Silicon Systems
Silicon Systems was a California semiconductor company that developed mixed-signal integrated circuits for telecommunications, data storage, computing, and specialized electronic systems.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Silicon Systems Inc., commonly abbreviated SSi, was an American semiconductor company headquartered in Tustin, California. It should be distinguished from SiliconSystems, Inc., a later company founded in 2003 that made solid-state drives and was eventually acquired by Western Digital. The earlier Silicon Systems was founded and incorporated in California on May 17, 1972, by Gene B. Potter, Ronald H. Reeder, and William E. Drobish. The founders had previously worked at Scientific Data Systems, and the company initially operated as a design and manufacturing business serving a broad range of electronic applications. SSi's principal technical focus was mixed-signal integrated circuits and related semiconductor products. Its work combined analog signal processing with digital logic and interface functions, allowing its devices to be used in telecommunications, computer peripherals, industrial controls, transportation systems, consumer equipment, and data-storage hardware. Early work included memory and logic designs, interface circuits, counter and latch devices, and second-source transistor-transistor logic products. The company also supplied custom or application-specific circuits for customers such as Hughes Aircraft, Digital Equipment Corporation, Telesensory Systems, Votrax, and other equipment makers. Among its notable application areas were hard-disk-drive electronics, telephone tone reception, traffic and vehicle loop detection, speech synthesis, video and time-code processing, garage-door controls, satellite-broadcast descrambling, and electronic systems for computer terminals. Its proprietary storage-related designs included servo preamplifier and read/write-head interface products for disk drives. In telecommunications, SSi developed a dual-tone multi-frequency receiver using switched-capacitor filters, an early example of integrating a function that had traditionally required multiple components. These products made the company a supplier of enabling components rather than a consumer-facing electronics brand. The company expanded during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It moved its principal operations to Tustin in 1979, reached 146 employees and reported revenue of $10.5 million in 1980, and completed an initial public offering on January 29, 1981. In 1984, MicroSim Corporation was spun off from Silicon Systems; MicroSim later became associated with OrCAD through a 1998 acquisition. Silicon Systems continued to broaden its manufacturing and engineering footprint, eventually operating wafer-fabrication plants in Tustin and Santa Cruz, California, an assembly and test facility in Singapore, and design facilities in San Jose and Grass Valley. TDK Corporation acquired Silicon Systems on May 15, 1989. By 1996, the business was reported to have annual revenue of approximately $400 million. That year, Texas Instruments acquired Silicon Systems' storage-products business in a transaction reported at $575 million, while TDK retained the communications-products operation and operated it as TDK Semiconductor Corporation. The communications business later changed ownership: Golden Gate Capital Partners acquired TDK Semiconductor in 2005 and renamed it Teridian Semiconductor. Maxim Integrated Products acquired Teridian in 2010 for $315 million in cash, and Teridian's energy-measurement products group was sold to Silergy on March 18, 2016. Silicon Systems therefore ceased to exist as an independent company, but its technology and product lines continued through successor businesses. Its historical importance lies in the way it applied mixed-signal semiconductor design to practical equipment markets, particularly disk drives, telecommunications, industrial detection, speech systems, and electronic controls.
History
Silicon Systems was established in California on May 17, 1972, by Gene B. Potter, Ronald H. Reeder, and William E. Drobish, all of whom had connections to Scientific Data Systems. The company began as a semiconductor design and manufacturing specialist, producing integrated circuits for both external customers and its own product families. Its early portfolio included memory, logic, interface, and control devices, while customer projects covered aerospace, computing, transportation, industrial equipment, accessibility technology, and consumer controls. During its early years, SSi developed circuits for computer terminals, disk drives, telephone systems, speech synthesis, video processing, garage-door openers, traffic detectors, and satellite-broadcast equipment. The company was particularly active in mixed-signal applications, where analog filtering or sensing had to be combined with digital control. Its SSi 201 dual-tone multi-frequency receiver used switched-capacitor filters and represented an early highly integrated telecommunications device. Its SSi 101, 104, and 105 products addressed the demanding interface and servo requirements of hard-disk drives. The company occupied several Southern California locations before establishing its principal base at 14351 Myford Road in Tustin in 1979. It grew to 146 employees and $10.5 million in revenue in 1980, followed by a public offering on January 29, 1981. In 1984, MicroSim was spun off from Silicon Systems; the business later became part of OrCAD through a 1998 acquisition. SSi expanded its manufacturing and engineering capacity as its customer base grew. By 1996, it had wafer-fabrication facilities in Tustin and Santa Cruz, an assembly and test operation in Singapore, and design facilities in San Jose and Grass Valley. The company was reported to have approximately $400 million in annual revenue that year. TDK acquired Silicon Systems in 1989. In 1996, Texas Instruments bought the storage-products operation for a reported $575 million, while TDK retained the communications business under the TDK Semiconductor Corporation name. Golden Gate Capital Partners acquired that communications operation in 2005 and renamed it Teridian Semiconductor. Maxim Integrated acquired Teridian in 2010 for $315 million in cash. In 2016, Silergy acquired Teridian's energy-measurement products group. These transactions distributed Silicon Systems' former businesses among successor companies, ending the independent Silicon Systems corporate identity.
- 1996
Business separation under TDK and Texas Instruments
[1]Texas Instruments acquired the storage-products portion, while TDK retained the communications operation as TDK Semiconductor Corporation.
- 1989
Acquisition by TDK
[1]TDK Corporation acquired Silicon Systems on May 15.
- 1984
MicroSim is spun off
[1]MicroSim Corporation separated from Silicon Systems and later became associated with OrCAD.
- 1981
Initial public offering
[1]The company completed its initial public offering on January 29.
- 1980
Early scale milestone
[1]Silicon Systems reached 146 employees and reported $10.5 million in revenue.
- 1979
Operations move to Tustin
[1]The company established its principal operations at 14351 Myford Road in Tustin, California.
- 1972
Silicon Systems is founded
[1]Gene B. Potter, Ronald H. Reeder, and William E. Drobish founded and incorporated Silicon Systems in California on May 17.
Products and positioning
A specialized semiconductor supplier focused on mixed-signal, interface, storage, telecommunications, and application-specific integrated circuits for original-equipment manufacturers and industrial customers.
Data-storage semiconductors
Hard-disk-drive electronics
Silicon Systems developed proprietary circuits for disk-drive electronics, including the SSi 101 servo preamplifier and the SSi 104 and SSi 105 four-channel read/write-head interface devices. These products supported the sensing, positioning, and data-transfer functions required in magnetic storage systems and became part of the company's storage-focused business.
Telecommunications integrated circuit
SSi 201 DTMF receiver
The SSi 201 was a dual-tone multi-frequency signaling receiver for telephony applications. It used switched-capacitor filters to integrate tone-detection functions into a semiconductor device, reducing the need for separate filtering components in telephone equipment.
Traffic and vehicle-detection semiconductor
Digital loop detectors
Silicon Systems supplied digital loop-detector circuits for vehicle and traffic sensing. The company produced early and later-generation versions for external customers, helping convert inductive-loop signals into usable digital detection outputs for control systems.
Speech and audio semiconductor
Speech-synthesis integrated circuits
The company's speech-related designs included the S14001A speech-synthesis chip used in the Speech+ Calculator and the SC-01 device associated with Votrax. These circuits implemented electronic speech generation and vocal-tract modeling for specialized equipment.
Logic and interface integrated circuits
Logic and interface devices
SSi's early design work included ECL RAM, transistor-transistor logic second-source designs, an eight-bit addressable latch, shift registers, counters, and interface circuits. The company also supplied devices for computer terminals, including integrated electronics used in Digital Equipment Corporation's VT100 terminal.
Brand decisions
2016
Sale of Teridian energy-measurement productsM&ABackground
The energy-measurement product group remained within the successor structure descended from Silicon Systems' communications business.
Action taken
Silergy acquired the Teridian energy-measurement products group on March 18, 2016.
Aftermath
Another portion of the former Silicon Systems technology portfolio moved to a subsequent semiconductor owner.
2010
Maxim Integrated acquisition of TeridianM&ABackground
Teridian carried forward part of the communications semiconductor heritage of Silicon Systems.
Action taken
Maxim Integrated Products acquired Teridian for $315 million in cash.
Aftermath
Teridian's products became part of Maxim Integrated's semiconductor portfolio.
Cash acquisition price. $315 million (2010)
2005
Sale and renaming of TDK SemiconductorM&ABackground
TDK retained Silicon Systems' communications-products business after the 1996 storage-business transaction.
Action taken
Golden Gate Capital Partners purchased TDK Semiconductor Corporation and renamed it Teridian Semiconductor.
Aftermath
The communications-related business continued independently under the Teridian name.
1996
Sale of the storage-products business to Texas InstrumentsM&ABackground
Silicon Systems' operations had expanded to include significant data-storage semiconductor products alongside communications devices.
Action taken
Texas Instruments acquired the storage-products portion of the business in a transaction reported at $575 million, while TDK retained the communications operation.
Aftermath
The former Silicon Systems activities were divided between Texas Instruments' storage business and TDK Semiconductor's communications business.
Reported transaction value. $575 million (1996)
1989
TDK acquisition of Silicon SystemsM&ABackground
Silicon Systems had developed a broad semiconductor business spanning storage, communications, and specialized application circuits.
Action taken
TDK Corporation acquired the company on May 15, 1989.
Aftermath
The business continued within TDK, with its communications operation later known as TDK Semiconductor Corporation.
Recent events
- 2016
Silergy acquires Teridian energy-measurement products group[1]
M&A
Silergy acquired Teridian's energy-measurement products group on March 18, 2016.
- 2010
Maxim Integrated acquires Teridian[1]
M&A
Maxim Integrated Products purchased Teridian for $315 million in cash, continuing the ownership chain of Silicon Systems' communications-related business.
- 2005
TDK communications semiconductor business becomes Teridian[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Golden Gate Capital Partners purchased TDK Semiconductor Corporation and renamed the business Teridian Semiconductor.
- 1996
Texas Instruments acquires Silicon Systems storage products business[1]
M&A
Texas Instruments acquired the storage-products portion of Silicon Systems in a transaction reported at $575 million, while TDK retained the communications business.
- 1989
TDK acquires Silicon Systems[1]
M&A
TDK Corporation acquired Silicon Systems on May 15, 1989, bringing the semiconductor business into the Japanese electronics group's portfolio.
- 1981
Silicon Systems completes initial public offering[1]
Other
Silicon Systems became a publicly traded company through an initial public offering on January 29, 1981.
Sources1 sources
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