General Semiconductor/Vishay
Vishay General Semiconductor traces its origins to the founding of the Semiconductor Components Division of General Instrument in Hicksville, New York, in 1960. In 1997, the power semiconductor business of General Instrument became an independent, publicly traded company known as General Semiconductor. That same year, General Semiconductor acquired the small signal diode business of ITT Industries, Inc.
In 2001, Vishay Intertechnology acquired General Semiconductor, elevating Vishay to the top ranks of discrete semiconductor manufacturers and establishing it as a market and technology leader in power rectifiers and TVS (transient voltage suppressor) avalanche breakdown diodes.
Vishay General Semiconductor serves a diverse range of customers with devices that can be used as rectifiers, signal limiters, voltage regulators, switches, signal modulators, signal mixers, signal demodulators, and oscillators. Their customer base includes leading manufacturers in consumer electronics, lighting, telecommunications equipment, computers, and automotive products.
Vishay General Semiconductor's flagship products include the patented Trench MOS Barrier Schottky (TMBS®) rectifiers, which offer several advantages over planar Schottky rectifiers for systems with operating breakdown voltages ranging from 45 V to 200 V. TMBS rectifiers are widely used in automotive systems, including power conversion for LED headlights, dashboard displays, and electronic control units (ECUs). The company's rectifier offerings also include ultrafast, fast, standard, bridge, and isoCink+™ power bridge rectifiers, and modular bridges.
Circuit protection is a crucial function for diodes, and Vishay General Semiconductor addresses this need with its market-leading transient voltage suppressors (TVS). Their TransZorb® and PAR® TVS devices are designed for rugged applications, such as protection from load dumps in automotive systems.
Vishay General Semiconductor is a leader in miniaturization and thermal efficiency across all its component types. For instance, the eSMP® surface-mount package series saves space with its unique wide bottom plate design while promoting better thermal performance and reliability in automotive, industrial, telecommunications, computing, and other commercial applications.