Hitachi and LSI Logic Forge Technology Alliance
Nov 13, 1999 09:06 AM
Tokyo, Japan - Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT) and LSI Logic Corporation (NYSE: LSI) today announced a wide-ranging technology agreement that calls for joint development and exchange of 0.10-micron device architectures, copper and low K interconnect, advanced lithography, direct write E-beam and technical cooperation on embedded DRAM.
Research teams from both companies are already engaged in the U.S. and Japan in a variety of technology development activities. The first result of the alliance will be LSI Logic's embedded DRAM solution based upon Hitachi's process technology. LSI Logic expects to begin shipping system-on-a-chip products with embedded DRAM cores in mid-2000.
"We are excited to have the opportunity to team with system-on-a-chip leader, LSI Logic, on a variety of next generation process technologies," said Hitachi's Kunio Hasegawa, executive vice president of Semiconductor and Integrated Circuits. "This comprehensive partnership will advance Hitachi's and LSI Logic's technology offerings and will be beneficial for both companies in serving their global customers."
"The strategic partnership utilizes the combined resources of two industry leaders to address the most costly and complex technology challenges associated with ever-shrinking geometries," said Joe Zelayeta, LSI Logic executive vice president of Worldwide Operations. "The culmination of this alliance will maximize returns on R&D investments of the respective companies, while assisting both of us in meeting the ongoing challenges associated with the rapidly accelerating requirements of new technology."
The two companies will contribute different technology strengths to address the issues associated with 0.10-micron designs and beyond. "Both Hitachi and LSI Logic will be able to increase their market leadership by combining their technology strengths such as Hitachi's advanced process technology and LSI Logic's leading logic device technology," said Masahiko Ogirima, Hitachi senior vice president of Semiconductor and Integrated Circuits. For example, this partnership combines the experience of Hitachi in copper interconnect with LSI Logic's expertise in low K dielectric materials.
The initial offering of the comprehensive alliance will be LSI Logic's embedded DRAM (eDRAM) product based upon Hitachi's 0.20-micron process technology and LSI Logic's CoreWare* design methodology. "The eDRAM product is specifically designed to provide a cost-effective embedded DRAM solution for customers competing in the high-growth networking, telecommunications, wireless, computer, storage and consumer markets," said John Daane, LSI Logic executive vice president of Communications, Computer and ASIC Products. "The combination of Hitachi's embedded DRAM technology and LSI Logic's library of intellectual property cores provides impressive offerings to customers that are building products for the rapidly growing Internet infrastructure."