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Tower Semiconductor Adopts BindKey's RapiDesignClean for Rules-Driven IC Layout RapiDesignClean Addresses Surge in Design Rule Growth and Complexity SUNNYVALE, Calif., Dec. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- BindKey Technologies, a DuPont Photomasks company, today announced that Tower Semiconductor Ltd. , a pure-play independent wafer foundry, has selected BindKey's RapiDesignClean(TM) rules-driven layout solution to be part of Tower's standard integrated circuit (IC) design methodology. RapiDesignClean is the industry's first rules-driven layout solution for custom design of nanometer ICs. Its highly automated capabilities reduce a design team's time to tapeout by enabling layout engineers to produce design-rule-clean layouts faster and with fewer iterations. Tower Semiconductor evaluated and selected RapiDesignClean to support its accelerating demand for engineering resources due to the growing number and complexity of the company's design rules. "On its own, RapiDesignClean has increased layout productivity by more than 20 percent," said Sergio Kusevitzky, vice president of IP and Design Services for Tower Semiconductor Ltd. "Our engineers can quickly acquire high proficiency in new processes because RapiDesignClean significantly reduces the need to memorize complex rule sets. This provides flexibility in moving engineers between projects, thus optimizing the company's resources. Moreover, we are able to complete designs in a single iteration as RapiDesignClean is applying the same design rules as our sign-off DRC tool." "BindKey is pleased to have this opportunity to contribute to Tower's engineering success," said Jeff Menkes, vice president, worldwide sales for BindKey. "They understand the productivity advantages of RapiDesignClean and see the increasing need for rules-driven layout with each new generation of process technology." About RapiDesignClean In the age of nano-technologies, as chip feature sizes keep shrinking, layout engineers face the impossible task of memorizing 1,000 design rules or more. Using RapiDesignClean, they don't have to. RapiDesignClean is the first tool of its kind to provide full support for the most advanced technologies (90nm and below) in real time. Unlike tools that only check for rule violations after the layout is finished, RapiDesignClean shows layout engineers where to place structures without creating violations -- in real time, during the layout process. RapiDesignClean offers exceptional performance. The tool's ability to deliver near-instantaneous response is crucial because for each edit the layout engineer makes RapiDesignClean applies hundreds of rules. RapiDesignClean runs with virtually no delay, providing visual feedback of applicable rules at each edit session in a fraction of a second. RapiDesignClean works in tandem with the industry-leading layout editors and DRC signoff tools. RapiDesignClean imports the design rules directly from the layout editor and from industry-standard DRC formats. It supports design rules for all process technologies, including 90nm and below, both analog and digital, Bipolar and CMOS. About Tower Semiconductor Ltd. Tower Semiconductor Ltd. is a pure-play independent wafer foundry established in 1993. The company manufactures integrated circuits with geometries ranging from 1.0 to 0.18 microns; it also provides complementary manufacturing services and design support. In addition to digital CMOS process technology, Tower offers advanced non-volatile memory solutions, mixed-signal and CMOS image-sensor technologies. To provide world-class customer service, the company maintains two manufacturing facilities: Fab 1 has process technologies from 1.0 to 0.35 microns and can produce up to 20,000 150mm wafers per month. Fab 2 features 0.18-micron and below process technologies, including foundry-standard technology. When complete, Fab 2 is expected to offer full production capacity of 33,000 200mm wafers per month. Tower's Web site is located at http://www.towersemi.com/. About BindKey BindKey is a leading supplier of semiconductor design for manufacturing (DFM) software solutions. The company's electronic design automation (EDA) tools produce design-rule-correct integrated circuit (IC) layouts, improving chipmakers' productivity and time to market by solving manufacturing issues during the physical design phase. BindKey is headquartered at 612 North Mary Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94085, and has direct sales and support offices in Silicon Valley, Austin, Texas, Munich, Germany, and throughout the Pacific Rim. For more information, please call 866-RapidIC (866-727-4342) or visit the company Web site at http://www.bindkey.com/. BindKey is a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont Photomasks, Inc. NOTE: RapiDesignClean is a trademark of BindKey Technologies Inc. All other products are trademarks of their respective companies. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors - for example, semiconductor industry cycles, technological challenges, technical difficulties of software development, materials supplies, and actual demand for our products as compared to forecasted requirements, that could cause actual results to differ materially as discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q as well as cautionary statements and other factors set forth as Risk Factors therein. The forward-looking statements are made as of the release date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why the actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. DATASOURCE: BindKey Technologies Inc. CONTACT: media, Rich Bruer of McClenahan Bruer, +1-503-546-1000, or , for BindKey; or investors, Tom Blake of BindKey, +1-512-310-6562, or Web site: http://www.towersemi.com/ Web site: http://www.bindkey.com/

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