News & Events
Intersil Unveils New Family of Higher Speed CD-R/RW Laser Drivers

-- EL622XC driver improves CD-R/RW drive speeds from 48X to 52X

IRVINE, CA, September 24, 2002 – Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), a world leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog and wireless networking solutions, today unveiled a new family of new high speed laser driver integrated circuits (ICs) designed specifically to enable read (CD-R) and read/write (CD-R/W) speeds up to 52X in CD-R/W laser disk drives. Intersil’s new EL622XC family of three- and four-channel laser drivers enables higher read/write speeds in existing CD-R/W drives while reducing component count and shortening data signal routing in more compact future designs.

"The EL622XC family adds to Intersil’s market-leading portfolio of CD and DVD recordable products and gives original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) a quick upgrade path to higher speed, higher performance CD-R and CD-R/W drives," said Stephen P. Sacarisen, director of strategic marketing for Intersil's Elantec Optical Storage Products. “The EL622XC family assures that we will maintain our performance leadership in the CD-R/RW drive market by offering new products that are pin-to-pin and functionally compatible with existing production designs, allowing customers fast time to market. These devices reduce component count, shorten signal routing and enable more compact optical pickup designs – particularly important attributes to PC OEMs who will continue to attach faster and faster CD-R/RW drives to their products.”

Intersil’s new EL622XC family of Elantec laser drivers provides improved waveform fidelity, increased output current, lower power dissipation and reduced noise to enable higher speed CD-R/RW designs. Each device in the family includes an on-chip 600 MHz oscillator to allow frequency and amplitude control by use of external resistors to ground. The external resistors allow customers to accurately and independently set each amplifier transconductance by applying a voltage to the resistor without restriction on the voltage range, thus ensuring broad voltage DAC compatibility. Each device includes a disable feature for power-up protection and power savings. The EL622XC family is compliant with the industry-standard Orange Specification for CD-R and CD-R/W write strategy disc formats at speeds up to 52X.

EL622XC Key Features

• Three- and four-channel devices provide controlled current to grounded laser diode
• On-chip 600 MHz oscillator allows output current modulation in any mode
• Switching speed of less than 1 nanosecond rise/fall time
• Single +5V supply (±10%)
• Disable feature for power-up protection and power savings
• “Shrink-small” quarter size outline package (QSOP)

EL622XC Availability and Pricing
The device family, which includes the EL6221C, EL6224C, EL6226C and EL6227C, is available now in quarter size outline packages (QSOPs) and each device is priced at $2.50 in 10,000-unit quantities. Contact Stephen P. Sacarisen for samples or additional information at 408-945-1323, extension 345.

To learn more about Intersil’s Elantec optical storage devices and solutions, visit the Intersil Web site at http://www.intersil.com/cda/application_e/0,1293,36,00.html

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 This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are based upon Intersil Corporation’s (“Intersil”) management’s current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, and projections about Intersil’s, and its Elantec Product Group’s (“Elantec”), business and industry. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “potential,” “continue,” and variations of these words (or negatives of these words) or similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors. Important risk factors that may cause such material differences for Intersil in the CD-R/RW market include, but are not limited to: the slowdown in the technology sector; the rate at which consumers purchase desktop computers, notebook computers, and other devices containing Intersil’s CD-R/RW products; the rate at which consumers adopt Elantec’s optical storage (CD and DVD recordable), video and communications technologies and products; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders; the ability of our customers to manage inventory; the loss of a key customer; the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; silicon wafer pricing and the availability and quality of our foundry capacity and raw materials; availability, pricing, and quality of third party foundry and assembly and test capacity and raw materials; fluctuations in the manufacturing yields of our third party foundries and assembly and test facilities, and other problems or delays in the fabrication, assembly, testing or delivery of our products; the risks of producing products with new suppliers and at new fabrication and assembly and test facilities; problems or delays that we may face in shifting our products to smaller geometry process technologies; the effectiveness of Intersil’s expense and product cost control and reduction efforts; the risks inherent in acquisitions, including the acquisition of Elantec Semiconductor, Inc. (including integration issues; costs and unanticipated expenditures; changing relationships with customers, suppliers, and strategic partners; potential contractual, employment, and intellectual property issues; accounting treatment and charges; and risks that the anticipated benefits of the acquisition are not realized); intellectual property disputes, customer indemnification claims, and other litigation risks; Intersil’s ability to develop, market, and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a timely manner; the quality of Intersil’s products and any repair or replacement costs; the risks and uncertainties associated with Intersil’s global operations, particularly in light of the war on terrorism; the effects of natural disasters, international conflicts and other events beyond our control; the level of orders received and the ability to fill those orders in a given fiscal quarter; and other factors. Intersil’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Intersil filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (which you may obtain for free at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov) discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this communication and Intersil undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements. Elantec is a trademark of Intersil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.