This collaboration will enable TowerJazz to provide the most advanced BSI technology for large-scale production in the high-end market of CMOS image sensors
Migdal Emek, Israel and Changchun, China, on October 30, 2017
--As a leading global wafer manufacturer of special processes, TowerJazz announced today that it has established a partnership with Changchun Changguang Yuanchen Microelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (YCM) in China for the manufacturing of Back Illumination (BSI) processes, and BSIs processing technology will be used on wafers produced by TowerJazz for CMOS image sensors. This collaboration will enable TowerJazz to start providing advanced BSI technology and competitive prices for global customers entering the mass production stage in mid-2018.
The new BSI technology will be utilized in the high-end imaging, automotive, and AR/VR markets, as well as in other rapidly growing CIS markets. This is the first time that wafer manufacturers have provided BSI technology to the high-end imaging market, including ultra large chips that require Stitching technology.
BSI and wafer stacking are the cutting-edge CIS technologies for high pixel sensitivity, which allow for an increase in the number of photons captured by pixels under low light conditions to achieve better image quality, while also providing higher dynamic range and higher frame rates (faster sensors).
TowerJazz and its main leading customers believe that BSI technology will play an important role in the growing high-end CIS market, including DSLR cameras for high-end photography, photography cameras, automobiles, and more. The BSI technology of TowerJazz is of great significance as it focuses on high-end large-sized sensors, including those that require Stitching technology. It also showcases the development blueprint for wafer stack technology, including the most advanced pixel level wafer stacking.

"TowerJazz is globally recognized as the leader in high-end application CMOS image sensor manufacturing platforms," said Li Dabing, CEO of Changchun Changguang Yuanchen Microelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. "Our collaboration with TowerJazz will enable us to quickly and efficiently bring unique and high-value technologies to the market, especially in the continuously growing Chinese market where TowerJazz has already played an important role."

"I am very pleased and excited to have the ability and opportunity to develop with YCM and support its leading position in many different and continuously growing high-end markets. In addition, our collaboration with YCM enables us to further penetrate the rapidly growing high-end CMOS camera market in China," said Dr. Avi Strum, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CMOS Image Sensor Business Unit. "I have great confidence in the technical capabilities of this collaboration."

About YCM
Changchun Changguang Yuanchen Microelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (YCM) was established on December 29, 2016. It is a OEM factory mainly focused on the Back Illumination (BSI-CIS) process flow for CMOS image sensors worldwide. YCM provides BSI process for 200mm and 300mm CIS wafers. For more information, please contact yc@ycmec.com .

About TowerJazz
Tower Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ stock code: TSEM, Tel Aviv Stock Exchange stock code: TSEM) and its subsidiaries operate under the name of Tower Jazz as a leading global specialty process wafer foundry. TowerJazz produces next-generation integrated circuits (ICs) in a growing market, such as consumer, industrial, automotive, medical, aerospace, and defense industries. The advanced technology of TowerJazz consists of a wide range of customizable process platforms, such as SiGe, BiCMOS, mixed signal/CMOS, RF CMOS, CMOS image sensors, integrated power management (BCD and 700V), and MEMS. TowerJazz also provides fast and accurate design cycles to achieve world-class design support, ranging from transfer optimization and development process services (TOPS) to independent equipment manufacturers and design companies for wafer free foundries that require capacity expansion. In order to provide customers with multi vendor procurement and full production capacity, TowerJazz has two wafer fabs (150mm and 200mm) in Israel, two wafer fabs (200mm) in the United States, and three wafer fabs (two 200mm and one 300mm) in Japan. For more information, please visit www.towerjazz. com.
This is a reprinted article, excerpted from: www.towerjazz. com