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VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY
I N T R O D U C T I O N
In recent years, personal computers have evolved into a basic household and business utility. In a growing
number of markets it is not uncommon for each and every member of a household, and every professional
employee of a company, to be armed with one or two personal computers. Connectivity with communications
devices has made desktop and notebook PCs a baseline point of data storage for all aspects of life from
personal finance to personal entertainment. Even for individuals who don’t own a computer, access to a PC is
now available through internet cafes in nearly every corner of the world.
As a supplier that has grown alongside the computing industry for more than 40 years, Vishay has an
exceptional grasp of the demands of this business and a global orientation that reflects its multinational
organization. Creativity in the computer industry and its implementation in new products takes place at multiple
points and levels. Vishay is adept at working with all of these, including OEMs, ODMs, and suppliers of
motherboards, graphics cards, hard disk drives, modems, PC cards, printers, and a host of other peripherals.
As the computer industry has evolved, so has the way in which servers, PCs, and notebook computers are
used. On top of all their traditional functions, computers have become hubs of communication and digital
entertainment. The ever-increasing need to quickly transmit, download, and process graphic, video, and audio
files is constantly putting new demands on microprocessors and on all the components that support and
power them, including the passive and semiconductor devices manufactured by Vishay.
The faster processor speeds necessitated by these applications result in higher current levels and more heat,
both of which need to be managed in form factors where space is at a premium. With each new generation of
microprocessors bringing new requirements for power management, Vishay has remained ahead of the curve
with a range of products designed specifically for this application, including Power Metal Strip® resistors,
TrenchFET® power MOSFETs and power ICs, Trench MOS Barrier Schottky (TMBS™) rectifiers, and low-profile
inductors designed to handle higher currents more efficiently.
Advancements in both silicon and packaging technology keep Vishay power semiconductor products at the
forefront of solutions designed to cope with higher levels of current and heat in smaller spaces. For example,
with WFET® power MOSFETs, Vishay uses a thicker gate oxide at the bottom of the silicon trench to bring
about a dramatic improvement in switching performance at high frequencies, enabling the design of more
efficient power conversion circuits. Thermally enhanced packages such as PowerPAK® and PolarPAK® add to
these silicon capabilities by dissipating heat more efficiently in a given footprint area.
For applications such as power adapters for desktop and notebook PCs, Vishay’s Trench MOS Barrier
Schottky rectifiers are a superior alternative to planar Schottky devices, matching the efficiency and thermal
performance of synchronous rectification solutions and decreasing the number of parts required to accomplish
the same functions. Advanced package options for Schottky, standard, and ultrafast rectifiers such as the SMP
set a new standard for rectifier current density while delivering industry-record levels of thermal resistance.
Vishay components can be found in nearly every PC subsystem from the monitor to the mouse, including
optocouplers that protect against electrical shock in power adapters and optical sensors that enable trackball
controls. Many Vishay products have multiple applications in PCs and notebooks. For example, our current
sense resistors are used in applications as diverse as disk drive motor control, graphics cards, and PCMCIA
cards. Vishay’s industry-leading LED products give designers a broad range of color and brightness options for
indicators and include white LED devices for display backlighting.
Vishay provides a number of components optimized for mobile computing systems, the most dynamic and
fastest growing segment of the computer market. Our IHLP line of inductors provides current ratings up to
60 A, footprint areas as small as 6.5 mm2, and height profiles as low as 1.8 mm. The low on-resistance of
Vishay’s power MOSFET products promotes battery efficiency while reducing the need for heat sinks, while
highly accurate Power Metal Strip current sensing resistors help monitor battery life and power usage.
Components for Computers and Peripherals