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Hall Effect Switch from Diodes Incorporated Aids Portable Product Miniaturization

May 22, 2012

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 22, 2012-- Diodes Incorporated (Nasdaq: DIOD), a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality application specific standard products within the broad discrete, logic and analog semiconductor markets, today announced the world’s smallest programmable omnipolar Hall effect switch. The AH1892 is well-suited for proximity and position detection in space-constrained portable and battery-powered products, including tablets, smart phones and camcorders. Provided in the miniature 4-pin 0.7mm x 0.7mm x 0.5mm U-WLB0707-4 package, the micropower AH1892 is seventeen times smaller than the common 3-pin TSOT packaged alternatives.

The package’s space-saving advantage is further enhanced by the switch’s integrated pull-up resistors, which simplify the external circuit layout and save more PCB space. A simple band select pin enables device sensitivity to be programmed to one of two predefined magnetic sensitivity ranges, allowing the device to be used in multiple applications with different field strengths. Sensitivity can also be adjusted on the fly via an external logic source such as a microcontroller, whereby band can be adjusted with a simple firmware upgrade.

The AH1892’s lower operating voltage supply range, from 1.6V through to 3.6V, has been specifically optimized for portable and battery-powered applications; with normal operation consuming an average current of just 4.3µA, the switch ensures battery life is maximized. To help improve product reliability during manufacture and use, the device provides protection against electrostatic discharge to a level of 8kV on supply and output pins.

With Hall switch operating and release points highly stable over the extended temperature range from -40ºC to 85ºC and with a very low temperature coefficient, the AH1892 is immune to the possibility of early or late switching effects. The device’s chopper based design also offers high resistance to RF noise and other circuit stresses.

Besides the miniature U-WLB0707-4 package, the AH1892 is also offered in the standard low-profile SOT553 package. A high-sensitivity version of the AH1892 will be made available later in the year will be the AH1894, available in both SOT553 and DFN1216-4 package options. For further information, visit the Company’s website at www.diodes.com.

About Diodes Incorporated

Diodes Incorporated (Nasdaq: DIOD), a Standard and Poor's SmallCap 600 and Russell 3000 Index company, is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality application specific standard products within the broad discrete, logic and analog semiconductor markets. Diodes serves the consumer electronics, computing, communications, industrial, and automotive markets. Diodes' products include diodes, rectifiers, transistors, MOSFETs, protection devices, functional specific arrays, single gate logic, amplifiers and comparators, Hall-effect and temperature sensors; power management devices, including LED drivers, DC-DC switching and linear voltage regulators, and voltage references along with special function devices, such as USB power switches, load switches, voltage supervisors, and motor controllers. The Company's corporate headquarters, logistics center, and Americas' sales office are located in Plano, Texas. Design, marketing, and engineering centers are located in Plano; San Jose, California; Taipei, Taiwan; Manchester, England; and Neuhaus, Germany. The Company's wafer fabrication facilities are located in Kansas City, Missouri and Manchester, with two manufacturing facilities located in Shanghai, China, another in Neuhaus, and two joint venture facilities located in Chengdu, China. Additional engineering, sales, warehouse, and logistics offices are located in Fort Worth, Texas; Taipei; Hong Kong; Manchester; and Munich, Germany, with support offices located throughout the world. For further information, including SEC filings, visit the Company's website at http://www.diodes.com.

Source: Diodes Incorporated

Company Contact:
Diodes Incorporated
Julie Holland
VP, Worldwide Analog Products
P: 972-987-3900
E: pressinquiries@diodes.com
or
Investor Relations Contact:
Shelton Group
Leanne K. Sievers
EVP, Investor Relations
P: 949-224-3874
E: lsievers@sheltongroup.com