JDSU Partners With Sanmina-SCI to Advance its Manufacturing StrategyFebruary 9, 2009...Opto electronics company, JDSU, reports that it has signed a definitive agreement with Sanmina-SCI Corporation, a leading electronics manufacturing. Sanmina-SCI will acquire certain manufacturing assets, inventories, and employees related to JDSU’s operations in Shenzhen, China, under the terms of the agreement. Sanmina SCI agreed to offer manufacturing services for JDSU's optical products. The agreement is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval. JDSU and Sanmina-SCI anticipate the transaction to close before April 6, 2009.
JDSU insists that the transfer of its assets, inventories, and skilled employees related to its operation in Shenzhen, China will be seemless and that it will allow Sanmina-SCI to produce and deliver orders without any interruption to JDSU and its customers. Furthermore, JDSU says it will continue to maintain corporate functions and product development in the region.
"We are pleased to partner with JDSU, a recognized optical communications leader. This collaboration fulfills our long-term strategic goal to expand and solidify our position in this field. The combination of our current capabilities and the expertise of the Shenzhen team will give Sanmina-SCI the strongest optical assembly and test resources of any major EMS company," said Hari Pillai, president and chief operating officer of Sanmina-SCI.
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TriQuint Reaches Half Billion RF Front-Ends ShippedFebruary 9, 2009...TriQuint, an RF front end supplier, reports having shipped more than half a billion RF modules to manufacturers building mobile devices. TriQuint also introduced a new TRITIUM III PA-Duplexer Module for band 8 and a new QUANTUM II Tx Module for GSM/GPRS/EDGE applications.
According to the company, its modules have been adopted by customers worldwide and provide the RF functionality in hundreds of millions of phones and data cards, including popular smartphone and 3G WCDMA phones.
The company pointed out that its TRITIUM PA-Duplexer Module family experienced record growth in 2008 and secured numerous design wins for future production volume. TriQuint says that the module which measures merely 7x4mm, has efficient design makes it the preferred architecture for 3G mobile phone manufacturers.
TriQuint notes that the keys to the success with its module families is its close cooperation with chipset partners. The company says that its modules and transceiver solution, the Tritium and Quantum families provide a scalable, easily configurable 3G RF solutions for handsets ranging from single-band 3G to Quad-Band WCDMA/HSUPA.
“Providing unmatched RF performance in a compact package enables manufacturers to rapidly develop full-featured mobile devices,” said Tim Dunn, Vice President of Handsets at TriQuint. “Today, we are also utilizing our module expertise to expand into products for value-added services such as GPS LNA-Filter modules, and an 802.11 b/g/n + Bluetooth Front-End Module. Regardless of our customers’ RF needs, TriQuint has a solution.”
Company News Release Skyworks Components in Samsung’s latest GPRS, EDGE and 3G handsets
CompoundSemi News StaffFebruary 9, 2009...Skyworks Solutions of Woburn, Massachusetts USA, a a wireless component maker, reports that Samsung is using its front-end modules and power amplifiers. According to Skyworks, Samsung is using the them for its general packet radio service (GPRS), enhanced data GSM management (EDGE), and third generation (3G), in particular its universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) models. Skyworks notes that it is partnering with baseband suppliers including: Qualcomm, Broadcom, Infineon, and NXP to provide front-end solutions for tier-one mobile handset manufacturers such as Samsung. Samsung is reportedly utilizing Skyworks' FEMs and PAs in its latest B3030, B320 and S7330 models. Optimized features include in the compact handsets include: Bluetooth, USB, Web browsing, camera, gaming and messaging functionality. Also, Samsung's handsets boast impressive talk times of up to seven hours.
"Skyworks is pleased to be an integral part of Samsung's compelling new lineup of GPRS, EDGE and 3G handsets as we continue to partner with a broader set of baseband suppliers," said Liam K. Griffin, Skyworks' senior vice president of sales and marketing. "Our front-end module and power amplifier participation in their newest models is a reflection of yet another multimode design-win and increasing market share gains at Samsung and other OEMs."
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HelioVolt Prepares For Full-Scale Commercial Production of CIGs Thin- Film Photovoltaics
CompoundSemi News StaffFebruary 5, 2009...HelioVolt, a maker of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS)-based thin-film solar cells based in Austin, Texas USA, is gearing up for full scale commercial production. The company announced that for its switch from development to production, its founder, Dr. B.J. Stanbery, will step down as CEO and serve as chief strategy officer and chairman of the board. Board member Ron Bernal was named interim CEO and Sanjeev Kumar, the former CFO of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) has joined the company as CFO. HelioVolt says its board will conduct an international search for a permanent CEO to lead the company in its next phase of growth as a manufacturer of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules.
According to the company, Bernal, a board member since 2007 and partner at Sequel Ventures, will direct HelioVolt as it transitions from the development of its proprietary thin-film solar manufacturing process to full-scale commercial production. Bernal previously served as a venture partner at Sutter Hill Ventures.
“As HelioVolt shifts into high gear as a US manufacturer of solar energy products, the complementary experience of HelioVolt’s management team speaks volumes to the value we are building for our company, partners, and present and future investors,” said Scott Sandell, HelioVolt board member and NEA general partner.
Dr. Stanbery commented, “As the company continues to expand, the additional skills of our management team will support our aggressive plans to manufacture and commercialize thin-film PV modules and BIPV products for global markets.” Company News Release TriQuint Announces TRIUMF, Next Generation 3G Converged RF Architecture
CompoundSemi News StaffFebruary 5, 2009...TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc., of Hillsboro, Oregon USA, an RF front-end product manufacturer, introduced its TRIUMF Module family, a converged architecture for 3G/4G mobile devices. TriQuint says that TRIUMF, or the TriQuint Unified Mobile Front-end Module Family, will offer manufacturers a streamlined radio frequency footprint combining GSM, EDGE, WCDMA and HSPA transmit functionality into one module. TriQuint contends that this convergence of functionality PA module should offer up to a 50 percent size reduction over conventional multi-band module solutions.
TriQuint says its TRIUMF module architecture will take the place of multiple discrete modules, saving precious board space for features such as Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, cameras, and FM radios.
"TriQuint set the industry standard for size and performance with its highly-integrated TRITIUM and QUANTUM Module families for 3G devices. We are using this expertise and ability to design both active and passive RF elements into one elegant RF system solution in the development of the TRIUMF Module family. TRIUMF will take integration to a whole new level, combining support for multiple frequency bands and modes into a single converged solution," said Andreas Nitschke, Product Marketing Manager for mobile handsets at TriQuint. "We are working closely with our chipset partners and customers to implement the architecture for next generation 3G and 4G devices with world-class RF performance in an industry leading size."
TriQuint will present its RF solutions at the 2009 GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 16-19. Company News Release Microsemi Claims Smallest WiFi Power Amp with Integrated Input and Output Matching
CompoundSemi News StaffFebruary 5, 2009...Microsemi Corporation, a maker of wireless components with headquarters in Irvine, California USA, announced what it claims is the smallest wireless LAN power amplifier (PA). The PA, LX5516 measures 2x2mm and features integrated 50 Ohm input and output matching circuits that the company says optimize performance while reducing design complexity, solution size, and bill of materials costs.
It supports IEEE 802.11b/g/n WLAN applications in the 2.4-2.5GHz frequency range, and it reportedly extends the company's portfolio of WiFi and 802.16e WiMAX and WiBro PAs. The company says that the LX5516 circuitry is packaged in an 12-lead MLP that provides input and output matching functionality without the expense or complexity of external components.
"Our new LX5516 PA eliminates the external passive components and additional design work typically required to optimally tune the transmit section of an 802.11/b/g/n design," said Kang Hee Kim, RF product line manager at Microsemi's Analog Mixed Signal Group. "By simplifying their design complexity in our ultra-compact package, we enable designers to dramatically cut product size, cost and time to market. The LX5516 is ideal for OEMs and module manufacturers designing portable and mobile devices with challenging size constraints."
Company News Release Nichia and Seoul Semiconductor End Disputes and Agree to Cross License Patents
LIGHTimes StaffFebruary 2, 2009...Nichia and Seoul Semiconductor have brought an end to nearly three years of legal battles between the two companies. Nichia and Seoul Semiconductor jointly announced that the companies have settled their patent litigation and other legal disputes pending in the United States, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Korea. They have entered into a patent cross licensing agreement covering their respective LED and laser diode technologies. The licensing will reportedly permit the companies to access all of each other's patented technologies.
Under the terms of the settlement, all litigations (including the patent and other legal disputes in the various countries) will be terminated as promptly as possible by mutual withdrawals, with the exception of litigation in Germany involving patent DE 691-07-630 T2 of EP 0-437-385 B1. In Germany, the litigation involving patent DE 691-07-630 T2 of EP 0-437-385 B1 will reportedly be resolved following a February 2009 hearing. Seoul Semiconductor (SSC) says that it now sees its patent portfolio stabilized and as an equivalent to
Nichia's. SSC contends that the agreement will allow customers to purchase its products with confidence in the IP that is backing them up. Also SSC says that the settlement puts them in a stronger position with respect to IP actions directed at them or that they are initiating against other companies. SSC warns that it is planning to take stronger action against AC-LED manufacturers that
they feel are infringing upon their 200+ related patents. Content continues for LIGHTimes SecondPage members... Cree Announces Sample Release of Two New GaN HEMTs for Telecommunications
CompoundSemi News StaffFebruary 2, 2009...Cree of Durham, North Carolina USA, announced the sample release of two 120W GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). The HEMTs are designed for telecommunication applications such as W-CDMA, LTE and WiMAX. Cree says that the HEMTs offer a unique combination of high RF power density, low capacitance, and high thermal conductivity silicon carbide (SiC) substrates. They also have superior performance compared to other technologies such as GaAs MESFET or Si LDMOSFET. Cree notes that two demonstration amplifiers, one for each device, are available for evaluation.
According to Cree, the single, input-pre-matched GaN HEMT devices give more than 120 watts of saturated power in small, industry-standard ceramic-metal packages. These transistors reportedly have convenient values of input and output impedances to allow device matching over greater than 30% instantaneous bandwidths. The CGH21120F is designed to be used primarily in the 1800 - 2300 MHz frequency range, while the CGH25120F is optimized for the 2300 - 2700 MHz range. The two transistors are to be used for DCS (GSM), PCS (GSM and CDMA), W-CDMA, and LTE.
“We are pleased to add these transistors to our growing family of GaN HEMT products. Each has demonstrated the extraordinary performance needed for today’s demanding 3G and 4G telecommunication networks,” said Jim Milligan, Cree director of RF and microwave products. Company News Release Nujira Develops 4G Handset RF Front End
CompoundSemi News StaffFebruary 2, 2009...Nujira of Cambridge, UK, a provider of RF technology for power amplifiers, announced what it calls the Coolteq-I. According to Nujira, the Coolteq-I takes the company's High Accuracy Tracking (HAT) technology from the base station and puts it in the terminal.
The company says that its Coolteq-I technology allows the creation of an efficient wideband RF front end, which covers three to five times the bandwidth of standard designs with up to double the efficiency.
Nujiro notes that with Coolteq-I only two power amplifiers (PAs) are needed to design a front end covering all of the fourteen different frequency bands defined by the 3GPP for LTE and all of the operating modes (GSM, EDGE, WCDMA, HSUPA and LTE). This contends that this compares to as many as seven or more without its solution. The company says that its test results show that a handset PA with Coolteq-I technology is twice as efficient during HSUPA transmissions, and 1.5 times as efficient during W-CDMA transmissions compared with the same PA without HAT. According to Nujira, a Coolteq-l based front end can have up to four times the efficiency.
According to Tim Haynes, CEO of Nujira, "Our announcement today is an industry first in power efficiency and savings - delivering up to a 50% reduction in cost and power consumption, therefore doubling the battery life of a 4G terminal RF front end when compared with technologies in use today." The RF front end is scheduled to be showcased at this month's Mobile World Congress event held in Barcelona, Spain.
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