Isonics Corporation and Cypress Semiconductor Sign Silicon-28 R&D
Agreement
GOLDEN, Colo., May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Isonics Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: ISON - news) 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 |
