CARSEM MLP's MEET MSL-1 AT 260°C

Scotts Valley, CA-April 29, 2003-Carsem, a leading provider of turnkey packaging and test services to the semiconductor industry, announced today they offer an MSL-1 (Moisture Sensitivity Level) process option for their MLP (Micro Leadframe Package) family. The MLP's will meet the most stringent testing criteria of JEDEC's J-STD-20B and is based on end-point electrical testing and delamination criteria after 260 degrees centigrade re-flow temperatures. Carsem MLP's are QFN & SON type package per JEDEC's MO220 and MO229 standards and are also available in a Lead-Free (Pb-Free) option.

David Comley, Group Managing Director, statedĘ "This is a major break-through in our ability to provide our customers with a solid MSL-1 solution for the ever-increasing quality and reliability requirements demanded by our industry. Carsem's technology team has done an outstanding job in the development of this process capability and clearly places us at the fore-front of this technology."

"Due to the more efficient size and improved performance relative to leaded packages, and in some cases array packages, the MLP has had a wide acceptance by the semiconductor industry and has ramped into very high volumes in industry-record time. We currently manufacture MLP's in the tens of millions each month. With the advent of being able to provide this MSL-1 solution, we feel the growth will accelerate even faster and have already expanded our capacity to meet any ramp-up in demand," stated Paul Smith, Carsem's Director of Marketing. Smith further stated, "Many of the RF (Radio Frequency) device suppliers have been concerned with their device performance being dependent on the bond wires connected to the die attach area and this process solution will virtually remove those concerns."

MSL is a joint industry standard that was established by IPC and JEDEC. The standard measures the ability of devices to withstand exposure to a moist environment for a period of time prior to being surface mounted to a printed circuit board. MSL-1 means devices can be stored for an infinite amount of time and therefore the expensive moisture protection procedures associated with lower level MSL ratings such as MSL-2 or 3 are not required. For further information see www.jedec.com

About Carsem
Carsem is a leading provider of turnkey packaging and test services to the semiconductor industry, and offers one of the widest ranges of package & test portfolios in the world. To meet the growing demands of the telecommunications and wireless markets for smaller, faster, thermally-efficient devices, Carsem's portfolio includes several advanced technologies, such as the Micro Leadframe Package (MLP), Small Scale Ball Grid Array (SSBGA), Flip Chip On Leadframe (FCOL), and a SiP (System-in-Package) capability. Carsem also offers a full range of turnkey test services for RF, mixed-signal, linear, digital and power devices. Our factories maintain world-class quality standards having achieved SAC Level 1, ISO-9001, ISO-14001, QS-9000, TS16949 certifications, and are supported with a global network of sales and engineering support offices. Carsem is a member of the Hong Leong Group with factories located in Ipoh, Malaysia, Suzhou, China and sales offices across the USA, plus the UK. Carsem, Inc. sales headquarters is located at 269 Mt. Hermon Road, Suite 104, Scotts Valley, CA 95066, phone (831) 438-6861, fax (831) 438-6863, web site: www.carsem.com.