Exhibit 10.18

                    SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE

THIS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE  ("Agreement") is made and entered
into by and between Richard Corbin (hereinafter referred to as "Mr. Corbin") and
Elantec Semiconductor, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "Elantec").

                                    RECITALS

A.   Mr.  Corbin has been  employed by Elantec as Vice  President of  Technology
     since September 1987.

B.   On the terms and subject to the conditions described in this Agreement, Mr.
     Corbin and Elantec now desire to discontinue  the  employment  relationship
     between them.

     Now, therefore, in consideration of the premises and mutual promises herein
contained,  and in consideration of the terms set forth herein,  it is agreed as
follows:

     1.   Mr. Corbin hereby  resigns as Vice President of Technology and Elantec
          hereby  accepts  such  resignation,  effective  March  31,  1999  (the
          "Resignation  Date");  however,  Elantec  has the  right to delay  the
          Resignation  Date  to May  31,  1999.  The  other  provisions  of this
          Agreement  will take  effect on the date that is seven  days after the
          Resignation Date (the "Closing Date").

     2.   Elantec  agrees to continue to employ Mr. Corbin at his current salary
          rate of  approximately  $11,667  per  month  for a period of 12 months
          after  the  Closing  Date (the  "Payment  Period"),  to be paid  (less
          regular payroll  deductions and applicable  withholdings) on Elantec's
          normal payroll dates.  During the Separation  Period (defined  below),
          Mr. Corbin will continue to make himself  available up to 20 days over
          the 12 month Separation Period at mutually  agreeable times to consult
          with  Elantec.  Elantec will also  continue,  at its  expense,  to the
          extent possible,  Mr. Corbin's ongoing medical  (including Seciton 125
          plan benefits),  dental and life insurance benefits under the terms of
          Elantec's  benefit  programs during the Payment Period.  If Mr. Corbin
          accepts employment with another employer during the Payment Period and
          Mr.  Corbin  qualifies  for  comparable  insurance  benefits from such
          employer,  Elantec  will pay in one lump sum the balance of the salary
          that would become due for the  remainder  of the Payment  Period under
          this  Agreement  and Mr.  Corbin  will no longer be  entitled  to such
          medical,  dental and life  benefits  from  Elantec.  In addition,  Mr.
          Corbin  may elect at any time  during  the  Payment  Period to receive
          payment in one lump sum the  balance of the salary  that would  become
          due for the  remainder  of the Payment  Period  under this  Agreement,
          provided that he waives all further rights to such medical, dental and
          life insurance benefits after the date of payment.



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     3.   In  addition,  Elantec  agrees  that Mr.  Corbin's  total  outstanding
          options at his  Resignation  Date will  continue to vest in accordance
          with their terms during the 12 months  following the Closing Date (the
          "Separation   Period")   regardless  of  whether  Mr.  Corbin  accepts
          employment  with another  employer so long as Mr. Corbin complies with
          his  obligations  under this  Agreement.  Those options will expire in
          accordance  with their  terms  three  months  after the end of such 12
          month  period.  Mr.  Corbin  will have no other  options  or rights to
          purchase any shares of Elantec stock.

     4.   Effective  as of  the  Resignation  Date,  Mr.  Corbin  is  no  longer
          authorized to incur any expenses, obligations or liabilities on behalf
          of Elantec.  Mr.  Corbin agrees to submit to Elantec no later than the
          Closing  Date,  all  documentation  then  available to him  reflecting
          reasonable  expenses  incurred  by Mr.  Corbin on  behalf of  Elantec.
          Elantec agrees to reimburse Mr. Corbin for such reasonable expenses on
          the  Closing  Date.  Should  documentation  for  any  additional  such
          reasonable expenses come to Mr. Corbin's attention thereafter, he will
          have up to one month after the Closing Date to submit  those  expenses
          to Elantec,  and will be reimbursed for any such  additional  expenses
          within one week after they are submitted.

     5.   Mr. Corbin  understands  and agrees that on or before the Closing Date
          he will  identify  to  Elantec  and turn over to  Elantec  all  files,
          memoranda,  records  (and  copies  thereof),  and  other  physical  or
          personal property which Mr. Corbin received from Elantec and which are
          the property of Elantec.

     6.   Mr. Corbin  agrees to be bound by the terms of his Employee  Invention
          Assignment and Confidentiality  Agreement, a copy of which is attached
          hereto as  Exhibit A (the  "Employee  Agreement").  In  addition,  Mr.
          Corbin agrees that during the  Separation  Period he will not (a) as a
          consultant,  employee,  officer or director  or in any other  capacity
          solicit or actively  recruit  any  employee of Elantec to leave his or
          her employment with Elantec, or (b) disparage Elantec.

     7.   Except  for  breach  of this  Agreement,  and any  claims  for  vested
          benefits under  Elantec's  401(k) plan, Mr. Corbin hereby releases and
          discharges Elantec, its successors, subsidiaries, employees, officers,
          directors,  agents,  attorneys,  representatives and shareholders from
          all  claims,  liabilities,  demands  and  causes of  action,  known or
          unknown,  fixed or  contingent,  which Mr. Corbin has or may hereafter
          have occurring on or prior to his Resignation  Date and arising out of
          or in any way  connected  with his  employment  with or position as an
          officer  of  Elantec.  Except for  breach of this  Agreement,  Elantec
          hereby   releases  and   discharges   Mr.   Corbin  from  all  claims,
          liabilities,  demands and causes of action, known or unknown, fixed or
          contingent,  which Elantec has or may hereafter  have  occurring on or
          prior  to his  Resignation  Date  and  arising  out  of or in any  way
          connected with Mr. Corbin's employment with, or position as an officer
          of  Elantec,  except  for any  breach by Mr.  Corbin  of


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          his Employee Agreement. Mr. Corbin represents that he has not breached
          any of the terms or conditions of the Employee Agreement.

     8.   Elantec and Mr. Corbin represent and agree with each other to keep the
          terms and amount of this Agreement completely confidential, and not to
          disclose any information  concerning this Agreement to anyone,  except
          that Mr.  Corbin  may  disclose  the  terms of this  Agreement  to his
          spouse,  attorney and tax  preparer,  if any, and Elantec may disclose
          the terms of this  Agreement  to its  accountants,  attorneys  and tax
          preparers,  and either party may disclose the terms of this  Agreement
          to the extent required by law.

     9.   Mr. Corbin  presents and  acknowledges  that he has carefully read and
          fully  understands  all of the provisions of this Agreement which sets
          forth  the  entire  agreement  between  the  parties.  This  Agreement
          supersedes  and all prior  agreements  or  understandings  between the
          parties,  including but not limited to any Employee  Agreement (except
          for  paragraphs  7  and  14  thereof),  and  all  corporate  policies,
          practices  or  procedures  pertaining  to the  subject  matter of this
          Agreement.

     10.  This Agreement is governed by, and is to be interpreted  according to,
          the  laws of the  State  of  California  (excluding  that  body of law
          governing  choice of law).  The parties  hereto  agree that any action
          relating  to or  arising  out of this  Agreement  shall be  brought in
          California State Courts in Santa Clara County,  California,  or in the
          Federal  District Court for the Northern  District of California,  and
          each party hereby consents to the jurisdiction of such courts.

ELANTEC SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.

/s/  James V. Diller                            /s/  Richard Corbin
---------------------------                     --------------------------------
James V. Diller
President &
Chief Executive Officer


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                              Employment Agreement

                                 March 15, 1999

     This  Employment  Agreement is made and entered into by and between Richard
Corbin (hereinafter referred to as "Mr. Corbin") and Elantec Semiconductor, Inc.
(hereinafter referred to as "Elantec").

     1.   Mr.  Corbin hereby  agrees to remain a regular  full-time  employee of
          Elantec for a minimum of 12 months,  commencing March 15, 1999 through
          March 15, 2000.

     2.   Elantec  has the option to extend  Mr.  Corbin's  employment  with the
          Company for two additional six-month periods to commence on:

               a)   March 16, 2000 through September 16, 2000

               b)   September 16, 2000 - March 16, 2001

     3.   Elantec will provide Mr. Corbin with thirty days advance notice if the
          Company  decides to terminate  his  employment  prior to utilizing the
          extension option outlined in Item 2.

     4.   Upon termination of Mr. Corbin's  employment,  the attached Separation
          Agreement (Exhibit A) will then become effective.

               i.   The  resignation  date  in  Paragraph  1 of  the  Separation
                    Agreement  shall be amended to reflect Mr.  Corbin's  actual
                    termination date.


/s/  Richard Corbin                                  /s/  James V. Diller
---------------------------------                    ---------------------------
Richard Corbin                                       James V. Diller
                                                     President &
                                                     Chief Executive Officer