Isonics Corp and Cypress Semiconductor?...
Thursday May 27, 7:30 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Isonics Corporation
Isonics Corporation and Cypress Semiconductor Sign Silicon-28 R&D Agreement
GOLDEN, Colo., May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Isonics Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: ISON) and San Jose-based Cypress
Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: CY - news) announced today that they have signed a joint research and development
agreement to explore the use of isotopically pure silicon-28 in semiconductor memory devices. The joint program calls for Cypress
to produce 0.25 micron CMOS memory devices on isotopically pure silicon-28 wafers supplied by Isonics and compare the
performance of these devices with those made on natural silicon wafers. Results are expected to be available in 9 to 12 months.
According to Cypress Vice President of Research and Development Jose Arreola, ''As memory speeds become greater, our goal is
to define the best possible manner to manage that speed without the resultant heat becoming a performance issue. The use of
silicon-28 wafers has very real possibilities in this area and is an avenue that we are eager to explore.''
Laboratory tests have shown that isotopically pure silicon-28 has 50 percent higher thermal conductivity than natural silicon. Isonics
believes that the improved thermal conductivity of silicon-28 will facilitate the manufacture of higher density integrated circuits
resulting in increased performance and improved chip yields. The attractiveness of silicon-28 is that while it has improved properties
over standard silicon, it can be used without any changes in existing semiconductor manufacturing processes.
Dr. Stephen J. Burden, Isonics' Vice President of Semiconductor Materials, commented, ''Isonics is encouraged that Cypress has
recognized the potential advantage that silicon-28 could provide their products. We believe the better thermal conductivity of
silicon-28 will favorably impact the performance of next generation memory technologies, such as direct Rambus DRAM.''
James E. Alexander, Isonics' President & CEO, stated, ''Now that Isonics has secured relevant patents covering silicon-28 devices
and has established a road map for production scale-up of the technology, we are proceeding to establish relationships with
manufacturers in many segments of the industry to evaluate silicon-28 in actual products. Our plans call for substantially increasing
our epitaxial wafer capacity in 1999 and producing the first bulk 200 mm silicon-28 wafers in mid-2000.''
On April 12, Isonics announced that it had entered into a licensing agreement with Yale University that entitles the Company to
exclusive intellectual property rights to patents covering semiconductor devices derived from isotopically engineered materials.
These patents cover silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide and most other isotopically pure semiconductors and are the basis for
Isonics' silicon-28 wafer development and commercialization.
Isonics is an advanced materials and technology company which develops and commercializes products based on enriched stable
isotopes. Stable isotopes can be thought of as ultra-ultra pure materials. This high degree of purification provides enhanced
performance properties compared to normal materials. Stable isotopes have commercial uses in several areas, including energy;
research, medical diagnostics, and drug development; product tagging and stewardship; semiconductors; lasers; and optical
materials. For more information on silicon-28 and other Isonics products, please visit the Isonics web site at (www.isonics.com).
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation is a global supplier of semiconductor products for leading computer, networking, and
telecommunications companies worldwide. The company's worldwide web site is (www.cypress.com).
Except for historical information contained herein, this document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may
cause the Company's actual results or outcomes to be materially different from those anticipated and discussed herein. Further, the
Company operates in industries where securities values may be volatile and may be influenced by regulatory and other factors
beyond the Company's control. Other important factors that the Company believes might cause such differences are discussed in
the risk factors detailed in the Company's 10-KSB for the year ended April 30, 1998 filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. In assessing forward-looking statements contained herein, readers are urged to carefully read all cautionary
statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE: Isonics Corporation
Home½ What's New½Products½Site Map½Contact Us
Send mail jdelente@isonics.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modifed: May 27, 1999 |
