CATALYST SEMICONDUCTOR ROLLS OUT LOG-TAPER DIGITAL POTENTIOMETER IC

The CAT5116 digitally programmable potentiometer integrated circuit's wiper position has a log-taper resistance with 100-taps.

Sunnyvale, CA (PRWEB) September 26, 2003 -- Catalyst Semiconductor (Nasdaq: CATS) today announced a new Digitally Programmable Potentiometer (DPP(tm)) integrated circuit (IC) for the audio and optical equipment markets. The CAT5116 features a 100-tap, log-taper resistance with nonvolatile memory storage of wiper position.

Catalyst Product Marketing Manager Gary Craig said, "Log-taper digital potentiometers are popular in audio and optical instrumentation environments. The CAT5116 is a lower-power alternative to the pin-compatible Xicor X9C303 digitally controlled potentiometer (XDCP(tm)) IC."

The CAT5116 is controlled by an increment/decrement control signal that allows multiple potentiometers to be controlled by push-buttons or through a microcontroller I/O port. The chip select input allows multiple devices to be controlled in a system and is also used to store the wiper position prior to power-down.

CAT5116 Applications

Target applications for DPP ICs include laser diode control circuits, audio filtering and volume control, RF power control, LCD display brightness and contrast control, transducer calibration and programmable power supplies.

CAT5116 Features Low Power and Low Drift

The CAT5116 standby current is 1 microampere maximum compared to competitive solutions that are specified at 750 microampere maximum. Active current, drawn only during wiper position storage in EEPROM memory, is a low 1 milliampere maximum compared to competitive solutions that are specified 3 times higher. In addition, the CAT5116 ratiometric temperature coefficient is a low 20 ppm per degree centigrade maximum.

Price, Packages and Availability

The CAT5116 is offered in 8-lead SOIC, TSSOP, DIP and MSOP packages covering the industrial, -40 degree centigrade to 85 degree centigrade, temperature range. Prices start at $0.79 in 10,000 piece quantities. Devices are currently available for sampling. Production is scheduled for the third quarter of 2003.

Data sheets are available at www.catalyst-semiconductor.com. A complete DPP selection guide can be obtained by emailing David Gillooly at david.gillooly@catsemi.com.

About Catalyst Semiconductor

Founded in 1985, Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The Company is a developer and marketer of programmable products used in telecommunications, networking systems, computation, automotive, industrial and consumer markets. The Company designs and markets a broad range of programmable products including Flash Memories, Parallel and Serial EEPROMs with I2C, SPI and Microwire interfaces, NVRAMs, Digitally Programmable Potentiometers, Microcontroller Supervisory circuits and other programmable Mixed Signal products. Typical applications for the Companys products include optical networks, modems, wireless LANs, network cards, PC BIOS, DIMM modules, cellular telephones, digital satellite box receivers, set-top boxes and Internet routers. Catalyst's Quality Management System is ISO9001 certified. Additional information about Catalyst Semiconductor is available on the Companys web site at www.catalyst semiconductor.com.
Except for those statements that report the Companys historical results, the statements being made are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained under the heading "Certain Factors That May Affect the Companys Future Results of Operations" listed from time to time in Catalysts SEC reports including but not limited to the report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2003.

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Editor Notes:
1.Trademark notices: DPP is a trademark of Catalyst Semiconductor. I2C is a registered trademark of Philips Corporation. SPI is a trademark of Motorola, Inc. Microwire is a trademark of National Semiconductor. XDCP is a trademark of Xicor.
2. Electronic images are available at www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/editor.