houses capable of this technical achievement," said Stone Peng, president and CEO, Socle Technology. "Socle has been dedicated to next-generation ASIC designs since its licensing agreement for ARM's Cortex-A9. This 28nm project will add significant momentum to Socle's business growth."

The accomplishment of a 28nm ASIC design demonstrates Socle's technical capability and efficiency to work with ecosystem partners. The state-of-the-art technology for multimedia, Internet TV, smart phones and mobile devices is now available to integrated device manufacturers (IDMs), system makers, and fabless design houses, providing customers with faster time-to-market and one-stop-shop convenience.

Socle Technology Corporation, founded in 2001 and invested by GLOBALFOUNDRIES since December 2009, is well-recognized as a leading-edge provider of SoC design and implementation services as well as an architect for more complicated SoC design technology in advanced process nodes. As a strategic partner, Socle has developed some of the best ARM hardcore and ARM embedded SoC platforms among ARM solution providers worldwide. For the best design service with the one-stop-shop convenience, Socle works closely with GLOBALFOUNDRIES and other world-class partners of IP, EDA, and assembly and testing. www.socle-tech.com 

About GLOBALFOUNDRIES

GLOBALFOUNDRIES is the world's first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 150 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GLOBALFOUNDRIES is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company's three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit http://www.globalfoundries.com.