Leuven, Belgium, Marina del Rey, California and Pocatello, Idaho, April 23, 2003 --- Europractice IC Service, the European provider of low-cost, fast prototype services and small volume production coordinated by IMEC, has reached agreement with its US counterpart, MOSIS, to collaborate on AMI Semiconductor (AMIS) technologies. Europractice already offers the 0.7µm I²T 100V process of AMIS Belgium to its customers, while MOSIS offers the C5F 0.5µm mixed-signal process with maskless EEPROM option.  Under the new agreement, customers of both IMEC and MOSIS will have access to both AMIS technologies, through their local MPW service.

US customers may send their designs to MOSIS to be processed in 0.7µm I²T 100V CMOS, a high-voltage technology for automotive, smart power and medical applications for processing by IMEC on its MPW runs. In the same way, customers of IMEC’s Europractice IC Service may benefit from this collaboration by sending designs to be processed in the C5F 0.5µm maskless EEPROM technology to IMEC, for processing by MOSIS.

“This close cooperation with MOSIS on both technologies will enable us to access a much broader customer base and to enhance the MPW offer,” said Dr. Carl Das, Director of the Europractice IC Service at IMEC.

“The agreement with IMEC is a beginning that will grow with the new processes being developed by AMIS, both in the US and in Belgium” said Wes Hansford, MOSIS Deputy Director.

“Through the collaboration between Europractice and MOSIS, we can easily offer our technology to customers all over the world,” said Bob Zausch, AMIS foundry product marketing manager. “Europractice and MOSIS are indispensable service providers between IC designers and foundries.”

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Notes to editors

About Europractice IC Service

Europractice IC Service was set up in 1995 as part of a project by the European Commission to stimulate use by European industry and universities of advanced IC technologies. The Europractice service, run by a consortium headed by IMEC, offers industry and academia a fully supported, affordable route to IC design, prototyping, and small and medium volume production. Annually, about 500 designs are prototyped and 130 small volume projects are manufactured at leading IC manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.europractice.imec.be.

About IMEC

IMEC was founded in 1984 and today is Europe's largest independent research center in the field of microelectronics, nanotechnology, enabling design methods and technologies for ICT systems. IMEC's activities concentrate on the design technology for integrated information and communication systems; silicon process technology; silicon technology and device integration; nanotechnology, microsystems, components and packaging; solar cells; and advanced training in microelectronics. IMEC is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has a staff of more than 1200 people including over 350 industrial residents and guest researchers. IMEC has a 0.13µm 200mm pilot line and is ISO9001 certified. Its revenue of more than 120Meuro is derived from agreements and contracts with the Flemish

government and companies, the EC, MEDEA+, the European Space Agency, equipment and material suppliers, and semiconductor and system-oriented companies worldwide. News from IMEC is located at www.imec.be.

About MOSIS

MOSIS, originally funded by DARPA, has moved into the research and industrial markets. By combining multiple designs onto a single mask set, MOSIS is able to provide low-cost, fast prototype services and small volume production. MOSIS sends the mask set to the semiconductor company, who in turn processes the files and produces the multiple-die wafer. MOSIS includes test chips in the mask set to check the performance of the process. The finished wafers are returned to MOSIS who in turn cuts, packages and returns the parts to its customers. For more information please call +1-310-448-9400. Visit the MOSIS home page at www.mosis.org or email mosis-info@mosis.org.

About AMI Semiconductor

AMI Semiconductor (AMIS) is a world leader in the design and manufacture of silicon solutions for the real world.  As a widely recognized innovator in state-of-the-art mixed-signal technologies and mid-range digital ASICs including ASIC conversion services, AMIS is committed to providing customers with the optimal value, quickest time-to-market ASIC solutions. Offering unparalleled manufacturing flexibility and dedication to customer service, AMI Semiconductor operates globally with headquarters in Pocatello, Idaho, European corporate offices in Oudenaarde, Belgium, and a network of sales and design centers located in the key markets of the United States, Europe and the Asia Pacific region.  For more information, please visit the AMIS Web site at www.amis.com.

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