Clare Introduces LCAS Product Family in Space-saving MLP Packages; Micro Leadframe Package Shrinks Relay Footprint by 60 Percent.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

BEVERLY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 2002

Clare, Inc., an IXYS company (NASDAQ: SYXI), today announced that all members of its Line Card Access Switch (LCAS) family are now available in space-saving Micro Leadframe Packages (MLP). These new LCAS products enable designers to achieve new benchmarks in line density and realize system cost savings for both traditional voice and integrated voice-data (IVD) line cards found in central office (CO) and digital loop carrier (DLC) communications equipment.

The MLP is a near chip scale package (CSP) that offers line card designers significant area savings compared to traditional package types. It is a leadless package where electrical connections are made through lands on the bottom surface of the component. Compared to the 191 sq mm area of the CPC7583 product in a 28-pin SOIC package, the 28-pin MLP version has a footprint of only 77 sq mm. This translates to an area savings of 60%. In addition, the small height of the MLP at only 0.9 mm offers a 65% reduction and gives designers the freedom to place parts on the backside of circuit boards.

Since the CPC7583 replaces three 2-Form-C electromechanical relays (EMRs), the area comparisons are equally dramatic. Even when compared to fourth generation EMRs, the MLP offers a 65% reduction in area and an 80% reduction in height. This represents another key advantage for silicon solutions in addition to lower power, improved reliability, improved airflow and reduced impulse noise.

"The migration of our LCAS products to MLP is a significant milestone for both Clare and the industry," said John Battaglini, Marketing Director at Clare. "No other silicon or electromechanical vendor comes close to offering such functionality in the same space. The push towards higher line card density continues unabated and the 60% area savings for relays can make all the difference in a new design."

In developing the MLP, Clare worked closely with its assembly vendor to customize a package and leadframe that can easily be designed onto a line card and still meet the demanding 20-year reliability requirements of the telecommunications industry. MLP pinouts are identical to the SOIC allowing customers an easy upgrade path from today's LCAS solutions.

LCAS Functionality

Clare's families of LCAS products are monolithic ICs that provide the high-voltage functionality necessary to replace all the 2-Form-C electromechanical relays found on line cards. These products have low, matched on-resistance enabling high longitudinal balance, integrated zero-cross switching to reduce impulse noise, ultra-low power consumption of 10mW and tertiary protection features including current limiting, thermal shutdown and SLIC protection. In addition, line cards using these products have successfully passed both GR1089 and K20 lightning and power cross testing.

Pricing and Availability

The following Clare LCAS products are available in MLP packages: the CPC7581, CPC7582 and CPC7584 in a 6x7 mm 16 pin MLP and the CPC7583 in a 7x11 mm 28 pin MLP. The CPC7581MA, CPC7582MA and CPC7583MA are all currently available in sample and production quantities while the CPC7584MA will be available in 1Q-2003. Please contact your local sales rep for pricing and leadtime information.

About Clare and IXYS, Inc.

Clare, Inc., a leader in the design and manufacture of solid-state relays and high voltage integrated circuits, is a wholly owned subsidiary of IXYS Corporation. IXYS Corporation develops and markets primarily high performance power semiconductor devices that are used in controlling and converting electrical power efficiently in power systems for the telecommunication and internet infrastructure, motor drives, medical systems and transportation. IXYS also serves its markets with a combination of digital and analog integrated circuits. Additional information about Clare and IXYS may be found at www.clare.com and www.ixys.com.

Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the results of IXYS to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including, among others, risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2002 and 2001, and our other filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements.