News & Events
Intersil Stealth™ Diode Increases Power Efficiency in Switch Mode Power Supplies

— Combines fast reverse recovery and soft reverse recovery

IRVINE, CA — August 4, 2000 — Intersil (NASDAQ: ISIL), a leading developer of power solution devices for desktop PCs, file servers and workstations, today announced the introduction of a new soft recovery diode that improves the efficiency of switch mode power supplies (SMPS). Dubbed the ‘Stealth™ Diode,’ Intersil’s new product is designed for use in high power, high frequency power supply applications and combines high speed and soft recovery characteristics for low electromagnetic interference (EMI). The Stealth Diode improves telecom switches and servers that comprise the Internet’s infrastructure, thus supporting 24/7 reliability.

A diode facilitates current flow in a single direction. In high frequency, high power applications, the diode may be required to suddenly permit current flow in the opposite direction. Instantaneous interruption of current flow is impossible, but a diode’s reverse recovery characteristics describe how the device transitions from the forward conducting state to the reverse blocking state. When increasing the efficiency of switching circuits, such as SMPS applications, the reverse recovery current must be reduced. Intersil’s Stealth Diode meets these challenges by reducing recovery current.

Power circuits also generate severe EMI if the response of the diode is too sudden. Intersil’s Stealth Diode helps soften this response, reducing EMI and improving system reliability.

"Intersil offers the industry’s first diode combining fast recovery characteristics with soft recovery characteristics," said Alex Craig, product line manager at Intersil. "Most other diode technologies are either soft or fast. By incorporating both features, the Stealth Diode achieves lower switching losses that are critical to high power, high frequency circuits including AC-DC, DC-DC and DC-AC power conversion and motor drives. Intersil designed the product to improve electro-magnetic-capability (EMC), facilitating higher frequency operation."

Technical Features
The Stealth diode family includes 200 volt (V), 400V, 600V and 1200V rectifiers. The devices are targeted toward power supply applications, including SMPS topologies and uninterrupted power supplies (UPS). The device reduces reverse recovery current, insulated gate bi-polar transistor (IGBT) turn on losses, EMI and stress on input capacitors.

Packaging, Pricing and Availability
The Stealth diode family offering will be available in the late summer of this year. Part numbers and prices are as follows:

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.
PRISM is a registered trademark of Intersil Corporation
Stealth is a trademark of Intersil Corporation

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