Shocking Connection Enables ESD Solution for PCB and IC Package Design

Shocking Technologies, Inc., a leader in the development of Voltage Switchable Dielectric™ (VSD™) materials, today announced that it has joined the Cadence® Connections® program.

Shocking Technologies and Cadence® Design Systems, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. have agreed to work together to integrate Shocking´s VSD™ technology into Cadence Allegro® products to enable designers to seamlessly embed global ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) protection into printed circuit boards and semiconductor packages.

"Shocking is very excited that Cadence has agreed to work with us and enable our customers to easily implement this blanket ESD solution," said Lex Kosowsky Shocking´s President and CEO. "We believe that incorporation of VSD™ materials will eventually become a ubiquitous part of building a PCB or semiconductor package."

"Customers of Cadence and Shocking will now have access to custom design rules from Shocking Technologies that assist in mitigating the dangers of electrostatic discharge while optimizing designs," said Steven Kamin, Group Director of Allegro Product Marketing at Cadence Design Systems. "We are pleased that the open and flexible architecture of the Cadence Allegro and SiP solutions continues to be used by our partners to enable engineers to design smaller, less expensive, and more reliable products."

When properly designed into a PCB or substrate, Shocking´s XStatic™ VSD™ material has demonstrated protection levels exceeding 30KV for both contact and air discharge modes. XStatic™VSD™ material not only provides superior ESD protection levels, but when properly implemented, can protect 100% of the components on a PCB or the I/Os in a semiconductor package.

Although memory and mobile phones represent the initial applications for VSD™ materials, the technology is applicable to almost any type of electronic product. As semiconductor devices continue to shrink, and portability and interoperability continue to proliferate, ESD becomes more and more of a problem. A global ESD solution that is embedded within the board or package not only lowers costs for the manufacturer, but also increases reliability and brand value in the eyes of the consumer.

About Shocking Technologies, Inc.

Shocking Technologies, Inc. is a privately held,venture–backed company developing Voltage Switchable Dielectric™ (VSD™) materials. A VSD™ material is a polymer nano–composite that behaves like an insulator (dielectric) during normal circuit operation and becomes conductive when the voltage across the VSD™ material increases beyond a predefined threshold voltage. After the voltage drops below the threshold again, it switches back to an insulator. This unique property, coupled with the ability to tailor the response of the material, opens up several new areas in electronics. The first application being introduced enables embedded electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and semiconductor packages. Subsequent applications will usher in new manufacturing processes as well as novel product designs. More information regarding the company is available at www.shockingtech.com.

© 2008 Shocking Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. Shocking Technologies, the Shocking Technologies logo, VSD and XStatic are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Shocking Technologies, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other names used may be trademarks of their respective owners.