Leading Semiconductor Manufacturer to Target SST's SuperFlash Technology for High-Volume Products
SUNNYVALE, Calif. October 21, 2002 - SST (Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., NASDAQ: SSTI), a leader in flash memory technology, today announced it has licensed its 0.18-micron SuperFlash technology to NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY), one of the world's largest semiconductor companies. Under terms of the agreement, NEC will employ SST's high-performance, self-aligned, split-gate technology for use in high-density, high performance, embedded system-on-chip (SOC) designs for high-volume communications
products, including cellular phones, automotive, digital video cameras, smart cards and consumer applications. In return, SST will receive licensing fees and royalties from NEC on sales of products that incorporate the SuperFlash technology.
SST will work closely with NEC to bring up its embedded 0.18-micron SuperFlash technology on NEC's Kyuhsyu, Japan facility. As a result of the joint engineering effort, NEC's embedded SOC products incorporating SST's self-aligned 0.18-micron technology are expected to produce engineering samples by Q3 2003 with mass production in Q1 2005. This agreement comes on the heels of another licensing deal announced earlier this year between the two companies for SST's 0.35-micron technology.
"SST clearly has established itself as a global partner for embedded flash technology," said Yuichi Kawakami, general manager, microcomputer development division, NEC Corporation. "Because of the excellent progress and gains we have made in deploying SST's SuperFlash process for use in our microcontroller product line, the company's 0.18-micron technology was an obvious choice for our high-density SOC designs. We believe SST's technology will provide us with a strong competitive edge for volume-driven applications as the industry prepares for the next phase of semiconductor growth. We believe consumer and communications will drive a significant portion of that growth, an area where low power, high reliability, and ease of integration -- key attributes of SST's SuperFlash technology -- will be critical for our success."
"NEC's endorsement of SST and its technology is a tremendous validation of our high-density, 0.18-micron process and underscores the significant momentum we have made in establishing SuperFlash as the broadly recognized technology-of-choice for embedded applications," said Bing Yeh, president and CEO of SST. "Given the challenging economic climate that continues to affect the entire semiconductor industry, this significant commitment from one of world's most respected company such as NEC is further confirmation that our SuperFlash technology and subsequent roadmap is in lock-step with the direction the entire industry is heading."
According to the SST executive, the company's embedded flash memory licensing model has been very successful for a number reasons. First, the company's SuperFlash technology is in high demand because of its reliability, low power and compatibility with CMOS logic process. And, through the strong relationships with the company's global foundry partners, SST's SuperFlash technology is widely accessible by the industry.
The addition of NEC to its portfolio of world-class licensees underscores SST's SuperFlash technology as the best embedded flash technology available today. SST's embedded flash memory licensing business includes agreements with major integrated device manufacturers such as IBM, Motorola, National Semiconductor, NEC, Oki Semiconductor, Samsung, Sanyo, Seiko Epson and Winbond Electronics; fabless companies such as Emosyn, the semiconductor division of ATMI; and foundry partners including TSMC and Nanya Technology.
About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.1) is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, through its three market-focused, in-house companies: NEC Solutions, NEC Networks and NEC Electron Devices. NEC Corporation employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of approximately $39 billion in the fiscal year ended March 2002. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com.
About SuperFlash Technology
SST's SuperFlash technology is a NOR type, split-gate cell architecture which uses a reliable thick-oxide process with fewer manufacturing steps resulting in a low-cost, nonvolatile memory solution with excellent data retention and higher reliability. The split-gate NOR SuperFlash architecture facilitates a simple and flexible design suitable for high performance, high reliability, small or medium sector size, in- or off-system programming and a variety of densities, all in a single CMOS-compatible technology.
About Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, SST designs, manufactures and markets a diversified range of nonvolatile memory solutions, based on proprietary, patented SuperFlash technology, for high volume applications in the digital consumer, networking, wireless communications and Internet computing markets. SST's product families include high functionality flash memory components, flash mass storage products and 8-bit microcontrollers with on-chip flash memory. SST also offers its SuperFlash technology for embedded applications through its world-class manufacturing partners and technology licensees IBM, Motorola, National Semiconductor, NEC Corporation, Oki Electric Industry Co. Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., Seiko Epson Corp., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) and Winbond Electronics Corp. TSMC offers SuperFlash under its trademark Emb-FLASH. Further information on SST can be found on the company's Web site at http://www.sst.com.
For more information about SST and the company's comprehensive list of product offerings, please call 1-888/SST-CHIP. Information can also be requested via email to foster@sst.com or through SST's Web site at http://www.sst.com. SST is located at 1171 Sonora Court, Sunnyvale, Calif.; telephone: 408/735-9110; fax: 408/735-9036.
The SST logo and SuperFlash are registered trademarks of Silicon Storage Technology, Inc. Emb-FLASH is a trademark of TSMC. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders
