New Vishay Siliconix P-Channel Load Switches Are Industry's First Designed for On-Resistance Ratings at 1.5 V

Offer On-Resistance as Low as 45 Milliohms at 1.5 V Rating

MALVERN, Pennsylvania — June 15, 2005 — Five new p-channel load switches, the industry's first such devices designed to offer low on-resistance at a 1.5-V gate drive, were released today by Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE: VSH).

To help minimize power consumption and increase battery life, many of the ASICs found in portable electronics systems are designed to operate at core supply voltages between 1.5 and 1.65 V. Until now, however, the lack of power MOSFETs with guaranteed turn-on operation below 1.8 V has made it difficult for designers to take advantage of these low core supply voltages without the use of level-shifting circuitry, which adds complexity while increasing power consumption.

Vishay addresses this problem with the breakthrough power MOSFETs released today, which are the industry's first that can work directly from 1.5 V core supply voltages with on-resistance as low as 45 milliohms. With their low threshold voltage and guaranteed specifications at a 1.5-V gate drive, the new devices eliminate the need for level-shifting circuitry and maximize the power-saving benefits of low operating voltages in battery-operated systems.

The five power MOSFETs released today include two devices in the LITTLE FOOT TSOP-6 with 20-V (Si3495DV) and -8-V (Si3499DV) drain-to-source breakdown voltages and on-resistance ratings at a 1.5-V gate drive of 47 milliohms and 45 milliohms respectively.

Three additional devices being released, the -8-V Si8419DB, Si5499DC, and Si1499DH, are available in the MICRO FOOT®, 1206 8 ChipFET®, and SC-70 packages, respectively. Like the new LITTLE FOOT devices, they are rated for a 1.5 V gate drive. With their exceptionally compact package designs, they also reduce footprint area dramatically and enable more flexible end-system design.

Samples and production quantities of the new p channel load switches are available now, with lead times of 12 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.

LITTLE FOOT, MICRO FOOT and ChipFET are registered trademarks of Siliconix incorporated