News

International Rectifier Secures Bulk Export License for Power Semiconductors

February 06, 2001 by Jeff Shepard

International Rectifier (IR, El Segundo, CA) announced that it has secured a bulk export license for power semiconductors used in communications satellites and other high-radiation environments. IR believes that it is the first company to do so. Approval of IR's export license allows immediate shipment of radiation-hardened power MOSFETs that operate at or above 500k rads(Si) to pre-approved customers and programs from the Office of Defense Trade Controls, US Department of State.

The 500k rads(Si) rating applies to certain silicon (Si) components that can withstand long-term radiation in space. The 500k rads(Si) designation reflects the radiation survivability used by the State Department to distinguish technologies that are considered to be vital to the security of the US.

Companies and satellite programs on the US government's approved list include the NATO countries as well as major US non-NATO allies Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Republic of Korea and Argentina. The satellite must be launched from a country listed above or a territory of a country listed above. Typical launch sites include the US and French Guiana.

"The new license enables IR to leverage its technology leadership in global markets without compromising national security," said Richard Southwell, IR's hi-rel components group marketing manager. "The license gives our customers faster and easier access to the industry's leading space-level power management components and helps system fabricators meet project completion deadlines and vehicle launch windows."