News & Events
Xicor Expands Fiber Optic IC Product Family

--New product targets fiber optic modules for Fibre Channel and Gigabit Ethernet applications~--Unique "Device ID" addressing supports parallel arrays

MILPITAS, California, September 24, 2001 – Xicor, Inc. (Nasdaq: XICO) today announced the X9525, a new member of the X9520 family of programmable mixed signal products that will simplify fiber optic modules. This new device is designed to integrate several major control functions for fiber optic modules in fiber LAN and Gigabit Ethernet applications. These include bias current control, modulation control and voltage level sensing. The devices are programmed using a standard two-wire Gigabit Interface Converter (GBIC) interface protocol.

The X9525, combines two nonvolatile digitally controlled potentiometers (DCPs), EEPROM with Block Lock™ protection, and a device ID addressing function. This addressing function enables designers to use two devices each with unique IDs in a single fiber optic module. This combination allows fiber optic designers the added flexibility in implementing functionality such as laser eye safety and electronic lock protection of manufacturer's proprietary information stored in memory.

"With the world's communications networks bit rate doubling every hundred days, fiber optic technology offers the only hope for keeping up with the demand," said Fochson Fung, Manager of Fiber Optic Products. "Fiber optic module manufacturers already use millions of Xicor's DCPs to bias laser diodes. The new X9525 device integrates our proven DCP technology, industry-leading nonvolatile memory technology and basic control functions into a single chip to simplify fiber optic modules as well as reduce manufacturing costs."

Five Family Members (see summary chart below)

• The X9521 contains two digitally controlled potentiometers and 2Kb of EEPROM but
  omits the voltage monitors and POR control.
• The X9522 contains three digitally controlled potentiometers and 2 programmable voltage
  monitors but omits the POR control and EEPROM.
• The X9523 contains two digitally controlled potentiometers, 2 programmable voltage
  monitors, and a programmable power-on-reset but omits the EEPROM.
• The new X9525 contains two digitally controlled potentiometers and 2Kb of EEPROM but
  omits the voltage monitors and POR control, and supports device ID addressing.

Part Number	DCPs	2Kb EEPROM	2 Voltage Monitors	Power-on-Reset	Addressable
X9520	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
X9521	2	Yes	No	No	No
X9522	3	No	Yes	No	No
X9523	2	No	Yes	Yes	No
X9525	2	Yes	No	No	Yes

Availability and Pricing

Part Number	Sample Availability	1K	Production Quantities
X9525V20	Now	$3.75	Q4/01
X9525B20	Now	$4.14	Q4/01

V = TSSOP B = XBGA

Reader Contacts:
Mike Levis, Vice President, Marketing Xicor, Inc., 1511 Buckeye Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035. Telephone: (408) 546-3317 - Email: mlevis@xicor.com

Xicor Company Background
Xicor, Inc. designs, develops and markets a wide variety of programmable mixed-signal integrated circuits and nonvolatile memory products used in networking, computing, communication and industrial applications. The company's products include digitally controlled potentiometers and system management ICs that allow system designers to digitally control analog functions in signal processing, microprocessor monitoring and power management.

Xicor product, corporate and financial information is readily available on the World Wide Web at http://www.xicor.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks may include the impact of competing products and pricing, timely design acceptance by our customers, timely ability to ramp new products into volume production, industry wide shifts in supply and demand for semiconductor products, and other risks detailed from time to time in Xicor's SEC filings.