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Editorial: Will the USA Election Effect the CS Industry?
... As the US approaches its presidential election November 4th, with it comes the potential of significant turnover in the legislative branch of the federal government. With an escalating federal budget, rising national debt, and current economic challenges, the potential that the USA might return to some sort of sanity...
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Fujitsu Laboratories Develops Highest Output Power Gallium-Nitride HEMT Power Amplifier
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 22, 2008...Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. (Fujitsu) of Kawasaki, Japan, announced the development of a new high-efficiency, high-output amplifier based on gallium-nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). The company boasts that it produces over 300 watts (300W) of power in the C band, with 60% efficiency of power conversion.
Fujitsu points out that using GaN HEMT technology allows more than 6 times the output power of existing amplifiers using gallium-arsenide (GaAs) transistors.
The company says it expects the PA will extend radar detection range by 2.4 times. Fujitsu anticipates that replacing the traveling-wave tube amplifiers commonly used for high output power applications with this new technology will enable smaller, lighter, more energy-efficient, and longer-lasting transmission systems for applications including satellite communications, next-generation mobile phone base stations and radar. According to the company, the large and heavy vacuum tube-based traveling wave tube amplifiers cannot be effectively replaced by GaAs transistors because they a much lower breakdown voltage. Company News Release Bookham Amplifier Hits 10,000 Hour Life-test Landmark
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 22, 2008...Bookham, Inc. of San Jose, California USA, reportedly demonstrated the reliability its telecom amplifier and pump technology with the results from a 10,000 hour amplifier life-test, and a 38,000 hour discrete pump level life-test. According to Bookham, the results demonstrate the stability, quality, and performance of its amplifier design and the Mini-DIL un-cooled 980nm pump laser modules used within the amplifier. The company tested the three customized, compact, high power amplifier gainblocks. The company notes that their small form-factor design takes advantage of the compact package size and low power consumption of the Mini-DIL un-cooled pumps. The amplifiers operate at +19dBm output power and are typically deployed in single-channel applications within metro networks.
The company said that in a discrete pump level extended life-test, a sample of the Mini-DIL un-cooled pumps have been running at 200mW and 70°C, the product’s uppermost operating conditions, for in excess of 38,000 hours. Bookham says it shows no indication of wearout onset after the equivalent of about 20 years of operations.
“The industry norm for life-testing amplifiers and other high value modules and subsystems is just 2,000 hours," said director of product management, Mark Ives. “The market for line-side amplifier solutions is extremely competitive and is played out between just three dominant companies, so the systems houses look at product reliability as a key differentiator."
Company News Release AXT, Inc. Becomes Charter Member in CPV ConsortiumOctober 22, 2008...AXT, a maker of compound semi substrates based in Fremont, California USA, reported that it has become a charter member of the CPV Consortium. The CPV consortium is an international industry organization supporting the development and long-term success of the concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) industry. The goal of the CPV Consortium is to provide a low-cost, reliable source of renewable energy. Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) cells, referred to as "multi-junction" or "III-V" cells, offer significantly higher efficiencies than traditional photovoltaic systems. 3M, Concentrix, Emcore, ISFOC, Isofoton, Solfocus, and Veeco are also charter members of the CPV Consortium.
Phil Yin, chairman and CEO commented, "Given the importance of alternative energy development and the ongoing technical success in advancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of CPV cells, we strongly believe in the Consortium's mission to provide a solid foundation and infrastructure that supports every aspect of bringing this promising technology to mainstream applications. We are proud to be the first charter germanium substrate member to join the Consortium and we look forward to actively contributing to its success."
Company News Release Veeco Instruments Establishes Endowed Chair in Engineering Sciences at UCSB
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 22, 2008...Veeco Instruments of Plainview, New York USA, has established an endowed chair at UC Santa Barbara to support teaching and research of a pioneering scholar in engineering or the sciences. The company, a maker of metrology equipment, reported that the chair will support the work of renowned scholar in the College of Engineering or the Division of Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences who develops or uses scanning probe microscopy to advance nanoscale characterization in their field. Veeco said it will also donate a scanning probe microscope system to support the chairholder’s work.
“Veeco’s history as a manufacturer of atomic force microscopes is closely tied to UCSB, so we are, therefore, extremely pleased to establish this important chair,” said Mark R. Munch, Executive Vice President, Veeco Metrology. “We have enjoyed a strong relationship with UCSB over the years as scientific collaborators, pioneers in nano instrumentation technology development, and as partners in the Santa Barbara community.”
“Veeco has provided a gift that will enable us to attract another world-class leader in the field of scanning probe techniques,” said Matt Tirrell, Auhll professor and dean of UCSB’s College of Engineering. “We will be able to recruit someone who is advancing the frontiers of science in nanoscale characterization of materials."
Company News Release CompSolar of Taiwan to Focus on Flexible Thin-film GaAs CPV Cells
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 20, 2008...CompSolar, perhaps the only producer of multi-junction solar cells in Taiwan, reported that it will now focus on producing multi-junction solar cells on flexible substrates for concentrator photovoltaic systems, a Digitimes article reported. The company currently produces glass-based thin-film solar cells made from gallium arsenide. The cells are used with a light concentrating system. The cells on flexible substrates will be its main focus in 2009, the company president, Jeffrey Lin told Digitimes.
Lin pointed out that copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells, amorphous silicon-based cells, and those made of cadmium telluride are not mature enough technologies and do not have the efficiency, the reliability, and the steady output of the gallium arsenide versions. QPC Lasers Resumes Limited Operations
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 20, 2008...QPC Lasers filed reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it would temporarily resume manufacturing, engineering, and sales operations on a limited basis.
QPC Lasers previously reported on October 14, 2008, that it would suspend operations until it received new funding. Then on October 15, the company reported that Paul Rudy, its VP of sales and marketing, resigned.
The SEC filing stated that the company is currently engaged in discussions with customers and investors about restructuring its finances and securing funding to continue operations. The filing also stated that if the QPC Lasers does not succeed in its efforts, it may file for protection under either Chapter 11 or Chapter 7 of the Federal Bankruptcy laws. SEC Filing of Form 8-K. GreenVolts Wins California Energy Commission PIER Grant for Low Cost CPV Installation
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 20, 2008...The California Energy Commission has awarded GreenVolts Technology a $250,000 grant from the Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program. The funding award was for Greenvolts' proposal entitled, "Low Cost Installation of Concentrating Photovoltaic". The proposal was rated highest among all applicants to the California Energy Commission's grant program, according to GreenVolts. The company uses purchased multi-junction solar cells on its solar tracker called the CarouSol, a 3 kW two-axis tracker. Under the company's GV1 project, GreenVolts will install its CPV technology that the it says will eventually help produce the world's lowest cost solar energy on a massive scale.
"California is dedicated to investing in clean, renewable technology. GreenVolts is demonstrating that smart, reliable solar projects can help the state reach its goals of generating 33 percent of our electricity from renewable sources and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 2020," said Energy Commission Chairman Jackalyne Pfannenstiel. Company News Release Oak Ridge National Laboratories Awarded DOE Grant to Study Crystal Growth Using Bacteria
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 20, 2008...Oak Ridge National Laboratories has received a grant from the Department of Energy for large-scale nanofermentation of quantum dots. The company was awarded $250,000 to study nanofermentation, using bacteria to facilitate the controlled growth of nanomaterials. Crystal growth can reportedly be manipulated by adding chemical control agents to control particle sizes. The technology will be used to synthesize candidate materials for quantum dots.
The funding comes from a grant for the Department of Energy that went to 20 projects related to improving nanomaterials manufacturing. DOE News Release Global Solar Energy's CIGS Modules Earn IEC Certification
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 15, 2008...The International Electrochemical Commission (IEC) certifies Global Solar Energy’s CIGS solar modules. The San Diego, California company, Global Solar Energy, Inc., reported that the IEC has awarded the company certification of its solar modules utilizing copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). The Arizona State University Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory (ASU-PTL) delivered the IEC 61646 certification. Global Solar says that the certification confirms its modules adhere to the commission’s stringent requirements for functional and mechanical capabilities for long-term operation and open-air environments.
The IEC sets international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. IEC 61646 “Thin-film terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification and type approval” is a worldwide solar industry test standard used to verify that new solar modules meet a minimum set of functional and mechanical requirements. The standard proves confidence for claims of long-term (+20 year) module performance integrity. Global Solar Energy currently produces PowerFlex Solar Strings, which provide a pre-connected format to its CIGS cells. The bendable substrates and pre-connected format of the modules allow easier customization for product designers.
“The company’s CIGS solar modules have been subjected to the IEC battery of tests and passed the first time. This gives further testament to CIGS as a leading technology in the thin-film photovoltaic market. At our request, the ASU-PTL subjected Global Solar’s CIGS modules to these tests, which are designed to emulate the real lifetime environment of a solar module,” said Dr. Jeff Britt, CTO of Global Solar Energy. Global Solar News Release
NTNC Selects Infinera for Optical Network
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 15, 2008...Infinera of Sunnyvale, California USA, reported that the Northern Tier Network Consortium (NTNC) has selected it for a regional optical network linking 9 states. The network will connect universities from Washington to Illinois. According to Infinera, the new network will offer the speed, flexibility, and intelligence of Infinera's Digital Optical Networks to the 27 member universities. The network has endpoints in Seattle, Washington and Chicago, Illinois, and it links the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. The company says it will be used to provide multi-wavelength networking resources to researchers at member institutions. Additionally it will provide connectivity to the nationwide Internet2 network.
Infinera says that the NTNC Consortium members chose it for the system’s flexibility and its ease of service delivery. The company boasts that its photonic integrated circuits (PICs), which integrate 60 optical devices on a pair of chips each less than 5 mm wide, provide 100 Gigabits/second of capacity on every line card. Also, Infinera’s touts its the quick and easy installation of its GMPLS-powered network operating system. Infinera notes that the wide range of services its network supports, the ease of adding new services to the platform, and the responsiveness of Infinera’s customer support team also impressed the members of the NTNC.
“Members of the Northern Tier Network Consortium went through a very rigorous selection process and Infinera came out on top,” said Bonnie Neas, Vice President for Information Technology at North Dakota State University. Infinera News Release
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The
McDonald Report
Commentary & Perspective...
October 22, 2008...As the US approaches its presidential election November 4th, with it comes
the potential of significant turnover in the legislative branch of the federal
government. With an escalating federal budget, rising national debt, and current
economic challenges, the potential that the USA might return to some sort of
sanity and sense of internal responsibility is the hope of many. But bringing
the election into the realm of advanced technology, and the compound semi industry
in particular, will the outcome of the election have any measurable effect?
When it comes to semiconductor technology, the USA has assumed a primary catalyst
position for decades. But when it comes to the most advanced semiconductor
technology, i.e. the compound semiconductors, catalysts and innovators and
governments that help motivate and support them are to be found worldwide. That's
what makes our compound semi industry truly unique. We're already where other
industries are headed: global. Due credit, however, must be given to the USA taxpayers
for their incredible support for the CS industry, primarily via the U.S. Department
of Defense funding sources since the 1970s when the compounds finally became
a noticeable blip on the world's radar screen. DARPA, for example, with its
traditional policy of "dual use" has been especially supportive over
the years.
For those of you unfamiliar with it, the term "dual use" means that a given
new technology thrust must be headed for not only defense applications but also
for commercial applications. Dual use has been an on-again off-again thing at
DARPA, depending on which party and president is ruling, but in general, dual
use has proved to be the sensible course of action and best use of taxpayer
money. Before the commercial volumes kicked in for our power amplifiers, solid
state lasers, CS solar cells, etc. defense applications provided the needed
incentive, and resources, to keep the R&D activities running at a healthy
clip. It continues past the commercialization phase as well when commercial
times are tough, defense applications and DARPA-type R&D funds tend to kick
in and see the labs and companies through hard times as well. As the commercial
applications become more prevalent, venture capital sources kick into full gear
enabling corporate R&D to reach its potential, and the world advances with the
help of our industry's wonderful creations. All in all, things tend to balance
out. The key to keeping the compounds in the forefront of advanced technology
lies in strengthening the CS industry's overall R&D capability. We know what
the compounds are capable of providing by way of solutions that make the world
a better place in which to live. What the CS industry always needs is
the initial support it takes to get what's in R&D out of the lab and into the
fab.
I've been an avid watcher, voter and sometimes activist in USA elections since
1960 when first voting at age 21. I remember that one vividly as my 21st birthday
was November 8th, which was the actual day of the 1960 presidential election
(and created a bit of controversy and news whether or not I was eligible to
vote. Turns out I was). That's when John Kennedy beat Richard Nixon. During
the '60s and '70s, like many in that era, I tried to help change the world for
the better, working especially on the environmental front. In 1975 I started
my journalism career and have been championing advanced semiconductors ever
since... and watching the yin yang of subsequent elections come and go. Now,
about to celebrate the completion of my 68th year, because of the unprecedented
level of unbelievable rhetoric surrounding these 2008 elections, I've simply
boycotted the mainstream "news" and declined to engage in any political discussions
with my neighbors. But I caught an enlightening Charlie Rose conversation
about leadership at the Harvard Business School centennial celebration on
PBS the evening of October 20th. Charlie's guests were John Doerr - venture
capitalist, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Jeffrey Immelt - chairman and
CEO, General Electric, Anand Mahindra - vice-chairman and managing director,
Mahindra & Mahindra, Meg Whitman - former CEO, Ebay and James Wolfensohn - former
president of the World Bank. What these world business leaders had to say about
how the election would effect us all is what got me thinking about the future
of the CS industry. I highly recommend listening to the replay. Jeff Immelt's
and John Doerr's comments especially as they are the two whose opinions most
closely relate to our industry.
While I am personally an left-leaning independent, there is no doubt I have
my favorites this time around. Most importantly, I truly think the compound
semi industry will continue to thrive no matter who wins or which party comes
out on top. As long as the basic "checks and balances" the USA's founders envisioned
when creating three branches actually "check and balance", it will
be good for everyone, including those working in and around the CS industry.
Indeed, the CS industry knows (out of painful experience) how to roll with the
times and tides and will continue to thrive no matter who wins the presidential
slot. But that doesn't mean you're immune to voting if you're a registered USA
voter. This is a very important election in so many ways beyond anyone's personal
career, so I encourage each of you who are elegible to vote November 4th to
vote for the future you envision. 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... |
