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Intersil's New Multiphase Power Controller Offers Industry's Most Precise Regulation for New AMD Athlon 64 Processors

-- Industry leading +/- 1 percent system accuracy, near-chip-scale QFN package, loss-less current sensing, 2 to 4 interlaced phases, high-frequency switching, reduced component count

MILPITAS, CA, September 24, 2003 – Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), a world leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog solutions, today announced a new multiphase synchronous-buck PWM controller, the Endura™ ISL6244. This precision controller has a 5-bit voltage identification (VID) input optimized for new AMD Athlon™ 64 processors used in notebook PCs. When combined with Intersil’s MOSFET driver ICs, the ISL6244 provides the industry’s most precise voltage regulation at +/-1 percent. The 32-pad quad flat no-lead (QFN) package, also available lead-free, saves space and offers enhanced thermal efficiency.

The ISL6244 is a two-to-four phase synchronous-buck PWM controller that drives up to four of Intersil’s MOSFET drivers (ISL6206 and ISL6207) to form a precision multiphase DC-DC converter. Active channel-current balancing is achieved using precision loss-less RDS(ON) (lower MOSFET on resistance) current sensing, which also reduces parts count and solution cost. The ISL6244 has a 5-bit VID input used to deliver dynamic, on-the-fly, adjustment of core voltage over the range of 0.80 V to 1.55 V in 25 mV steps.

Voltage and current feedback are actively monitored to detect fault conditions. A power good (PGOOD) output indicates that the controller is operating properly and the output voltage is within a set window, as determined by under-voltage and over-voltage comparators. The controller provides over-current protection by monitoring individual channel current and will shut down if any of the channel currents exceeds a reference current. The ISL6244 also allows selection of channel switching frequency in the range of 80 kHz to 1 MHz.

ISL6244’s Winning Features

• Low external component count using loss-less RDS(ON) current sensing
• +/-1 percent system voltage accuracy enabled by remote differential voltage sensing
• Low input and output ripple currents and reduced filter costs enabled by high-frequency switching of interlaced phases
• 2 to 4 phases available to power AMD Athlon 64 processors
• Selectable switching frequency in the range of 80 kHz to 1 MHz per phase
• Over-current, over-voltage and under-voltage protection on each phase
• Offset pin provided to allow 0 to 100 mV DAC voltage offset
• 32-pad 5 X 5 mm QFN package reduces board space and provides enhanced thermal efficiency

ISL6244 Pricing and Availability
The ISL6244CR is available now in both standard and lead-free (ISL6244CR-Z) packages. Price for each IC in 1000 unit quantities on tape and reel is $2.85 for the ISL6244CR and $3.00 for the ISL6244CR-Z. The ISL6244EVAL1 evaluation platform is also available. About Intersil
Intersil Corporation is a leader in the design and manufacture of high performance semiconductors. The company’s products address three of the industry’s fastest growing markets - flat panel displays, optical storage (CD and DVD recordable) and power management. 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 release may include "forward looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. For information identifying economic, political, climatic, currency, regulatory, technological, competitive and some other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward looking statements, see Intersil’s Safe Harbor Forward Looking Statement disclaimer found at http://www.intersil.com/legal.asp, as well as Intersil’s SEC filings as updated from time to time, found at http://www.sec.gov. Endura is a trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.
AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Opteron, AMD Athlon and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.