Catalyst Semiconductor Digital Potentiometer ICs Reduce Power and Cost Less.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 7, 2003

Catalyst Semiconductor (Nasdaq:CATS) today announced new quad and dual Digitally Programmable Potentiometer (DPP(TM)) integrated circuits (ICs). Designed to replace mechanical potentiometers, the quad CAT5241 and dual CAT5221 digital potentiometer ICs have 64 wiper positions. The linear-taper, nonvolatile DPP ICs are controlled over a 400 kHz, 2-wire interface.

"The CAT5241 and CAT5221 give engineers a low cost, low power alternative to industry parts such as the pin-compatible Xicor X9241A and X9221A digitally controlled potentiometer (XDCP(TM)) ICs," said Catalyst Product Marketing Manager Gary Craig. "Standby power is 5 microwatts maximum at 5 volts, ideal for battery powered equipment, and 500 times lower than competitive solutions. In 10,000 piece volumes, the CAT5241 is priced at $0.40 per digital pot and the CAT5221 price is $0.60 per pot. Recent design-wins at digital camera manufacturers and other volume users of digital potentiometers have validated our low cost, high performance market penetration strategy."

Mr. Craig added, "Compared to other industry pin-compatible devices, the CAT5241 and CAT5221 operate from a single power supply voltage that can range from 2.5 volts to 6.0 volts. Our maximum wiper resistance is a low 150 ohms at 5 volt operation. We also specify a maximum wiper resistance of 300 ohms at 3 volt operation."

CAT5241 and CAT5221 Applications

Target applications for Digitally Programmable Potentiometer ICs include fiber optic transceiver modules, RF amplifier bias and protection circuits, digital and film cameras, LCD display brightness and contrast control, transducer calibration and programmable power supplies. With multiple pots per package, DPP solutions are lower cost and easier to mount on printed circuit boards than mechanical potentiometers.

CAT5241 and CAT5221 Features

Digital potentiometers allow traditional analog functions to be adjusted, trimmed or controlled digitally. Compared to mechanical potentiometers, they offer a more efficient means of automating the control, calibration and manufacturing of electronic systems. This includes the advantage of being much more tolerant of hazardous system environments.

The CAT5241 and CAT5221, quad and dual DPP ICs, have 64 tap positions each or 6-bit resolution. Tap positions can be stored in embedded EEPROM registers and automatically recalled upon power up. Each potentiometer is controlled from an independent 6-bit digital control register and its associated four independent EEPROM registers. The value in one of the associated nonvolatile registers is recalled upon power up.

Nonvolatile registers and each wiper control register can be written and read directly. Tap settings stored in the nonvolatile registers can be transferred to the wiper control registers independently or globally for faster system control operations.

Four device address pins allow as many as 16 devices or a maximum of 64 pots to share a common 2-wire bus for maximum system efficiency.

The CAT5241 and CAT5221 can effectively replace other more costly potentiometer and DAC solutions.

Price, Packages and Availability

The 64-tap quad CAT5241 and dual CAT5221 are available in 20-lead SOIC packages. Lead-free, halogen-free "Green" packages are also available. Four resistance options, 2.5 kohms, 10 kohms, 50 kohms and 100 kohms, are offered. Commercial, 0 degree centigrade to 70 degree centigrade, and industrial, -40 degree centigrade to 85 degree centigrade, temperature range devices are offered. Prices start at $1.19 in 10,000 piece quantities. Devices are available for sampling now and production is scheduled for the third quarter of 2003.

Data sheets are available at www.catalyst-semiconductor.com. A complete DPP selection guide can be obtained by emailing David Gillooly at [e-mail].

About Catalyst Semiconductor

Founded in 1985, Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The Company is a developer and marketer of programmable products used in telecommunications, networking systems, computation, automotive, industrial and consumer markets. The Company designs and markets a broad range of programmable products including Flash Memories, Parallel and Serial EEPROMs with I2C, SPI and Microwire interfaces, NVRAMs, Digitally Programmable Potentiometers, Microcontroller Supervisory circuits and other programmable Mixed Signal products. Typical applications for the Company's products include optical networks, modems, wireless LANs, network cards, PC BIOS, DIMM modules, cellular telephones, digital satellite box receivers, set-top boxes and Internet routers. Catalyst's Quality Management System is ISO9001 certified. Additional information about Catalyst Semiconductor is available on the Company's web site at www.catalyst-semiconductor.com.

Except for those statements that report the Company's historical results, the statements being made are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained under the heading "Certain Factors That May Affect the Company's Future Results of Operations" listed from time to time in Catalyst's SEC reports including but not limited to the report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2002, and to the reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended July 31, 2002, October 31, 2002, and January 31, 2003.

Editor Notes:

1. Trademark notices: DPP is a trademark of Catalyst Semiconductor. I2C is a registered trademark of Philips Corporation. SPI is a trademark of Motorola, Inc. Microwire is a trademark of National Semiconductor. XDCP is trademark of Xicor.

2. Electronic images are available at www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/editor.