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Editorial: Executive Changes Afoot
... Recent shakeups and changes in the upper echelons of mainstay compound semi (CS) companies like Cree and Anadigics are leading CS industry followers to ask: What's happening? Is there anything inherently wrong? The answer is NO. In fact, something very good is actually happening. It's called "maturing." Those...
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Nanosolar Completes $300 Million Equity Financing Round
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 28, 2008...Nanosolar has brought its total amount of funding to date to just below half a billion U.S. dollars as part of its $300 million in equity financing. The company says that the new capital will allow them to ramp production at its 430MW San Jose factory and its 620MW Berlin factory. Earlier, the company received a 50 percent capex subsidy from the German Government for its factory in Berlin. Under the terms of the transaction, the boards of directors of AES Corporation (one of the world’s largest power companies), the Carlyle Group, EDF (the world’s largest electric utility), and Energy Capital Partners signed off on investments into Nanosolar through Riverstone Holdings, EDF Renewables, and simultaneously formed AES Solar. A fraction of the oversubscribed Nanosolar equity round also included financial investors such as Lone Pine Capital, the Skoll Foundation, and Pierre Omidyar’s fund as well as returning investors including GLG Partners, Beck Energy, and Conergy founding investor Grazia Equity. The transaction closed in March 2008.
The company boasts of some 180 issued, pending, or licensed patents. The company says that through its thin film technology it has been able to overcome the challenges of early thin film products. Their CIGS solar cells have: a conductive substrate that is used directly as an electrode, a low- cost top electrode, individual cell matching and sorting, roll to roll processing, and high-power high-current panels with low balance of system costs. Company News Release Japan’s Solar Cell Makers Looking to Increase Capacity
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 27, 2008...Japan’s solar companies are betting on explosive growth in the global solar market. Mitsubishi plans to triple capacity by the end of 2011 to about 600,000 kilowatts per year of amorphous silicon solar cells, according to a Nikkei Net article. Sharp will be making more thin-film solar cells, the article indicated. Showa Shell Sekiyu KK, among a handful of companies that produce copper indium selenium (CIS) solar cells, reportedly plans to build a new factory by 2011 that will be able to produce 1 million kilowatts of the CIS solar cells. Northrop Grumman Recognizes TriQuint with Awards
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 28, 2008...TriQuint of Hilsboro, Oregon USA, reports that it was the only Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems (NGES) supplier in 2008 that was recognized with two supplier awards.
NGES held a supplier conference in which 32 different companies were recognized and 61 total were nominated. TriQuint was the only one to receive two awards. TriQuint, an RF front-end product manufacturer and foundry services provider received the award from NGES for the development of its bulk acoustic wave (BAW) S-Band tuned coupled resonator filter (TCRF) modules. TriQuint reportedly also received a Strategic Supplier Award for its dedication to the success of NGES programs.
“We’re extremely proud to be recognized by NGES for our work providing them the best products and service possible,” remarked Dr. Gailon Brehm, Military Products Marketing Director. “Our BAW program leads the industry, and we’re pleased to receive their commendation. As a newly named ‘Strategic Supplier,’ TriQuint will continue serving this important customer with the latest RF power and acoustic filter devices.” TriQuint News Release August 28, 2008...Mimix Broadband, Inc. of Houston, Texas USA has introduced a 17 to 34 GHz GaAs pHEMT SMT packaged up-converter that it says integrates a linear, balanced resistive pHEMT mixer, LO buffer amplifier and LO doubler within a fully molded 4x4mm QFN package. The packaged up-converter is RoHS-compliant, and has an input third order intercept point (IIP3) of +23 dBm, a conversion loss of 10 dB and an LO drive level of +2 dBm.
It includes on-chip electro static discharge (ESD) protection structures and DC by-pass capacitors to ease the implementation and volume assembly of this device. The company says that the XU1010-QH is well suited for point-to-point radio, LMDS, SatCom and VSAT applications. Company News Release Solar Thin Films Signs Cross License Agreement with Amelio Solar Inc.
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 25, 2008...Solar Thin Films, Inc. (STF), a maker of amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules, has entered into a cross licensing agreement with copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cell maker, Amelio Solar Inc., (ASI). Under the terms of the agreement, STF of Dix Hills, New York USA, will market and sell CIGS solar cells based upon technology developed at ASI. STF has also entered into a stock purchase agreement running concurrently with the strategic alliance. STF has signed a stock purchase agreement to arrange for the sale of an aggregate of 18.0 million shares of common stock owned by the Kiss family. STF says that the strategic alliance, cross license and stock purchase agreements are expected to close simultaneously on or about November 30, 2008 coincident with a capital markets transaction currently contemplated by the company.
Peter Lewis, chief executive officer of Solar Thin Films stated, "Today our expertise lies in the process know-how required to produce a complete line of manufacturing equipment for the production of thin-film amorphous silicon modules. And we believe that amorphous silicon offers cost advantages over other commercially viable thin film materials available in the market. At the same time, we want to prepare for the emergence of other cost-effective thin film technologies, including CIGS and micro crystalline, by forming partnerships with companies like Amelio Solar and through our own research and development activities. Therefore, our plan is to position Solar Thin to utilize other thin film materials as the industry evolves." Solar Thin Films Inc. News Release Veeco Introduces "FastFlex" Platform for Production of Flexible Thin Film CIGS Solar Cells
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 25, 2008...Veeco Instruments Inc., of Plainview, New York USA, announced the introduction of its FastFlex line of web coating systems ideally suited for manufacturing copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells. Veeco boasts that its FastFlex web deposition platform offers high throughput and excellent performance for flexible thin film solar cell production. The company says that its the platform’s high quantity of deposition zones in a compact footprint contribute to a lower cost of ownership. Veeco says its FastFlex platform also provides excellent thickness uniformity, and the ability to process web widths up to 350mm with an architecture that supports widths of 1m or more for metal as well as polyimide substrates. According to Veeco, its FastFlex platform consists of three systems: one for the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) utilizing reactive sputtering, one for metal deposition with sputtering (the Molybdenum layer), and one for the CIGS layer, integrating Veeco's proven PV-Series Thermal Deposition Sources.
Piero Sferlazzo, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Veeco Solar Equipment, commented, "Veeco now provides comprehensive, fully integrated manufacturing solutions for the Moly, CIGS and TCO layers--enabling customers to achieve full-scale commercialization of flexible solar cells. Our CIGS systems can be tailored to our customers' requirements and help drive down their cost per watt." Company News Release Sony Claims Highest-power Red Laser Diode
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 25, 2008...Sony Corporation of Tokyo, Japan has reportedly demonstrated what it claims is the most powerful red laser diode, according to an article in TechOn Nikkei. Sony says the diode, which operates at 635nm, achieved an optical output of 7.2 watts. The device consists of an array of 25 emitters along a 10-mm long semiconductor chip. According to the article, the device uses a copper heatsink and an increased purity AlInP cladding layer. The company noted that part of the improvement came from the increased uniformity of the active layer.
Sony indicated that it reduced the current density at the initial phase of laser oscillation with control of the concentration of magnesium (Mg) doping used to obtain p-type conduction. Sony also indicated in the article that it used a new bonding technique to attach the laser array and the heatsink. Sony says this improved the heat dissipation efficiency from the device.
Sony noted other specifications of the demonstrated device including an operation current of14A and an operating voltage of 2.2V. Sony says that the laser diode had an energy conversion efficiency of 23%. Additionally the company indicated in the article that the vertical and horizontal divergence angles are 42° and 10°. Sony says that the demonstration took place with an ambient air temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. Avago Technologies New Gate Drive Optocouplers for Industrial Inverters and Power Management Applications
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 25, 2008...Avago Technologies has introduced the ACPL-333J and ACPL-330J series of high-speed IGBT optocouplers. The company says that they are easy-to-implement in industrial inverter and power management applications, such as isolated IGBT/power MOSFET gate drives, AC and brushless DC motor drives, industrial inverters and uninterruptible power supplies. Avago’s ACPL-333J and ACPL-330J reportedly offer 2.5 and 1.5 Amp output current respectively, and according to the company they are high-speed, easy-to-use gate drivers that help to make IGBT fault protection compact and affordable. They come in a stretched outline-16 (SO-16) package and the company says they provide space and cost savings in designs, and they meet minimum 8 mm creepage and clearance requirements.
The ACPL-333J and ACPL-330J feature Active Miller Clamp, integrated Vce desaturation detection, under voltage lockout protection, soft shut down, isolated fault feedback and automatic fault reset. Active Miller clamping eliminates the need for a negative gate drive; saving negative power supply and printed circuit board space. Moreover, Avago says its new gate drive optocouplers offer superior CMR performance and a wide operating temperature range. Avago notes that the ACPL-333J is CSA, UL1577 and IEC/EN/DIN EN 60747-5-2 approved, and the ACPL-330J is pending approval for CSA, UL1577 and IEC/EN/DIN EN 60747-5-2. Company News Release Our news features are reported
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The
McDonald Report
Commentary & Perspective...
Executive Changes Afoot
Jo Ann McDonald, founding editorAugust 20, 2008...Recent shakeups and changes in the upper echelons of mainstay compound semi
(CS) companies like Cree and Anadigics are leading CS industry followers to
ask: What's happening? Is there anything inherently wrong? The answer
is NO. In fact, something very good is actually happening. It's
called "maturing."
Those of us who have followed the silicon industry and rightfully compared
the evolution of the CS industry to that of silicon know that, indeed, business
has been tough all over. The reality in the USA is that companies have all cut
to the bone in order to cope with a politically-driven recession that's moving
quickly towards a real depression, while worldwide demand for our technologies
and products continues to rapidly grow. What we're experiencing within the CS
industry is the next logical and predictable growth step towards industry maturity.
And with that growth, longtime CS industry leaders, like Cree and Anadigics
in particular, are likely realizing that the compounds are simply reaching the
next evolutionary stage, and that with that next growth spurt, that it's probably
a good idea to call upon bigger guns to run operations. Both Cree and Anadigics,
for example, have recently turned to veterans from Texas Instruments to take
over top executive slots in what I feel is a sensible effort to help the compound
semi industry live up to expectations. TI has "been there; done that"
to coin what's now an old adage. Plus... if you've been working for decades
in silicon, wouldn't the hope vested in the compounds entice you into
moving to our side of the circuit? In addition, relative newcomer to the CS industry, SolFocus, has tapped a former Lockheed Martin executive, Mark Crowley, as their new president, reporting to chairman, CEO and founder Gary Conley
In the case of Anadigics and Cree, we can blame lots of things for the management changes. Anadigics reportedly
failed to meet the growing demand for power amplifiers for 3G cellphone handsets,
so Bami Bastani is taking the hit and stepping down as CEO and Ron Rosenzweig
is graciously moving from chairman to vice chairman to make way for 53 year
old Gilles Delfassy to move from board member to chairman and temporary CEO
while searching for a permanent CEO. Delfassy hails from Texas Instruments’
wireless terminals business unit, which he grew into a multibillion dollar operation.
Prior to that, he managed TI's European digital signal processing operations
and its European automotive electronics business. And don't worry about Bami.
He leaves with a severance package of $3,097,054 cash and the vesting of all
outstanding restricted shares and options, plus medical coverage for 24 months.
He's also on the board of Nitronex, which has always been poised to do great
things in GaN land. Maybe now he'll have time to better help them achieve their
goals.
At Cree, where times have been as tough as anywhere (and maybe tougher), Cree's
chairman and CEO sensibly moves upward, sharing top management responsibilities
now with Steve Kelley who will become Cree's new executive VP and COO, taking
over responsibility for business development, global manufacturing, technology,
and administrative operations of the company. Nobody, even Chuck, can be expected
to do it all. Kelley is also from TI where he served as vice president and general
manager of the Standard Linear and Logic Group. Prior to that, he spent 10 years
at Philips Semiconductors in various management positions. So don't worry about
Cree either, for as we all know, that uniquely creative company was born to
thrive in the longrun. Even Cree's most rabid investors should be pleased with
this latest expansion of executive chores.
See the pattern here? Top silicon managers are being tapped for top compound
semi industry slots. That, to me, spells CS industry maturation, coupled with
the fact that, by now, the silicon industry has to be getting pretty
boring. And I say it's about time. Like the people who run it, no industry...not
even the compounds...can hope to be young forever.
If you have questions about the
solid state lighting and compound semiconductor industries or have news
or views to share, I'm Jo Ann McDonald, Editor of LIGHTimes and CompoundSemi News.
Feel free to contact me directly, anytime. 
My direct tel at the ranch is
+1-325-463-5345
From time to time Jo Ann may comment on companies in which she holds a
modest investment - be sure to read
her disclosure at some point in time... |
