New Vishay Siliconix MOSFET Drivers Enhance Design Flexibility in Computer and Consumer Electronic Products

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - June 20, 2001 - Two new half-bridge MOSFET drivers optimized for single-input, high-frequency switching in dc-to-dc converters were announced today by Siliconix incorporated (NASDAQ: SILI), an 80.4%-owned subsidiary of Vishay Intertechnology (NYSE: VSH). By offloading the power MOSFET drive requirement from the controller IC, the new devices increase system design flexibility for a wide variety of power conversion designs used in desktop and notebook computers, computer peripheral products, and consumer electronic products.

The Si9912 and Si9913 single-input dual MOSFET high-speed drivers offer an extended input voltage range of 4.5 V to 30 Va, with a supply voltage of 4.5 V to 5.5 V. Packaged in the 8-pin SOIC, the new Vishay devices integrate drivers capable of switching a 3000-pF load with a 60-ns propagation delay and a transition time of 25 ns. This fast switching speed minimizes switching losses and increases power efficiency.

Outfitted with an integrated bootstrap diode on the high-side driver, both the Si9912 and Si9913 are capable of handling the high voltage slews associated with "floating" high-side gate drivers. The new devices offer a 1-A drive current that supports switching frequencies up to 1 MHz, making the Si9912 and Si9913 an optimal choice for high-frequency, high-current converters.

The half-bridge MOSFET drivers additionally include several integrated protection features. An undervoltage lockout and an automatic break-before-make circuit prevent shoot-through current in the external MOSFETs and ensure that both the high-side and low-side MOSFETs do not operate at the same time.

Vishay's Si9913 features a synchronous enable pin used to enable the low side driver. As an alternative design option, the Si9912 provides a shutdown pin that enables the driver, with a power-efficient quiescent current of less than 5 µA when the driver is disabled. Both devices are fully compatible with Vishay's complete lines of MOSFETs, ceramic capacitors, tantalum capacitors, inductors, and Schottky diodes, thereby providing manufacturers with a wide range of microelectronics components deriving from a single, versatile source.

Samples of the Si9912 and Si9913 are available now. Production quantities will be available in March, with lead times of eight weeks for larger orders.

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., a Fortune 1,000 Company listed on the NYSE (VSH), is one of the world's largest manufacturers of discrete semiconductors (diodes, rectifiers, transistors, and optoelectronics and selected ICs) and passive electronic components (resistors, capacitors, inductors, sensors, and transducers). These components are used in virtually all types of electronic devices and equipment, in the industrial, computing, automotive, consumer, telecommunications, military, aerospace, and medical markets. Its product innovations, successful acquisition strategy, and ability to provide "one-stop shop" service have made Vishay a global industry leader. Vishay can be found on the Internet at http://www.vishay.com.