Strategy Analytics: GaAs and InP to Underpin High Growth Fiber Optic Networks Market
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 10, 2009...Strategy Analytics (SA) predicts that gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP) technologies will help drive the growth of fiber optic analog ICs. These ICs include: TIAs (transimpedance amplifiers), laser drivers and post/limiting amplifiers.
According to SA, Legacy networks with speeds of less than 2.5Gbps currently dominate the market in terms of volume, but they will represent the slowest growth over the forecast period. SA points out that that 3G and 4G standards, HDTV, and video-on-demand all demand higher bandwidth.
SA predicts that continued demand for bandwidth will help raise 10Gbps networks to become the de facto standard showing a 20% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) from 2011-2013. The trend toward higher speed networks will be augmented with strong growth of 40Gbps networks.
“The fiber optic market is set to weather the storm better than most communications markets because the capital expense of laying fiber is already in place, while demand for more and faster bandwidth seems insatiable,” observed Asif Anwar at Strategy Analytics. “We expect GaAs- and InP-based laser drivers and TIAs to be key enabling technologies for the rollout of higher speed 10Gbps, 40Gbps and 100Gbps networks.” Company News Release August 10, 2009...IQE reports that it will be taking part in a US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract led by Raytheon Integrated Defense System to develop Compound Semiconductor Materials on Silicon (COSMOS). IQE's Pennsylvania-based manufacturing facility will help develop the epitaxial growth process. Phase I of the program began in September 2007 to develop and demonstrate a viable process to integrate compound semiconductor materials with silicon for dramatically improved linearity, dynamic range, and bandwidth of radio frequency (RF) devices.
After phase I was completed, Phase II was awarded to focus on improving the yield and density of the heterogeneous epitaxial growth of InP HBTs in conjunction with conventional silicon based CMOS processes. The program hopes to integrate high-performance compound semiconductors with low-cost commercial complementary metal oxide semiconductor silicon (CMOS) wafers for superior cost-benefit performance compared with either technology individually.
Other partners in the COSMOS project are Raytheon Systems Limited in Glenrothes, Scotland; Teledyne Scientific Imaging Company in Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.; Paradigm Research LLC in Windham, N.H.; Soitec in Grenoble, France; and Silicon Valley Technology Center in San Jose, Calif.
"Selective placement of semiconductor compounds on silicon is an important achievement because it proves that optimal circuit performance can be produced through a heterogeneous, high-yield, monolithic integration process," said Dr. Tom Kazior, program manager at Raytheon IDS. IQE News Release
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LED-based TV Backlighting Demand Fuels Big System Order Jump at Aixtron
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 10, 2009...Aixtron revealed that its system order intake for the quarter shot up 85 percent from EUR 31.2m to EUR 57.9m. The company cited increased demand for LED-based TV backlighting as the driver
Aixtron reported a significant profit for the quarter, and its quarterly revenues have increased 23 percent sequentially to EUR 56.7m during the second quarter of 2009 compared to the previous quarter. However, its total revenues are 20 percent lower than the same period the previous year.
Aixtron contends that the improved Q2 performance confirms the its previous prediction that Q1/2009 would be the low point in orders of this current LED investment cycle.
Paul Hyland, President & Chief Executive Officer at AIXTRON, comments: “I am happy to be able to announce, that as we predicted in May, Q1 did mark the bottom of the five quarter run of declining order intake following the industry’s 2008 inventory de-stocking activities and consequent low utilization rates.
AIXTRON Management predicts total annual revenues in range of EUR 230-250m and an EBIT margin of 12-13% from the previous guidance on revenues of EUR 200-220 and EBIT 10-11%.
Company Financial Guidance for 2009 Kopin to Make Additional Investment in Taiwan Foundry
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 5, 2009...Kopin of Tauton, Massachusetts USA, a microdisplay and III-V foundry company, reported entering an agreement to add $6.3 million to the company's investment in its Taiwan-based wafer engineering manufacturing business, Kopin Taiwan Corporation (KTC). The increased investment comes after the company's 51 percent sequential increase in III-V revenues for the second quarter of 2009
Company CEO John Fan spoke of the company's III-V business during an earnings conference call.
"Smartphones and other wireless devices are growing in popularity, and our integrated circuit panel is gaining market share. Clearly, the wireless industry’s migration to 3G is benefitting our customers. A 3G handset can require as many as 4 power amps per phone compared to 1 or 2 power amps in the conventional 2G phones. Hence, Smartphone demand is benefitting all of us."
He added, "Wireless connectivity is a vital part of communication landscape, and our III-V technology is integral to the success of this rapidly growing market. "
"We believe that by expanding our investment, will enable us to more efficiently and cost effectively meet the global supply demand of our integrated circuit panels as the manufacturing moves from 4 inch to 6 inch gallium arsenide wafers. More importantly, by spreading our presence in Asia, we are capitalizing on the demand for Taiwan based high, fast growing foundry services, a demand fueled by the expanding telecommunications as well wireless markets." Kopin Q2 20009 Earnings Conference Call Transcript NuvoSun Creates 11.8 Percent Efficient CIGS Solar Cell
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 5, 2009...NuvoSun Inc., a Palo Alto, California USA, solar startup, reports having produced a copper indium gallium diselenide solar cell that reached 11.8 percent efficiency, according to an article in Greentech Media.
However, the company was quick to point out that the cell that proved to be its champion of efficiency is not a solar module. The company also noted that by the first half of next year it expects to have produced a 10-11 percent efficient CIGS solar module.
The company's efficiency so far is in line with the efficiencies achieved at some of the more heavily funded CIGS solar startups. Such as Ascent solar, First Solar, and Heliovolt. Dave Pierce, the company's CEO says that while the achievement was a start, it does show that the company has the core technology for a workable manufacturing process.
Epistar Announces Plans to Increase Blue LED Production Capacity
LIGHTimes News StaffAugust 4, 2009...Epistar, a Taiwan-based LED maker, reportedly plans to increase its production capacity for blue LEDs. The company plans to purchase 10-15 MOCVD systems in the first half of 2010, according to a Digitimes article. The company indicated that after the expansion it will have more than 190 MOCVD systems.
Epistar's board of directors reportedly approved a plan to release 110-135 million new shares in the form of global depositary receipts (GDRs), to help finance its capacity increase.
The article indicated that based on the closing price of NT88.6 for Epistar shares on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) on August 3, the planned GDR issue may help the company raise about NT$9.75-11.96 billion (US$297.3-364.6 million) in new capital.
MOCVD equipment maker, Aixtron will likely benefit from the company's planned blue LED capacity increase. Team Awarded Solar Contract From DARPA for Spacecraft Solar Project
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 3, 2009...The Boeing Company has received a contract from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for work on Phase 2 of the Fast Access Spacecraft Testbed (FAST) program. Emcore reportedly will be part of the team working on the $15.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee DARPA contract, which is currently funded to $13.8 million. The Boeing-led team includes DR Technologies, Northrop Grumman Astro Aerospace, Texas A&M University, Emcore, Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab Inc.
The goal of DARPA's FAST program is to develop a new, ultra-lightweight High Power Generation System (HPGS) that can generate up to 175 kilowatts. This would be more power than is currently available to the International Space Station. When combined with electric propulsion, engineers plan to use FAST to form the foundation for future self-deployed, high-mobility spacecraft to perform ultra-high-power communications, space radar, satellite transfer and servicing missions.
During Phase I, the team created a preliminary design for an HPGS capable of providing more than 130 watts per kilogram on a system that is less than half the weight and one sixth the size of an existing on-orbit solar power system. The team also defined the test program being conducted in Phase 2, which will verify the performance and operation of the HPGS's solar concentration, power conversion, heat rejection, structure and deployment, and sun pointing and tracking subsystems. The design will take advantage of solar concentrator technology from Boeing, and other technology from its subsidiary Spectrolab, and Emcore. Emcore News Release Veeco Gets Order Boom from LED and Solar Companies
CompoundSemi News StaffAugust 3, 2009...Veeco Instruments Inc. of Plainview, New York, posted a net loss in the second quarter of 2009 of $14.7 million. However, orders for the company's Turbodisc MOCVD systems reportedly doubled to $57 million during the quarter compared to the previous quarter. Overall company revenues were also up 86 percent over the previous quarter to $72 million.
The company cited increasing demand for LED backlights in notebook PCs and televisions as the reason for the order increase.
Company CEO John Peeler estimates that orders for LED and solar manufacturing equipment will reach somewhere between $125 million and $175 million during the current quarter. He indicated that the majority of those orders are for K465 GaN systems configured in either 12x4-inch or 45x2-inch wafer fabrication formats.
Peeler said demand is being driven by vertically integrated manufacturers of LED backlighting systems and by merchant suppliers of LED wafers and chips. Company News Release Our news features are reported
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