Feb 19, 2009 08:30 ET

IXYS Introduces Solar Power Battery Charger Evaluation Boards

MILPITAS, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Feb 19, 2009 IXYS Corporation (NASDAQ: IXYS), a leader in power semiconductors for power conversion and motion control applications, announced today the introduction of five evaluation boards designed to demonstrate both standard and innovative uses of the IXYS Solar Cells, IXOLAR ‘Solar Bit’, as surface mountable solar cells. These evaluation boards show how the ‘Solar Bit’ can be used to increase battery life, help design solar cell based products, provide customer convenience and reduce the disposal of batteries. The boards are designed to assist customers in understanding the features of the IXYS Solar Cells in the form of Solar Bits.

EVIX-CX3AA – Showcases three different IXYS components which are used to create a battery charger. This demonstrates an entirely ‘off-grid’ design which automatically disconnects the battery from the solar cells in low or no-light conditions thereby preventing inadvertent discharging with no additional circuitry required.

EVIX-10 – This highly configurable evaluation board provides 10 ‘Solar Bits’ which can be individually set to series or parallel configuration with the other cells. In addition, several EVIX-10 boards can be connected together, also in either parallel or series. This allows users to customize the configuration precisely to a specific need. Changes to the configuration take only seconds and are made via simple jumpers.

EVIX-USB – As USB devices become more prevalent, the use of the USB connection to charge batteries while away from a computer increases in value. The EVIX-USB demonstrates how the innovative design of the ‘Solar Bit’ can be used to create a simple USB charger. By utilizing the IXYS ‘Solar Bit’ in this application users can develop products that substantially extend the usable time for USB charged products while away from a computer and utilizing the power of the sun rather than an AC power source.

EVIX-LED – With the advent of several emerging technologies we are now able to provide completely battery-less power sources for remote applications. The EVIX-LED demonstrates how the IXYS ‘Solar Bit’, combined with super-capacitor technology, can be used to provide a burst of energy for a short period with a rapid recharge time. This solution is completely off-grid and does not require a battery. In this case it powers a bright LED for over one full second and recharges in full sun in just a few minutes. Designers now have the capability of using the IXYS ‘Solar Bit’ to provide battery-less solar power sources for applications requiring an intermittent burst of energy.

EVXOB17-12X1 – This simple evaluation board connects 10 IXOLAR ‘Solar Bits’ in series for general experimentation and use in a small footprint, as a Solar Panel to charge batteries, for portable devices, like MP3 players, cell phones, PDA’s, test instruments, portable medical devices, etc.

These evaluation boards are available at www.ixyscolorado.com or directly from IXYS Colorado (Directed Energy) Tel. (970) 493-1901, Fax (970) 493-1903, Email sales@ixyscolorado.com, www.ixyscolorado.com or through your local authorized IXYS /IXYSRF sales representative or, or from IXYSRF, www.ixysrf.com .

About IXYS Corporation

Since its inception in 1983, IXYS Corporation has been developing technology-driven products to improve power conversion efficiency, generate solar and wind power and provide efficient motor control for industrial applications.

IXYS, and its subsidiary companies, offer a diversified product base that addresses worldwide needs for power control, electrical efficiency, renewable energy, telecommunications, medical devices, flexible displays and RF power. For more information, visit www.ixys.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including the performance, rating, reliability, ruggedness and suitability of products for various applications, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the results of IXYS to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including, among others, risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2008. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements.

IXYS Colorado (Directed Energy, Inc.)
Yvonne Clark, 970-493-1901 ext. 26