Infineon’s Next-Generation LDMOS Technology for Wireless Infrastructure Power Amplifiers Provides 25 Percent Power Density Increase, Uses High-Performance Plastic Packaging

San Francisco CA -- June 12, 2006 – At the MTT International Microwave Symposium here today, Infineon Technologies AG (FSE/NYSE: IFX) introduced its next generation LDMOS (laterally diffused metal-oxide semiconductor) technology.  Used for manufacturing high-power RF (radio frequency)  transistors used in such applications as power amplifiers in wireless infrastructure base stations and repeaters, this next-generation process operates at frequencies supporting high-speed wireless access networks, has a 25 percent greater power density than Infineon’s current process, and will be offered with new plastic packaging technology that lowers overall system costs.

 

With introduction of its next generation LDMOS process, Infineon affirms its commitment to providing key RF power technologies for mobile connectivity.  The new process builds upon the company’s expertise in delivering RF silicon solutions that offer cost savings, improved performance, superior quality and reliability to developers of systems for the wireless infrastructure.

 

“Products based on this process will provide power amplifier engineers the ability to push the envelope in creating compact, highly efficient designs,” said Helmut Vogler, vice president and general manager of Infineon’s RF power business unit.  “Our latest LDMOS process was specifically developed to provide leading performance benefits in the latest generation MCPA (Multi Carrier Power Amplifier) and Digital Pre-Distortion systems.”

 

The new process will yield transistors that operate at up to 3.8 GHz, which is within the WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) and IEEE 802.16 wireless access frequency bands, and is a significant increase from the 2.7 GHz of the previous process generation.  Power density, or the amount of power that can be produced per given silicon area, is also increased by 25 percent, which allows a high-power device to be placed in a smaller package, thereby reducing the printed circuit board area required for power amplification systems.  Besides improved gain, the new process provides three percentage points higher linear efficiency in backed-off operation compared to current generation products.  This enables the use of fewer devices, and reduces power consumption and thus cooling requirements in cellular base stations.

 

The company also said that devices fabricated using the new process will be available in low-gold, copper-based plastic open cavity packages, which lower overall system costs while providing leading edge thermal and RF performance.

 

Initial products fabricated using the new process, which are expected to be available by the end of 2006, will enable designers to create the smaller, more energy-efficient power amplifiers that are required by wireless system operators as they build out base station infrastructure for advanced mobile communications.

Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions for automotive, industrial and multimarket sectors, for applications in communication, as well as memory products through its subsidiary Qimonda.  With a global presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the US from San Jose, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore and in Japan from Tokyo.  In fiscal year 2005 (ending September), the company achieved sales of Euro 6.76 billion with about 36,400 employees worldwide.  Infineon is listed on the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX).  Further information is available at www.infineon.com.  Further information on Qimonda is available at www.qimonda.com.