APT Wins International Space Station Award

Business Wire, Sept 29, 2000

Business Editors, Technology Writers

BEND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 2000

Advanced Power Technology (Nasdaq:APTI), a world leader in high voltage, high power semiconductor technology, announced today that they received the Boeing International Space Station Exceptional Company Performance Award.

The award reads in part, "This award recognizes outstanding performance by companies from across the United States that provide the products and services to support the International Space Station. The recipients of this award have distinguished themselves by showing the highest level of product quality, excelling in technical and cost performance, and adhering to challenging schedules."

A problem in the Boeing built power supply system called a Direct Current to Direct Current Converter Unit, DDCU, was detected during qualification. Initially thought to be a random failure, it was quickly discovered that the entire lot of devices was not suitable for the application. If a replacement for the faulty components was not found and qualified quickly the ISS assembly schedule could have been delayed.

Boeing chose the Advanced Power Technology APT2X101D60J and APT101D100J diodes to replace the diodes originally selected for the DDCUs. The APT devices are dual diodes capable of conducting up to 100A and blocking 600V and 1000V respectably. Built in a plastic ISOTOP(R) TO-227 package, these diodes provided the necessary ratings to withstand the application requirements. Boeing had never used a plastic device in a man mission before so extensive qualification and screening was required in a short period of time. APT was able to complete the project on time and deliver the diodes before the ISS assembly schedule was impacted.

The DDCU is used to provide clean power from the solar arrays and to provide 123V of precisely regulated voltage for all of the electrical systems on the American side of the ISS. There will be 16 DDCUs in various modules plus an additional 13 DDCUs mounted externally.

With operations in Bend, Oregon and Bordeaux, France, APT is a leading supplier of high voltage, high power MOSFETs, RF MOSFETs, Fast Recovery Epitaxial Diodes (FREDs), and Application Specific Power Modules (ASPM) for RF, Switchmode and Linear operation.

ISOTOP(R) is a Registered Trademark of SGS Thomson

For additional information, contact APT at 405 SW Columbia Street, Bend, Oregon 97702. Phone: 800/522-0809 or 541/382-8028 outside of North America Fax: 541/388-0364 E-Mail: custserv@advancedpower.com