Industry's First 0.13-Micron BCD Tailored for Portable Devices, Delivering Increased Component Density and Enabling Higher Voltage Power Management Integration

KIRCHHEIM & TECK, Germany & HSINCHU, Taiwan — (BUSINESS WIRE) — March 28, 2012 — Dialog Semiconductor plc (FWB: DLG), a provider of highly integrated innovative power management, audio and short range wireless technologies, today announced it is working closely with TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) to develop its next generation of bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) technology specifically tailored to high-performance power management ICs (PMICs) for portable devices.

The BCD process can support the integration of advanced logic, analogue and high-voltage features, including FET type transistors. It will also enable Dialog to create even more highly integrated, smaller form factor single chip devices optimised for portable products such as tablet PCs, ultrabooks and smartphones. The transition to 0.13-micron greatly enhances a PMICs power efficiency through a significant reduction of Rds(on), leading to more energy efficient integrated circuit (IC) designs.

'Through close collaboration with TSMC we succeeded to increase our chip shipments by a staggering 61 percent last year, while at the same time accelerating the development of our next generation of PMICs through this BCD process partnership,' said Dr. Jalal Bagherli, CEO of Dialog Semiconductor. 'We will continue to work closely with TSMC to fuel our leadership position as the analogue industry moves towards 300mm wafers.'

'Dialog is one of the technology leaders whose advanced integrated circuits extend battery lifetime in portable devices, giving a great user experience,' said Jason Chen, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at TSMC. 'Working with companies such as Dialog enables TSMC to consistently deliver cutting edge technology platforms for its customers. We are pleased to support Dialog's future success using TSMC's 0.13-micron technology.'

A broad range of proprietary Dialog IP blocks, based on the TSMC 0.13-micron BCD process, have already been developed for incorporation into Dialog's next generation PMICs, and are currently being qualified with the first devices expected to be available by the end of the year. The designs will deliver the industry's leading power management performance for portable devices.

Through the two companies' longstanding collaboration and development partnership, Dialog is able to provide its customers with validated low-power technologies that exceed their power management needs, meet aggressive time-to-market goals and support production that ramps to their high volume requirements.

About Dialog

Dialog Semiconductor creates highly integrated, mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) optimised for personal portable, low energy short-range wireless, lighting, display and automotive applications. Dialog's power management processor companion chips are essential for enhancing both the performance in terms of extended battery lifetime and the consumers' multimedia experience. With world-class manufacturing partners, Dialog operates a fabless business model.

Dialog Semiconductor plc is headquartered near Stuttgart with a global sales, R&D and marketing organisation. In 2011, it had approximately $527 million in revenue and was one of the fastest growing European public semiconductor companies. It currently has approximately 650 employees. The company is listed on the Frankfurt (FWB: DLG) stock exchange and is a member of the German TecDax index.

About TSMC

TSMC is the world's largest dedicated semiconductor foundry, providing the industry's leading process technology and the foundry's largest portfolio of process-proven libraries, IPs, design tools and reference flows. The Company's managed capacity in 2011 totaled 13.22 million (8-inch equivalent) wafers, including capacity from Three advanced 12-inch GIGAFAB(TM) facilities, four eight-inch fabs, one six-inch fab, as well as TSMC's wholly owned subsidiaries, WaferTech and TSMC China, and its joint venture fab, SSMC. TSMC is the first foundry to provide 28nm production capabilities. Its corporate headquarters are in Hsinchu, Taiwan. For more information about TSMC please visit http://www.tsmc.com.