IXYS Releases 30A Gate Driver IC With the Highest Peak Drive Current in the Industry For Power MOSFETs and IGBTs.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 2003

IXYS Corporation (NASDAQ: SYXI), a leading supplier of power semiconductors and ICs for power conversion, motor control, medical electronics and telecommunication applications, announced the release of the industry's first 30 ampere rated gate driver IC, the IXD_430. This high speed, high current gate driver is designed specifically to drive the largest size Power MOSFETs and IGBTs up to their highest practical frequency limits. The IXD_430 can source and sink 30A of peak current, while producing voltage rise and fall times of less than 30ns. In addition, the IXD_430 dissipates less power at high frequency by eliminating internal cross conduction through its source and sink output drive stages.

The IXD_430 offers substantial cost and board space savings for power system designers by replacing multi-component discrete gate drive circuits with a single integrated IC. These benefits are of particular value in large power applications, when used to replace multiple drive circuits typically required for parallel-connected Power MOSFETs or IGBTs. The IXD_430 also boasts an extended operating voltage range of up to 35V, enabling a robust +/- 15V gate drive as often required for high power NPT IGBT modules. Many of IXYS drivers, including the IXD_430, incorporate the ability to disable the output during fault conditions to allow the circuit designer to tailor the turn-off for short circuit and other fault conditions.

IXYS provides the highest performing, most versatile family of low-side gate drivers with offerings extending from 2A to 30A. The IXD_430 shares the extended operating voltage range and other advantages with IXYS family of low side gate drive ICs. Additional performance advantages include heat sinkable package options with 25 degrees centigrade rated power dissipation of up to 105W, and -55 degrees to +125 degrees centigrade operating temperature range.

As with all IXYS gate drivers, the IXD_430 is offered with various logic configuration options. The IXDN430 is configured as a non-inverting gate driver, and the IXDI430 is an inverting gate driver. In addition to its selectable undervoltage lockout, the IXDS430 can be configured as either a non-inverting or inverting driver. The standard undervoltage lockout is at 12.5V for IGBTs but versions with an 8.5V threshold for MOSFET drive applications are also available with the IXD_430MCI, IXD_430MYI and the IXDS430SI. The IXD_430 driver package options include the standard 28-pin SIOC (SI) with a metal tab, 5-pin TO-220 (CI) and the TO-263 (YI) surface mount packages.

Various applications stand to benefit from the unique features of the IXD_430 and IXYS' other gate drivers. Examples include welding, digital amplifiers, power factor correction converters, switch-mode power supplies and uninterruptible power supplies. More information on these IC's can be found on the website www.ixys.com.

Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including the performance, ruggedness, and suitability of products for various applications, 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, 2003. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements.