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Elantec Semiconductor Announces New 1 Amp Step-Down DC:DC Converter

The EL7551CU generates an output voltage from 1.0V to 3.8V at 1 Amp continuous load current, while operating from a 5V supply

MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, July 12, 2001 -- Elantec Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELNT), a leader in high-performance analog integrated circuits, today announced a new step-down DC:DC converter with synchronous, integrated power FET transistors. The EL7551CU is highly suited for power applications, such as telecommunications, data communications, networking, modems, and graphics accelerators. For applications with a 5V input generating 3.3V output, the EL7551CU achieves up to 94% efficiency while delivering 1A continuous load current - a superior level of performance. The benefits of this high level of efficiency are lower die temperature and higher reliability than currently available solutions. Elantec's EL7551CU operates with input voltages from 4.5V to 5.5V, over an ambient temperature range of -40 to +85 degrees C. The device utilizes a compact 16-pin QSOP package and requires a minimal number of external passive components to provide a complete DC:DC Step-Down (Buck) Converter.

The output voltage is easily set to any desired value within the range of 1V to 3.8V by two external resistors. Other features include integrated current sensing, cycle-by-cycle current limiting, over-temperature shutdown, soft-start, and under-voltage lockout.

Richard Powers, Elantec's Director of Strategic Marketing for Power Products stated, "The EL7551CU extends Elantec's DC:DC Step-Down (Buck) Converter product line to lower powered applications. Elantec now offers 8A, 6A, 4A and 1A devices, which satisfy a broad range of system requirements. The design engineer can select the device that precisely satisfies the desired voltage and current level for each specific supply voltage. When powering a FPGA, for example, the engineer can select a higher current device for the 1.8V or 2.5V supply and a lower current device for the 3.3V supply. In a typical communications system, a high powered 48V input "brick" converter can generate a 5V output, which can then feed several distributed power DC:DC converters - each one providing the proper voltage at the desired current."

Elantec offers applications support, demo boards, sample devices and technical assistance to assure that customers achieve maximum performance with minimum design effort.

Pricing at 1,000-piece quantities for the EL7551CU in the 16-pin QSOP package is $2.37 and decreases with higher volumes. Samples are available now, with approximately 4-week lead times for production quantities. For more information, please visit our web site at www.intersil.com, or contact our Applications Department at 1-888-INTERSIL.

Elantec designs, manufactures and markets high performance analog integrated circuits primarily for the video, optical storage, communications and power management markets. The Company targets high growth commercial markets in which advances in digital integrated circuit technology are driving increasing demand for high speed, high performance and low power consumption analog circuits.

Certain matters discussed in this press release pertaining to the market trends, product performance, cost effectiveness, and design-in time are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include product introductions by the Company's competitors, competitive pricing pressures, fluctuations in manufacturing yield, changes in the mix or markets in which products are sold, availability and cost of raw materials and other risks discussed in the Company's most recent Forms 10-Q and 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.