The program will be carried out by a world-class collaboration betweenGrandis and the Universities of Virginia and Alabama. Under the direction ofPrincipal Investigator Dr. Eugene Chen of Grandis, development work will coverSTT materials and processes, STT architecture and circuit blocks, andultimately test and verification of STT-RAM integrated memory arrays.Professor Stuart A. Wolf of the University of Virginia and Professor WilliamH. Butler of the University of Alabama are both noted for their substantialcontributions to the development of the field of spintronics, and theirextensive research capabilities in fundamental physics, first-principlesmodeling and combinatorial materials science will complement the efforts atGrandis in this program.

"We are extremely pleased that STT-RAM has been recognized by majorsemiconductor companies as the leading memory solution for the 45 nmtechnology node and beyond, and we are honored by this additional recognitionand significant funding from DARPA," stated Farhad Tabrizi, CEO and Presidentof Grandis. "Grandis and its partners are committed to making STT-RAMtechnology available to DARPA's defense contractors, and believe that thisprogram will provide leading-edge innovations that strengthen U.S. leadershipin this critical technology."

"The goal of this program is to deliver dense, high-performance,cost-effective universal memory chips employing STT technology," explained Dr.Devanand Shenoy, program manager in DARPA's Microsystems Technology Office."Demanding specifications must be met by the materials and devices throughoutthe project to ensure delivery of ground-breaking technology."

Grandis has been the world leader in the development of STT-RAM, which isalso known as STT-MRAM or SpinRAM, since 2002. It has pioneered thedevelopment of innovative materials and structures to enhance spin-transferefficiency and reduce STT write current while maintaining thermal stability.It has established a comprehensive patent portfolio in spintronics and STT-RAMtechnology and a strong technical team with extensive expertise in magneticthin film and semiconductor memory technology. The successful outcome of thisDARPA program will lead to a revolution in military and space electronics bydelivering sophisticated solid-state memory devices for mission-criticalapplications.

About Grandis, Inc.

Grandis is the pioneer in the development of spin-transfer torque RAM(STT-RAM), a universal and scalable memory solution. Grandis licenses itstechnology to companies that are developing a variety of productsincorporating stand-alone and embedded STT-RAM memory. It offers its licenseesa complete range of support services from process installation throughqualification. By combining non-volatility and high performance with low-powerconsumption and low cost, STT-RAM can revolutionize the performance ofelectronic products in many areas. Grandis was established in 2002, and isheadquartered in Silicon Valley, California. Investors include AppliedVentures LLC, Sevin Rosen Funds, Matrix Partners, Incubic and ConceptVentures. Additional information about the company is available on theInternet at http://www.grandisinc.com

SOURCE Grandis, Inc.