News & Events
Intersil’s 400-Volt Automotive Ignition IGBT Features Increased Clamp Voltage

— IGBT meets the requirements of coil on plug applications
— Qualified according to the latest automotive standards

PALM BAY, FL, October 15, 1999 — Intersil Corporation today introduced the newest product in its portfolio of advanced automotive ignition IGBTs. Intersil’s latest N-Channel IGBT is a MOS gated, logic level device, engineered for use as a coil driver in automotive ignition circuits.

The HGT1S14N40G3VLS is a 400V/14A 300mJ device featuring an increased clamp voltage of 400V to meet the requirements of coil on plug applications. Coil on plug systems integrate pencil coils into the spark plug fixture. Enabling this integration requires a reduction in the overall size of the coils, typically achieved by reducing the coil turn ratio. Clamp voltage must be increased to maintain the energy level necessary to trigger a spark ignition with a reduced coil turn ratio.

The device successfully completed qualifications according to the latest automotive standards. Special attention was paid to repetitive self clamped inductive switching (SCIS) life testing under open secondary conditions. The HGT1S14N40G3VLS features an active voltage clamp between the collector and the gate, providing SCIS capability in ignition circuits. Internal diodes provide electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for the logic level gate, and both a series resistor and a shunt resistor are provided in the gate circuit.

"Intersil has years of field experience designing IGBTs for automotive ignition applications, and we have proven that we can deliver high quality in large volumes," said Peter Blumenroether, marketing manager for automotive discretes at Intersil. "It’s no coincidence that as Intersil continues to develop and introduce more advanced IGBTs, the company increases its market share. Customers trust our devices in their applications, and count on Intersil as a development partner for their future ignition system designs. Intersil is continuously investing in new technology and product development for automotive ignition applications, and expects to release devices with clamp voltages of 410V and 450V later this year."

Pricing and Availability
The HGT1S14N40G3VLS is immediately available in the TO263 package for high volume production and is individually priced at $2.28 each in 1000-piece quantities.

About Intersil Corporation
Intersil Corporation uses analog, mixed-signal, power and radiation-hardening technologies to develop advanced integrated circuits and discrete semiconductors for high-growth segments of the communications, power and space/defense markets. Intersil Corporation employs 5,800 worldwide and utilizes the rich intellectual property heritage from Harris, GE Solid State and RCA. The company’s Web site is located at http://www.intersil.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current assumptions and estimates of future performance and economic conditions. Specific risks include worldwide demand and product pricing for integrated circuits, and reductions in the U.S. and worldwide defense and space budgets. In addition, Intersil cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and future trends and events to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements.