Infineon unveils an innovative energy-saving chip - reducing electricity usage at home and in the car becoming more economical - first electrical solutions for a new range of applications.

Neubiberg, Germany - April 15, 2008 - Integrated semiconductor solutions such as the improved version of NovalithIC™ recently presented by Infineon are ideal for engineers involved in the development of economical electronic circuits. The 1 cm² package accommodates three chips in one – a potent mix indeed. Two are power chips; the other is a logic circuit to control and monitor the power stage. The NovalithIC serves a broad range of applications, from smaller motors such as fuel pumps and windshield wiper drives in automobiles to more power-hungry equipment such as drills, air-conditioning systems and engine cooling fans. Power output varies continuously depending on application need – a feature that slashes energy consumption by as much as 80 percent.

Armed with peak currents of 70 A, the NovalithIC enables in-vehicle electrical loads in the over-800 W range to be put under intelligent electronic control, saving energy in the process. One application, the electronic seatbelt pretension, whose underlying technology was hitherto the exclusive preserve of pyrotechnics can now be handled electrically. In the event of an accident, a safety feature of many cars is to trigger an explosive cartridge which wraps seatbelts as tightly as possible around the people in the car, thereby reducing dangerous impact forces. The problem is that the systems currently in the field have to be replaced in their entirety once the mechanism has been triggered. Not so with the electronic seatbelt pretensioner: Driven by a powerful electric motor, it straps passengers tightly and safely to their seats in a matter of milliseconds. Further this system can be used continuously without ever needing service or replacement.

"The NovalithIC is yet another successful energy-saving product from Infineon," says Georg Lipperer, Senior Director and Marketing Manager for Infineon's in-vehicle power electronics business. "Two brand-new versions include chips in environmentally friendly packages and a high performance version that switches twice as fast as its predecessors. That cuts switching losses in half!"

Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, communications, and security. In the 2007 fiscal year (ending September), the company reported sales of Euro 7.7 billion (including Qimonda sales of Euro 3.6 billion) with approximately 43,000 employees worldwide (including approximately 13,500 Qimonda employees). With a global presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the U.S. from Milpitas, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, and in Japan from Tokyo. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX).