News & Events
Intersil Introduces Power Devices for Direct Injection Diesel Engines

— Device delivers electronic control of automotive piezo-hydraulic injectors

IRVINE, Calif., — October 25, 2000 — Intersil (NASDAQ:ISIL), a leading provider of power management solutions, today announced the successful qualification of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) for advanced automotive direct injection applications that are currently under development. The device drives advanced piezo-hydraulic injectors utilized in the direct injection systems of diesel vehicles.

Intersil’s family of automotive IGBTs enables system designers to easily control voltage and currents within the time required by piezo-hydraulic injectors. The injectors control the quantity of fuel injected into the engine cylinder during each combustion cycle. The injector’s fast response time enables it to control fuel more precisely than solenoid-style injectors, resulting in better pollution control. Intersil IGBTs act as switches controlling the electrical charge to the piezoelectric element that requires high voltage and current to open and close the injector pintel.

"Intersil is a leading supplier of discrete devices for direct-injection systems that feature solenoid activated injectors," said Peter Blumenroether, senior marketing manager for automotive discretes. "Our customers are currently preparing to implement next-generation direct-injection systems for diesel engines. The HGTD7N60A4S is well suited to accommodate the new injectors and their higher voltage and current requirements. By driving the piezo-hydraulic injectors, Intersil contributes to more accurate timing of the injection process, reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions."

The HGTD7N60A4S features a collector to emitter breakdown voltage of 600 volts (V) and a continuous collector current of 34 amps (A) at room temperature and a Switching Safe Area of Operation that extends to 34A and 600V. The piezo-hydraulic direct injection system takes advantage of these IGBT characteristics. The IGBT offers the system designer smaller packaging and lower power dissipation then competing power device technologies such as High Voltage MOSFETs or Bipolar transistors.

Technical Information
Intersil’s automotive IGBTs offer excellent switching speeds with a typical fall time of 75 nanoseconds at a collector current of 7A and a junction temperature of 125 degrees Celsius with a collector voltage of 390V. The large Switching Safe Area of Operation of 34A and 600V permits the device to be used at the high pulse currents demanded by the piezo-hydraulic injection system. The device is available in the board space saving size of a surface mount D-Pak (TO252).

The device was qualified for automotive use in accordance with the AEC Q101 specification and is manufactured in Intersil’s power wafer fab in Mountaintop, Pennsylvania.

Pricing, Packaging and Availability
A datasheet and samples of the HGTD7N60A4S in the surface mount D-Pak (TO252) are currently available. For more information, visit Intersil’s Web page at www.intersil.com, or call 1-888-INTERSIL ext. 8003.

Intersil and the Automotive Market
For over 25 years, Intersil has developed advanced semiconductors to address automotive applications including electronic ignition and engine control, electronic fuel injection, anti-lock braking and airbag systems, general purpose load control and multiplex communications. Intersil offers state-of-the-art automotive power products including standard and logic level gate drive MOSFETs and logic level gate drive IGBTs. The company provides semiconductors to the world's leading automotive suppliers and offers AEC Q101 compliant devices manufactured in QS9000 certified facilities.

About Intersil Corporation
Intersil Corporation uses semiconductor expertise to enable highly integrated voice, data and video communications. Intersil's integrated communications portfolio includes PRISM^® Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) chip sets that enable mobile connectivity products for the home and office; analog, mixed-signal and digital integrated circuits for broadband access to wireless and wired Wide Area Networks (WANs); and power management products that enable 24x7 reliability in network servers, next generation PCs and information appliances. For more information about Intersil, visit the company's Internet homepage at www.intersil.com.

PRISM is a registered trademark of Intersil Corporation.

This press release contains information relating to certain projections and business trends, that are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to global and market conditions as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Intersil's filings with the Securities Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and Intersil undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Specific risk factors can be found in Intersil’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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