First introduced in 1993, Exicon lateral MOSFETs were widely used by many amplifier manufacturers for sound reinforcement (PA), bass guitars and hi-fi amplifiers. Many amp manufacturers have since migrated to class-D technology, but lateral MOSFETs continue to be used widely by many of the most upmarket amplifier brands for their unique sound quality.
“We decided to migrate the production process because we could no longer source the 4 inch base wafers,” explains Keith Persin, managing director of Profusion, which owns the Exicon brand. “It has been a two-year project to transfer the device and process technology to the new 6 inch fab. This commitment to the lateral MOSFETs will give our customers confidence in the ongoing supply of these critical parts. One factor in our decision is that Exicon MOSFETs are also used by medical and industrial companies requiring precision amplification, for example in driving electromagnets in scanning microscopes.”
Exicon’s newly released W6 versions are manufactured on modern higher precision fabrication plants to give the MOSFETs tighter characteristics and extend production life. The lateral MOSFETs’ electrical characteristics that are key to amplifier performance, namely high speed and linearity, have not changed; this results in the very low distortion and high slew rate that high-end amplifiers require. In addition, the unique temperature coefficient ensures stable biasing and no risk of thermal runaway.
These new parts will start shipping in Q1 2025 and are interchangeable with the previous generations of Exicon MOSFET.
