15.03.2006 – 21:12

Atmel Corporation

Atmel Introduces the World's Fastest Monolithic 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter

Grenoble, France (ots/PRNewswire)

Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML), a global leader in the
development and fabrication of advanced semiconductor solutions,
announced today the industry's fastest, commercially-available,
monolithic 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with a clock
frequency of 500 Msps. The AT84AS001TP will allow system designers to
accurately digitize signals with frequencies up to 250 MHz at
sampling rates that could not have been achieved before with 12-bit
resolution.

With current commercial offerings for 12-bit ADCs limited to 250
Msps designers are forced to use several down-conversion hardware
stages before entering the analog signals into the ADC, and to
interleave several ADCs to get high data rates. Providing a major
step forward in sampling rate without compromise on performance, the
AT84AS001TP will set a new standard, allowing simpler system
architectures while offering the possibility to sample wider
bandwidth signals. This will benefit many applications including
telecommunications infrastructure, high IF broadband digital
receivers, test and measurement equipment, high-speed data
acquisition, and defense radar and communications systems.

Thanks to its 0.5 dB band flatness from DC to 250 MHz, the
AT84AS001TP provides an impressive 62 dBc SNR, 75 dBc SFDR and 10
ENOB at 500 Msps over the first Nyquist zone with two-tone
Inter-Modulation Distortion (IMD) limited to -70 dB. This high level
of performance is achieved while dissipating a very moderate 2.3W
with 3.3V and 5V power supplies. The required analog input signal
amplitude is only 1.1 Vpp, and can be AC or DC coupled. An integrated
three-wire serial interface offers convenient software control of the
ADC gain and offset.

"The AT84AS001TP is clearly a step ahead of the competition, being
the first monolithic 12-bit ADC available on the market to provide a
guaranteed 500 MHz sampling rate without any compromise on
performance," said Jean-Charles Terrien, Strategic Marketing Manager
for Atmel's Broadband Data Conversion product line. "This ADC is the
first of a new high-resolution family and reaffirms Atmel's
commitment to pushing the state-of-the-art in terms of the
speed/resolution compromise, enabling designers to lower system
complexity and cost."

The AT84AS001TP is available in a TBGA192 plastic package and will
be offered in both commercial and industrial temperature ranges.
Samples are available now, with production quantities in Q4 2006, at
a unit price of US$98 for a 1K-piece quantity in commercial grade.

Footnote:
    ADC: Analog-to-Digital Converter
    SNR: Signal-to-Noise Ratio
    SFDR: Spurious-Free Dynamic Range
    ENOB: Effective Number Of Bits
    IMD: Inter-Modulation Distortion

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of
microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory
and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's
broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is
able to provide the electronics industry with complete system
solutions. Focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications,
computing and automotive markets, Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere
You Are(R).

(C) Atmel Corporation 2006. All rights reserved. Atmel(R), logo
and combinations thereof, Everywhere You Are(R) and others, are
registered trademarks or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its
subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of
others.

Information

Further information on the AT84AS001TP can be found at:
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=3885

For more information on Atmel's Broadband Data Conversion products
go to: http://www.atmel.com/products/Broadband/overview.asp

Press Contacts
    Sylvie Mattei, Communications Manager - Atmel Grenoble
    Phone: +33-4-76-58-30-25, Email  sylvie.mattei@gfo.atmel.com
    Helen Perlegos, Public Relations - USA and Asia Pacific Rim,
    Phone: +1-408-487-2963, Email:  hperlegos@atmel.com
    Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe
    Phone: +33-1-30-60-70-68, Fax: +49-71-31-67-24-23, Email
     veronique.sablereau@atmel.com

Web site: http://www.atmel.com

Contact:

Sylvie Mattei, Communications Manager of Atmel Grenoble,
+33-4-76-58-30-25 or sylvie.mattei@gfo.atmel.com; Helen Perlegos,
Public Relations - USA and Asia Pacific Rim, of Atmel,
+1-408-487-2963 or hperlegos@atmel.com; or Veronique Sablereau,
Corporate Communications Manager - Europe, of Atmel,
+33-1-30-60-70-68, Fax: +49-71-31-67-24-23 or
veronique.sablereau@atmel.com