NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR ANNOUNCES INDUSTRY’S FIRST FAMILY OF COMMERCIAL OFF-THE-SHELF (COTS) HIGH-RELIABILITY PLLs FOR MILITARY AND AEROSPACE APPLICATIONS

PLLatinum Series Offers Output Frequencies from 550MHz to 2.5GHz, Low Power Consumption, Versatile 2.7V to 5.5V Range

March 15, 1999 -- National Semiconductor Corporation™ (NYSE:NSM) today announced the industry’s first family of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) high-reliability phase-locked loop (PLL) devices. The LMX23xxWG series of PLLatinum PLLs offers the high performance, high reliability and radiation tolerance needed for next-generation military/aerospace and other communications systems.

The LMX23xxWG series is ideally suited to applications where accurate frequency synthesis is vital, such as high-performance communications systems, telemetry systems, real-time clocks, clock-recovery circuits, radar local oscillators, frequency-hopping digital radios, and interference cancellation systems or signal intercept systems.

"National developed the LMX23xxWG PLLatinum family in direct response to customers’ needs for highly reliable monolithic PLLs with very low phase noise," said Paul Wakefield, director of marketing for National Semiconductor’s military and aerospace division. "Building on our reputation for delivering industry-standard PLLs with low phase noise, these devices offer high-performance options previously available only from expensive ASICs or cumbersome, space-hogging discrete devices."

The LMX23xxWG PLLatinum family currently consists of three devices that differ only in RF input, power consumption and prescaler specifications. All of the devices in the LMX23xxWG PLLatinum family offer radiation tolerance up to 50krads, strong immunity to single event latch-up (SEL) >82Mev-cm2/mg due to an advanced BiCMOS process, and a versatile 2.7V to 5.5V operating range. Additional common features include a low-leakage and balanced charge pump, low phase noise and fast locktime. The devices are distinguished by the following characteristics:

LMX2305WG

• Maximum RF input of 550MHz  
• Maximum power consumption of 6mA  
• 64/65 or 128/129 prescaler configuration

LMX2315WG

• Maximum RF input of 1.2GHz  
• Maximum power consumption of 8.5mA  
• 64/65 or 128/129 prescaler configuration

LMX2325WG

• Maximum RF input of 2.5GHz  
• Maximum power consumption of 15mA  
• 32/33 or 64/65 prescaler configuration

Pricing and Availability
The 550MHz LMX2305WG in a QML (or military grade) version is priced at $63.56 each (250 pieces). Also in QML versions the 1.2GHz LMX2315WG is $120.34 (250 pieces), and the 2.5GHz LMX2325WG is $140.89 (250 pieces). Available now in ceramic SOIC packages, the devices operate within a temperature range of between -55 C and +90 C to +105 C depending on version. National also offers space-grade versions. Each PLL is available to a standard microcircuit drawing.

For information on National Semiconductor’s other advanced military and aerospace products, visit the company’s Web site at http://www.national.com/mil.

National Semiconductor provides system-on-a-chip solutions for the information age. Combining real-world analog and state-of-the-art digital technology, the company’s chips lead many sectors of the personal computer, communications and consumer markets. With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, National has annual sales of $2.5 billion and 11,500 employees worldwide. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at www.national.com.