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Discrete and IC Business Unit


Full HD-compatible Display Driver IC
Full HD-compatible Display Driver IC
Automotive MOSFET
Automotive MOSFET

Sales from the Discrete and IC Business Unit accounted for approximately 35% of semiconductor sales in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007. The unit is largely comprised of businesses such as display drivers, analog ICs, discrete and compound semiconductor devices.

In display drivers, the unit responded to evolutionary advances in mobile device performance with the development of driver ICs for small LCDs equipped with Mobile AGCPS*1, a technology that achieves low power consumption while enabling terrestrial digital and other broadcasts to be viewed in high video quality. In step with the widespread uptake of LCD televisions and greater picture quality, the unit commercialized products featuring PPmL*2 in driver ICs for large LCD displays. This newly developed high-speed interface is perfect for full high-definition screens and achieves higher refresh rates. Cutting-edge technologies of this kind are enabling NEC Electronics to maintain its high market share.

In discrete semiconductors, the unit commercialized a large volume output Power MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) for automotive electrical systems, one of NEC Electronics' focus areas. Created in response to the increasing use and sophistication of electronic automotive systems in recent years, which has spurred the need for high electric current systems, this world-class Power MOSFET features low on-state resistance coupled with a high level of reliability.

In compound semiconductor products, the market has acknowledged the unit's advanced technological capabilities proven from the commercialization of RF
and microwave devices, such as data switches, power amplifiers and low-noise amplifiers widely used for wireless LANs, and adopted as reference designs for prominent wireless LAN chipset venders.

In response to sharp falls in LCD driver IC prices in recent years, the unit is constructing manufacturing process lines dedicated to LCD drivers. The unit continues to accelerate cost-cutting measures such as those mentioned earlier, launch cost-competitive products and further reinforce the LCD driver business. The Discrete and IC Business Unit will also push forward with steady improvements in manufacturing efficiency for discrete semiconductors, analog IC, and compound semiconductor device businesses to contribute to NEC Electronics' earnings base.

*1 Auto Gamma Control and Power Saving
*2 Point to Point mini-LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling)


Yoshikazu Inada
Executive Vice President and Head of the Discrete and IC Business Unit
Semiconductors that comprise the Discrete and IC Business Unit are widely used as components support-ing functions in many electronic devices. While they are mostly general purpose in nature, I focus on develop-ment aimed at producing the world’s leading products by taking advantage of NEC Electronics’ unique strengths in each and every one of our products. Going forward, as we strive to raise the market competitiveness by creating products at the forefront of meeting customer needs, we will quicken the pace of rigorous cost-cutting measures to play our role as a core profit base for NEC Electronics.