The chief executive of International Rectifier Corp. resigned Tuesday, becoming the third executive to leave the company or to be fired this year.

Alex Lidow, the company’s long-time CEO and son of founder Eric Lidow, been put on leave by the El Segundo-based semiconductor manufacturer at the end of August. The company did not specify the reason for Lidlow’s departure.

Don Dancer will continue as the company’s acting chief executive, a position he has held since Lidow was placed on leave.

Earlier this year, International Rectifier fired its Chief Financial Officer Michael McGee and the same day announced that executive Robert Grant resigned. The company is in the middle of an investigation into accounting irregularities, which was announced earlier this year.

In April, International Rectifier reported that its results for the previous year could no longer be relied upon due to “premature” recognition of sales, requiring it to restate its earnings for the previous year. The company has yet to file a quarterly report in 2007.

International Rectifier makes high-efficiency computer chips and components in products such as refrigerators, satellites and Sony’s Playstation 3 video game console.

Shares in International Rectifier were up 4.1 percent, or $1.34, to $34.44 in afternoon trading Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange.