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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.9


                          CATALYST SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.

                         1993 DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN

                     As amended and restated on May 30, 1996

     1.   Purpose of the Plan. The purpose of this 1993 Director Stock Option
Plan is to attract and retain highly qualified personnel to serve as Outside
Directors of the Company.

     All options granted hereunder shall be "non-statutory stock options."

     2.   Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:

          (a)  "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

          (b)  "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

          (c)  "Common Stock" means the Common Stock of the Company.

          (d)  "Company" means Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, and its predecessor corporation Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc., a
California corporation.

          (e)  "Continuous Status as a Director" means the absence of any
interruption or termination of service as a Director.

          (f)  "Director" means a member of the Board.

          (g)  "Employee" means any person, including officers and Directors,
employed by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. The payment
of a Director's fee by the Company shall not be sufficient in and of itself to
constitute "employment" by the Company.

          (h)  "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

          (i)  "Fair Market Value" means, as of any date, the value of Common
Stock determined as follows:

               (i)  If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock
exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the National
Market System of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated
Quotation ("NASDAQ") System, the Fair Market Value of a Share of Common Stock
shall be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales
were reported) as quoted on such system or exchange (or the exchange with the
greatest volume of trading in Common Stock) on the date of determination, or, if
not a market trading day, on the last market trading day prior to the date of
determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as
the Board deems reliable;

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               (ii) If the Common Stock is quoted on the NASDAQ System (but not
on the National Market System thereof) or regularly quoted by a recognized
securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of
a Share of Common Stock shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked
prices for the Common Stock on the date of determination, as reported in The
Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Board deems reliable; or

               (iii) In the absence of an established market for the Common
Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the
Board.

          (j)  "Option" means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.

          (k)  "Optioned Stock" means the Common Stock subject to an Option.

          (l)  "Optionee" means an Outside Director who receives an Option.

          (m)  "Outside Director" means a Director who is not an Employee.

          (n)  "Parent" means a "parent corporation," whether now or hereafter
existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

          (o)  "Plan" means this 1993 Director Stock Option Plan.

          (p)  "Share" means a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in
               accordance with Section 10 of the Plan.

          (q)  "Subsidiary" means a "subsidiary corporation," whether now or
hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

     3.   Stock Subject to the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Section 10 of
the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be optioned and sold
under the Plan is 220,000 Shares (the "Pool") of Common Stock (which number
gives effect to a one-for-nine reverse stock split of the Shares approved by the
Board on March ___, 1993 ("Post-Split")). The Shares may be authorized but
unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.

     If an Option should expire or become unexercisable for any reason without
having been exercised in full, the unpurchased Shares which were subject thereto
shall, unless the Plan shall have been terminated, become available for future
grant under the Plan.

     4.   Administration of and Grants of Options under the Plan.

          (a)  Administrator. Except as otherwise required herein, the Plan
shall be administered by the Board.

          (b)  Procedure for Grants. The provisions set forth in this Section
4(b) shall not be amended more than once every six months, other than to comply
with changes in the Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended, or the rules


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thereunder. All grants of Options hereunder shall be automatic and
non-discretionary and shall be made strictly in accordance with the following
provisions:

               (i)  No person shall have any discretion to select which Outside
Directors shall be granted Options or to determine the number of Shares to be
covered by Options granted to Outside Directors.

               (ii) Each new Outside Director who shall first join the Board on
or after March 1, 1993 (including any new Outside Director who shall have first
joined the Board of Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc., a California corporation,
subsequent to March 1, 1993), shall automatically be granted an Option to
purchase 20,000 Post-Split Shares upon the date on which such person first
becomes an Outside Director, whether through election by the stockholders of the
Company, appointment by the Board to fill a vacancy, or termination of
employment by the Company while remaining as a Director (a "One-Time Grant"). In
addition, on April 1, 1994, and on each April 1 thereafter during the term of
this Plan, each Outside Director who shall have been an Outside Director for at
least six (6) months as of such date shall automatically receive an Option to
purchase 7,500 Post-Split Shares (an "Annual Grant").

               (iii) The terms of each Option granted hereunder shall be as
follows:

                    (A)  the term of the Option shall be five (5) years;

                    (B)  the Option shall be exercisable only while the Outside
Director remains a Director of the Company, except as set forth in Section 8
hereof;

                    (C)  the exercise price per Share shall be 100% of the Fair
Market Value per Share on the date of grant of the Option;

                    (D)  each Annual Grant and One-Time Grant shall become
exercisable in installments cumulatively as to one-third of the Optioned Stock
on each anniversary of the date of grant, so that 100% of the Optioned Stock
granted under any such grant shall be exercisable in full three (3) years after
the date of grant of the Option, assuming in each case Continuous Status as a
Director.

               (iv) In the event that any Option granted under the Plan would
cause the number of Shares subject to outstanding Options plus the number of
Shares previously purchased upon exercise of Options to exceed the Pool, then
each such automatic grant shall be for that number of Shares determined by
dividing the total number of Shares remaining available for grant by the number
of Outside Directors entitled to receive Options on the grant date. No further
grants shall be made until such time, if any, as additional Shares become
available for grant under the Plan through action of the shareholders to
increase the number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan or through
cancellation or expiration of Options previously granted hereunder.

          (c)  Powers of the Board. Subject to the provisions and restrictions
of the Plan, the Board shall have the authority, in its discretion: (i) to
determine, upon review of


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relevant information and in accordance with Section 2(i) of the Plan, the Fair
Market Value of the Common Stock; (ii) to interpret the Plan; (iii) to
prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan; (iv) to
authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required
to effectuate the grant of an Option previously granted hereunder; and (v) to
make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the
administration of the Plan.

          (d)  Effect of Board's Decision. All decisions, determinations and
interpretations of the Board shall be final.

     5.   Eligibility. Options may be granted only to Outside Directors. All
Options shall be automatically granted in accordance with the terms set forth in
Section 4(b) hereof. An Outside Director who has been granted an Option may, if
he or she is otherwise eligible, be granted an additional Option or Options in
accordance with such provisions.

     The Plan shall not confer upon any Optionee any right with respect to
continuation of service as a Director or nomination to serve as a Director, nor
shall it interfere in any way with any rights which the Director or the Company
may have to terminate his or her directorship at any time.

     6.   Term of Plan. The Plan shall become effective upon the earlier to
occur of its adoption by the Board or its approval by the stockholders of the
Company as described in Section 16 of the Plan. It shall continue in effect
until April 30, 2003, unless sooner terminated under Section 11 of the Plan.

     7.   Consideration. The consideration to be paid for the Shares to be
issued upon exercise of an Option, including the method of payment, shall be
determined by the Board and may consist entirely of (i) cash, (ii) check, (iii)
promissory note, (iv) other shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of
surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said
Option shall be exercised and which, in the case of Shares acquired upon
exercise of an option, have been owned by the Optionee for more than 12 months
on the date of surrender, (v) delivery of a properly executed exercise notice
together with irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the
Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds required to pay the exercise price,
(vi) delivery of an irrevocable subscription agreement for the Shares which
irrevocably obligates the Optionee to take and pay for the Shares not more than
12 months after the date of delivery of the subscription agreement, (vii) any
combination of the foregoing methods of payment, or (viii) such other
consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent
permitted under applicable law.

     8.   Exercise of Option.

          (a)  Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Stockholder. Any Option
granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times as are set forth in Section
4(b) hereof; provided, however, that no Options shall be exercisable until
stockholder approval of the Plan in accordance with Section 16 hereof has been
obtained.


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     An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

     An Option shall be deemed to be exercised when written notice of such
exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the terms of the
Option by the person entitled to exercise the Option and full payment for the
Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised has been received by the
Company. Full payment may consist of any consideration and method of payment
allowable under Section 7 of the Plan. Until the issuance (as evidenced by the
appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer
agent of the Company) of the stock certificate evidencing such Shares, no right
to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder shall exist
with respect to the Optioned Stock, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option.
A share certificate for the number of Shares so acquired shall be issued to the
Optionee as soon as practicable after exercise of the Option. No adjustment will
be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the
date the stock certificate is issued, except as provided in Section 10 of the
Plan.

     Exercise of an Option in any manner shall result in a decrease in the
number of Shares which thereafter may be available, both for purposes of the
Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the
Option is exercised.

          (b)  Termination of Continuous Status as a Director. In the event an
Optionee's Continuous Status as a Director terminates (other than upon the
Optionee's death or total and permanent disability (as defined in Section
22(e)(3) of the Code)), the Optionee may exercise his or her Option, but only
within 90 days from the date of such termination, and only to the extent that
the Optionee was entitled to exercise it at the date of such termination (but in
no event later than the expiration of its five-year term). To the extent that
the Optionee was not entitled to exercise an Option at the date of such
termination, and to the extent that the Optionee does not exercise such Option
(to the extent otherwise so entitled) within the time specified herein, the
Option shall terminate.

          (c)  Disability of Optionee. In the event Optionee's Continuous Status
as a Director terminates as a result of total and permanent disability (as
defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), the Optionee may exercise his or her
Option, but only within six months from the date of such termination, and only
to the extent that the Optionee was entitled to exercise it at the date of such
termination (but in no event later than the expiration of its five-year term).
To the extent that the Optionee was not entitled to exercise an Option at the
date of termination, or if he or she does not exercise such Option (to the
extent otherwise so entitled) within the time specified herein, the Option shall
terminate.

          (d)  Death of Optionee. In the event of an Optionee's death while a
Director, the Optionee's estate or a person who acquired the right to exercise
the Option by bequest or inheritance may exercise the Option, but only within
one year following the date of death, and only to the extent that the Optionee
was entitled to exercise it at the date of death (but in no event later than the
expiration of its five-year term). To the extent that the Optionee was not
entitled to exercise an Option at the date of death, and to the extent that the
Optionee's estate or a person


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who acquired the right to exercise such Option does not exercise such Option (to
the extent otherwise so entitled) within the time specified herein, the Option
shall terminate.

     9.   Non-Transferability of Options. The Option may not be sold, pledged,
assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any manner other than by
will, by the laws of descent or distribution or pursuant to a qualified domestic
relations order, and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Optionee, only
by the Optionee or a permitted transferee.

     10.  Adjustments.

          (a)  Changes in Capitalization. In the event that the stock of the
Company is changed by reason of any stock split, reverse stock split,
recapitalization, or other change in the capital structure of the Company, or
converted into or exchanged for other securities as a result of any merger,
consolidation or reorganization, or in the event that the outstanding number of
shares of stock of the Company is increased through payment of a stock dividend,
appropriate proportionate adjustments shall be made in the number and class of
shares of stock subject to the Plan, the number and class of shares subject to
any Option outstanding under the Plan, and the exercise price of any such
outstanding Option; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to
issue fractional shares as a result of any such adjustment. Any such adjustment
shall be made upon approval by the Board, whose determination shall be
conclusive. If there is any other change in the number or type of the
outstanding shares of stock of the Company, or of any other security into which
such stock shall have been changed or for which it shall have been exchanged,
and if the Board in its sole discretion determines that such change equitably
requires an adjustment in the Options then outstanding under the Plan, such
adjustment shall be made in accordance with the determination of the Board. No
adjustments shall be required by reason of the issuance or sale by the Company
for cash or other consideration of additional shares of its stock or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for shares of its stock.

          (b)  Change in Control. In the event of a "Change in Control" of the
Company, as defined in paragraph (c) below, then the following provisions shall
apply:

               (i)  Any Option outstanding on the date of such Change in Control
("Outstanding Option") that is not yet exercisable and vested on such date shall
become fully exercisable and vested;

               (ii) Each Outstanding Option shall be assumed by the successor
corporation (if any) or by a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation
(if any);

               (iii) Each Outstanding Option shall remain exercisable by the
Optionee for a period of at least ninety (90) days from the date of the Change
in Control; and

               (iv) Each Optionee with an Outstanding Option shall be provided
with written notice of the period of exercisability provided for in subsection
(b)(iii) above promptly after the date of the Change in Control by the Company
or by the entity surviving after the Change in Control.


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          (c)  Definition of "Change in Control". For purposes of this Section
10, a "Change in Control" means the happening of any of the following:

               (i)  when any "person," as such term is used in Sections 13(d)
and 14(d) of the Exchange Act (other than the Company, a Subsidiary or a Company
employee benefit plan, including any trustee of such plan acting as trustee), is
or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange
Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more
than fifty (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding
securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; or

               (ii) a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other
corporation, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the
voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto
continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted
into voting securities of the surviving entity) at least fifty percent (50%) of
the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Company or
such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or
consolidation; or

               (iii) the stockholders of the Company approve an agreement for
the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all the Company's
assets; or

               (iv) a change in the composition of the Board occurring as a
result of any one meeting of the stockholders of the Company, as a result of
which fewer than a majority of the directors are Incumbent Directors. "Incumbent
Directors" shall mean directors who either are (A) directors of the Company as
of the date the Plan is approved by the stockholders, or (B) elected, or
nominated for election, to the Board of Directors of the Company with the
affirmative votes of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors at the time
of such election or nomination (but shall not include an individual whose
election or nomination is in connection with an actual or threatened proxy
contest relating to the election of directors to the Company).

     11.  Amendment and Termination of the Plan.

          (a)  Amendment and Termination. The Board may at any time amend,
alter, suspend or discontinue the Plan, but no amendment, alteration, suspension
or discontinuation shall be made which would impair the rights of any Optionee
under any grant theretofore made, without his or her consent. In addition, to
the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange
Act (or any other applicable law or regulation), the Company shall obtain
stockholder approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a degree
as required.

          (b)  Effect of Amendment or Termination. Any such amendment or
termination of the Plan shall not affect Options already granted and such
Options shall remain in full force and effect as if this Plan had not been
amended or terminated.

     12.  Time of Granting Options. The date of grant of an Option shall, for
all purposes, be the date determined in accordance with Section 4(b) hereof.
Notice of the determination shall


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be given to each Outside Director to whom an Option is so granted within a
reasonable time after the date of such grant.

     13.  Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued
pursuant to the exercise of an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the
issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all
relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder, state securities laws and the requirements of any stock exchange or
market system upon which the Shares may then be listed, and shall be further
subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such
compliance.

     As a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Company may require the
person exercising such Option to represent and warrant at the time of any such
exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any
present intention to sell or distribute such Shares, if, in the opinion of
counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the
aforementioned relevant provisions of law.

     Inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body
having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company's counsel to be
necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve
the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such
Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

     14.  Reservation of Shares. The Company, during the term of this Plan, will
at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be
sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

     15.  Option Agreement. Options shall be evidenced by written option
agreements in such form as the Board shall approve.

     16.  Stockholder Approval. Continuance of the Plan shall be subject to
approval by the stockholders of the Company at or prior to the first annual
meeting of stockholders held subsequent to the first granting of an Option
hereunder. Such stockholder approval shall be obtained in the degree and manner
required under applicable state and federal law.


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