Magnolia Optical Technologies and Kopin to Collaborate on Solar Cells
CompoundSemi News StaffJuly 14, 2008...Magnolia Optical Technologies of Woburn, Massachusetts USA, announced that it will be collaborating with Kopin to develop indium nitride (InN)-based quantum dot solar cells for NASA and defense applications. Magnolia specializes in thin film and nanostructured optical technologies for sensors, and various commercial applications such as solar cells. Kopin and Magnolia previously collaborated on GaN-based materials, Magnolia says. Magnolia points out that the solar electric conversion efficiency of traditional semiconductor solar cells is limited by a tradeoff between the current generated by photon absorption and the operating voltage of the device. Magnolia notes that photons with energies below the band gap of the semiconductor pass right through the device and do not contribute to the photogenerated current. However, magnolia says that high energy photons can be absorbed, but the resulting electrons are collected and extracted at a lower voltage limited by the semiconductor band gap.
“The goal of the current program is to develop high performance solar cells that are resistant to extreme conditions while achieving high solar electric power conversion efficiency,” said Dr. Welser, Kopin’s Director of New Business and Product Development. “The advanced solar cell structure incorporating InN-based nanostructures can harness a very large fraction of the solar spectrum while minimizing the effects of high temperatures and high-energy radiation. This technology will enable photovoltaic power systems of future NASA space exploration missions and can be applied to other defense applications.”
Magnolia Optical Technologies News Release
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July 14, 2008...Dow of Midland, Michigan USA has signed a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Rohm and Haas. Under the terms of the agreement, Dow will purchase the shares of Rohm and Haas common stock at a price of $78 per share. Rohm and Haas is a maker of specialty chemicals and products for processing semiconductors. The transaction reportedly totals $18.8 billion. Dow’s financing for the acquisition includes an equity investment by Berkshire Hathaway and the Kuwait Investment Authority in the form of convertible preferred securities for $3 billion and $1 billion respectively. Citi, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley, who acted as financial advisors on the transaction, committed debt financing for the transaction. Dow contends that the acquisition will make it the leading specialty chemical and advanced materials company.
“Rohm and Haas brings us access to new and exciting technologies and offers an extended reach into emerging geographies, all of which are highly complementary to Dow’s existing platforms and value growth priorities,” Andrew N. Liveris, Dow’s chairman and CEO, stated. Dow News Release
TriQuint Ramps Production of Polar EDGE PA Modules for 3G Handsets
CompoundSemi News StaffJuly 14, 2008...TriQuint of Hillsboro, Oregon USA, an RF front-end product maker and foundry service, announced that more than 15 customers have chosen its TQM7M5012, a 5x5mm Polar EDGE power amplifier module (PAM) for forthcoming 3G handsets. TriQuint says that the TQM7M5012 is a third generation PAM and member of its Hadron II PA-Module Family. The company contends that the TQM7M5012, which is aligned with a leading 3G chipset solution, offers significant improvements in performance, size and cost over existing PA modules and WEDGE transmit module solutions currently on the market.
The company notes that the TQM7M5012 is built with its patented CuFlip technology, a packaging technique that enables a more compact solution. According to the company, when the TQM7M5012 is paired with an industry standard-WEDGE front-end module, the total solution is smaller, uses fewer components and is less expensive compared to existing solutions in the market. The TQM7M5012 boasts world-class current consumption and Rx band noise performance that the company says provides longer talk-time and better thermal efficiencies while eliminating the need for additional low-band GSM transmit filtering. Company News Release
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Opnext to Acquire StrataLight Communications
CompoundSemi News StaffJuly 14, 2008...Opnext, Inc., an optical component and module manufacturer based in Eatontown, New Jersey USA, has reportedly reached a definitive agreement to acquire privately held StrataLight Communications, Inc. StrataLight Communications is a developer and producer of 40 gigabits per second (40G) line-side optical subsystems and advanced dispersion compensation modules for the communications industry. Opnext will reportedly pay $172 million including $30 million in cash and the rest in common shares.
StrataLight, a 200-employee company based in Los Gatos, California USA, has shipped its optical subsystems to customers that it says are among the largest communications equipment manufacturers. StrataLight also boasts that its subsystems, are widely deployed in several of the world's largest tier-one service provider networks.
"The combined expertise and technologies of Opnext's client-side and StrataLight's line-side products will position Opnext to address current and future 40G applications as well as the emerging 100G applications," said Harry Bosco, president and CEO of Opnext Inc.
Opnext News Release Intel Invests in German Thin Film Solar Company
CompoundSemi News StaffJuly 9, 2008...Intel Capital, the business investment branch of the chip maker, Intel, has reportedly invested in a German thin-film solar company. Reuters reported in a recent article that Intel Capital invested 24 million Euros (about $37.7 million) in the German company, Sulfurcell. However, Reuters incorrectly reported that Sulfurcell uses copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) technology. Sulfurcell actually uses a somewhat less publicized formulation for thin film solar cells, copper indium sulfide (CIS) (hence the name Sulfurcell).
The investment is part of a funding round for the company of up to 85 million Euros (or about $133 million. Intel notes that 38 million euros of the current amount comes from other investors including: Climate Change Capital Private Equity, AIG, Demeter Partners, Zouk Ventures and Bank Invest. The remaining 23 million Euros comes from existing investors. Sulfurcell said it plans to use the funding to expand it production capacity in Germany. Intel Capital likely invested in Sulfurcell and Sulfurcell likely chose to locate its manufacturing facility in Germany in part because the German government continues to provide attractive, long-term incentives for solar manufacturing, research, and development.
In June, Intel spun off a solar cell company called SpectraWatt. SpetraWatt is reportedly expected to break ground on its new manufacturing facility in the state of Oregon during the second half of 2008. The company remains tight-lipped about the technology it will be using. QPC Lasers Finishes Development Phase of Laser TV Contract
CompoundSemi News StaffJuly 9, 2008...QPC Lasers, Inc. “QPC,” a maker and developer of high power semiconductor chip-based lasers, reported that it has successfully met the performance requirements for red, blue, and green lasers related to its recently announced $12 million laser TV contract. The company noted that it had thereby completed the technology development phase of the contract with an unnamed major Asian manufacturer of consumer electronics. According to the contract, QPC will be the exclusive laser supplier over the next three years for $11 million. The contract reportedly carries a potential value of up to $230 million over the 10 year term of the contract. QPC previously demonstrated its green laser technology based on frequency doubling of its proprietary BrightLase single-mode laser technology in Sept. 2007. At the time, the company boasted of continuous wave and peak conversion efficiencies of greater than 50 percent.
“QPC is enabling a new generation of lower cost and dramatically improved high definition large screen televisions by replacing today’s poor quality light sources with our bright, power efficient, cost effective and ultra compact lasers,” said QPC co-founder and CEO Dr. Jeffrey Ungar. “Utilizing QPC’s unique laser technology instead of LEDs, OLEDs and other poor quality and inefficient light beam sources, consumers will see a broader visible color spectrum, and a sharper, brighter, more vivid image than today’s LCD or Plasmas can offer,” continued Dr. Ungar.
Ungar also indicated that a variety of projection displays and ultra-portable projectors for cell phones and laptops could benefit from the technology. Company News Release GP Solar Releases Flexible, Triple-Junction Thin Film Solar Cells
Scott McMahanJuly 9, 2008...GP Solar of Konstanz, Germany, has released a range of flexible thin film solar panels to the market. Unlike most thin film cells on the market these are triple-junction solar cells. These are the types which companies such as Emcore pioneered for use in satellites. Efficiency, light weight, and ruggedness were the goals of the original Emcore triple-junction solar cells. Producing such cells was costly. GP Solar has evidently devised a cheaper method of producing and processing such solar cells.
GP Solar indicated, that three semiconductor junction layers of the cell absorb different portions of the light spectrum. The bottom layer or sub-cell absorbs red light, the middle cell absorbs yellow/green light, and the top layer or sub-cell absorbs blue light. GP Solar notes that its cells are connected together to provide a specified output voltage which can be customized according to customer requirements. The surface of the cells is laminated in flexible weather-resistant polymers. This is probably not quite as rugged as the radiation hardened cells to go in satellites. These thin film modules can reportedly be used in the field standalone or attached to a backpack for charging cellphones, iPods, repeater stations or any other portable equipment. They are used primarily for specific electric applications, not the generation of electricity to replace significant portions of the electric grid. The company says that 30, 50, 60, and 120 W versions along with 3, 5, 10, and 20 A battery chargers. Company News Release Avanex Begins CEO and CFO Search After CEO Termination and CFO Resignation
CompoundSemi News StaffJuly 7, 2008...Avanex, a company based in Fremont, California USA that specializes in fiber optic communication solutions, announced the termination of Dr. Jo Major as president and CEO. According to the company, the termination was due to Dr. Major’s inability to work with the company’s board of directors effectively. Also, the company reported the resignation of Ms. Marla Sanchez from her position as senior vice president and chief financial officer (CFO).
Avanex reportedly appointed Dr. Giovanni Barbossa to be intermim CEO. Avanex says that Barbossa has forked for the company since 200, and has most recently served as senior vice president and chief technology officer (CTO). Avanex said that it has begun a search to fill the CEO and CFO positions. The company appointed Mr. Paul Smith, a current member of the Board, to be non-executive chairman of the board.
"I would like to thank Jo, on behalf of our Board of Directors, for his contributions in taking the Company through a difficult transition period over the last several years. We look forward to continuing the solid execution of the Company's strategy," said Mr. Smith. Company News Release Our news features are reported
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