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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.2

                     [Simpson Thacher & Bartlett letterhead]


                                 April 11, 2001



Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
120 San Gabriel Drive
Sunnyvale, California  94086

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel to Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the Registration Statement on
Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") filed by the Company with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), relating to shares (the "Shares") of Common Stock, par
value $0.001 per share, of the Company to be issued by the Company pursuant to
the stock option plans listed on Schedule A hereto (collectively, the "Plans")
to be assumed by the Company pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated
as of January 28, 2001 (the "Merger Agreement"), among the Company, MI
Acquisition Sub, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and Dallas
Semiconductor Corporation.

     We have examined the Registration Statement, the Plans and the Merger
Agreement and the originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of
such records, agreements, instruments and other documents and have made such
other and further

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                                      -2-                         April 11, 2001


investigations as we have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the
opinions expressed herein. As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we
have relied upon certificates of public officials and of officers and
representatives of the Company.

     In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the
legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted
to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents
submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies, and the
authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.

     Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations
stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized
and, when the Shares have been issued in accordance with the terms of the Merger
Agreement and the Plans, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

     We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and we do not express
any opinion herein concerning any law other than the Delaware General
Corporation Law.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5 to the
Registration Statement.

                                        Very truly yours,



                                    /s/ SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT

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                                   Schedule A

Dallas Semiconductor Corporation Amended 1987 Stock Option Plan
Dallas Semiconductor Corporation 1993 Officer and Director Stock Option Plan