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Intersil Continues Expansion of RS-232 Interface Line with New Miniature Low-Profile Transceiver IC Targeted for Handhelds

-- Intersil continues leadership developing small form factor ICs for portables and handhelds~--New interface IC boasts of industry’s lowest powered-down current for increased battery life

MILPITAS, CA, December 12, 2002 – Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), a world leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog and wireless networking solutions, today announced a new addition to their expanding high-performance RS-232 interface line – the ISL4238E. Intersil’s new ISL4238E serial interface IC offers high performance in an ultra-small 5 X 5 X 0.9 mm Quad Flat No-lead (QFN) package. The ISL4238E joins Intersil’s ISL424xE RS-232 transceivers as the world’s smallest, lowest-power, low-cost RS-232 family.

Targeted applications include all portable and handheld battery-powered equipment in which space and power consumption are concerns and serial interface is needed. At a mere 10 nA (0.00000001 A), the powered-down chip current (ICC) is 100 times lower than that of competing products. This feature is critical in portable battery-powered devices where the RS-232 port is used infrequently and thus spends most of its time in the powered-down mode. The ISL4238 awakens automatically from this powered-down sleep mode.

“The ISL4238E was designed to meet five key requirements for new handheld device applications – small size, low power consumption, low cost, high performance and high reliability,” said Mamoon Rashid, director of marketing for Intersil’s Analog Solutions Products. “The ISL4238E is further evidence that Intersil continues to support industry-wide product miniaturization with the most reliable and cost-effective interface solutions.”

The Intersil's ISL4238E is the complement to the already released ISL4243E transceiver. The new ISL4238 has 5 transmitters (drivers) and 3 receivers. It is optimized for DCE applications with full handshake capability and is intended to reside in small handheld devices such as PDAs, digital cameras, and data cables. The ISL4243 is optimized for DTE applications such as notebook or desktop PCs and has 3 transmitters and 5 receivers to communicate with those of the ISL4238. Thus, the two ICs complement each other from each end of the RS-232 interface cable.

The transceiver’s QFN package provides many needed benefits where space and power dissipation are important. At a miniscule 5 X 5 X 0.9 mm, the QFN near-chip-size package requires 60% less board space yet offers improved thermal performance over the TSSOP package it replaces. A central land on the underside provides efficient heat transfer to the circuit board along with small lands on the underside perimeter, which also provide circuit connection. There are no leads to become bent during handling or assembly and special manufacturing equipment is not needed.

ISL4238E Technical Details

• Contains 5 transmitters (5Tx) and 3 receivers (3Rx) to offer design flexibility and to complement the ISL4243 3TX/5Rx transceiver IC
• 10 nA powered-down sleep-mode current – industry’s lowest for extended battery use
• Automatic power down when there is no activity on the RS-232 pins extends battery use
• Automatic awakening from powered-down sleep mode for instant use
• 5 X 5 X 0.9 mm QFN package – industry’s smallest and thinnest for miniaturization
• Meets EIA/TIA-232 and V.28/V.24 specifications, even at VCC = 3.3 V
• +/-15 kV ESD protection (IEC61000-4-2 Air Gap and Human Body Model) on transmitter outputs and receiver inputs for reliability - safeguards against zaps that occur during the frequent connecting and disconnecting of the RS-232 cable
• 2.7 V to 5.5 V supply range: 3.3 V, mixed 3.3 V and 5 V, and 5 V-only supplies

Price and Availability
The ISL4238E is available now. Pricing for the ISL4238EIR, industrial temperature rating in QFN package, is $2.76 each in 100- to 999-unit quantities.

Intersil + Elantec Means More for Our Customers
Intersil Corporation is a global semiconductor leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog and wireless networking solutions. The acquisition of Elantec Semiconductor, Inc., expanded Intersil’s product portfolios to address four fast growing markets – flat panel displays, optical storage (CD and DVD recordable), power management and wireless networking. Intersil brings added customer value in providing complete silicon, software and reference design solutions to new products that enhance the computing experience for people wherever they live, work or travel. For more information about Intersil or to find out how to become a member of our winning team, visit the company's web site and career page at: www.intersil.com Intersil is a registered trademark of Intersil Americas, Inc.