NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR ANNOUNCES STEP-UP DC-DC CONVERTER OPTIMIZED FOR POWERING LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYS

September 5, 2000 - Consistent with its expanding role as a leading supplier of integrated circuits to the flat panel display market, National Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE:NSM) today introduced a step-up DC-DC converter optimized for powering large format liquid crystal (LC) panels found in notebook PCs. The LM2622, which typically resides inside the panel, boosts a single low-voltage supply from the PC's motherboard to one or more high-voltage, high-power supplies required by the panel's row and column drivers.

"National estimates that the large-format LC panel market will continue to advance at 30% to 40% per year, making it one of the fastest growing market segments," noted Steven Hunt, manager of marketing and applications for National's Portable Power Systems Group. "The LM2622 is one of many products from National that offer clear advantages in the portable arena."

Because solutions based on the LM2622 are thin, tiny and efficient, the LM2622 is also well suited for biasing small-format LC displays found in cellular phones, digital cameras, and other handheld portable information appliances. Moreover, the same characteristics make the LM2622 an ideal solution for biasing the white LED backlights of small-format color LC displays, a market segment poised for rapid growth on the coattails of web-enabled 2.5G and 3G cellular phones.

While the LM2622 is packaged in a tiny MSOP-8, its power switch has an Rds_ON of just150mOhms @3V_in and 1.2A, I_ds, the lowest available today among competitive devices. Such low on-resistance is crucial for creating high-power supplies in small spaces and will become more important as LC panel resolution increases.

The LM2622 switches at either a fast 600kHz or an even faster 1.3MHz, enabling the use of small, thin inductors. Its control loop can be compensated for a specific application, giving further flexibility in the selection of an inductor and enabling the use of low-ESR ceramic chip capacitors as output capacitors. Both features are crucial for creating thin, light-weight power supplies for thin LC panels found in ultra-light notebooks.

Supply voltage range is 2V to 12V; output voltage is adjustable up to 17.5V; switch voltage limit is 18V; and switch current limit is 1A minimum. Current-mode, fixed frequency PWM operation minimizes interference in noise-sensitive applications. Safety features include current limiting and thermal shutdown.

Pricing and Availability
Currently available, the LM2622 is priced starting at $1.95 in 1,000 piece quantities and housed in a low-profile 8-pin MSOP package. For more information on the LM2622, visit National's World Wide Web site at http://www.national.com/pf/LM/LM2622.html, or contact National's Design Support Group at 1-800-272-9959.

About National Semiconductor
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 reported sales of $2.1 billion for its last fiscal year and has about 10,500 employees worldwide. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at www.national.com.