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June 7, 2010...Spire Corporation, a maker of turnkey photovoltaic cell and module production lines, reports that its wholly owned subsidary, Spire Semiconductor has been awarded a contract from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to develop high efficiency, multi-junction solar cells for space applications. Such cells are similar to the ones that the company is developing for the terrestrial solar concentrator market.
Ed Gagnon, General Manager of Spire Semiconductor, LLC, stated, "This award is timely since it supports our ongoing terrestrial solar cell business. Currently, we are developing a 42% efficient, 500 sun concentrator cell under a U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory contract. The MDA contract will help to further establish our capabilities and expertise in concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) cell technology for both space and terrestrial solar cell applications."
Roger G. Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire Corporation, added, "We have already generated significant customer interest, and we plan to work closely with the MDA and customers to develop devices that optimally address strategic interests and market needs."
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Fujitsu Develops Ultra-Low-Noise Transistor for Millimeter-Band Receivers
CompoundSemi News StaffJune 7, 2010...Fujitsu of Tokyo announced the development of an indium phosphide high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) operating at 94 GHz that the company says reduces the noise level by 30 percent compared to previous technologies. The transistor uses the company's proprietary "space cavity" structure to produce noise levels of merely 0.7 decibels. The company predicts that the novel noise-lowering technology will enable sensitivity enhancements in millimeter-band receivers.
According to Fujitsu, such receivers could extend the range of high-capacity wireless transmission distance by 20 percent. The would put it on par with optical transmission over fiber-optic cabling. Fujitsu points out that such technology could help bring wireless networks where fiber-optic cabling cannot go.
Additionally the company says that the transistor's use in image sensors which are being developed for anti-terrorist initiatives at major airports could reduce the time it takes to capture images by more than half.
Part of this research was conducted under contract as part of the Research and Development Project for Expansion of Radio Spectrum Resources of Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Details of this technology was presented at the 22nd International Conference on Indium Phosphide and Related Materials (IPRM 2010), held May 31 - June 4 in the city of Takamatsu. Solexant Gets $41.5M in Series C Funding Round
CompoundSemi News StaffJune 7, 2010...Solexant Corp. of San Jose, California USA, a developer of cadmium telluride thin-film photovoltaic technology reports that it has received $41.5 million at the first close of a Series C financing round. The round follows the company's successful completion of a 2MW pilot production line operating at the company's headquarters.
The funding round was led by Olympus Capital Partners and includes two other new investors, DBL Investors and Birchmere Ventures, with strong support from existing investors Trident Capital, Firelake Capital, Medley Partners and X/Seed.
The company utilizes a roll-to-role manufacturing technology that may eventually be optimized to produce the company's ultra-thin-film solar cells at a rate as low as $.50 per watt, according to some estimates. This would be nearly half of the cost per what of it nearest competitor, First Solar.
Rami Elkhatib, general partner of Olympus Capital Partners and new Solexant board member commented, "With its unique thin film technology and cost-efficient production process, we're confident Solexant will be a leader in the solar industry."
The company's nanocrystal technology was first developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) by Dr. Paul Alivisatos and his team. The printable nanocrystal technology platform can produce flexible thin films using a variety of materials through a fast and simple deposition process. Solexant's first commercial products will be based on printed CdTe nanocrystals. The company also plans to commercialize solar cells based on other higher efficiency printed nanocrystal materials over the next few years.
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President Barack Obama Tours Solyndra Facility
CompoundSemi News StaffJune 1, 2010...President Barack Obama and California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited Solyndra's production fab in Fremont, California.
Solyndra produces copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) photovoltaic cells in cylindrical modules. Both the president and the governor also got to see the construction site where the company's Fab 2 is being built.
President Obama commented,
"So I try to visit places like this about once a week, hear from folks as often as possible who are actually doing the extraordinary work of building up America. And I appreciated the chance to tour your plant and to see the incredible, cutting-edge solar panels that you’re manufacturing, but also the process that goes into the manufacturing of these solar panels. And it is just a testament to American ingenuity and dynamism and the fact that we continue to have the best universities in the world, the best technology in the world, and most importantly the best workers in the world. And you guys all represent that. So thank you very much for that."
The President said, "It’s here that companies like Solyndra are leading the way toward a brighter and more prosperous future."
President Obama declared, "We’ve got to go back to making things. We’ve got to go back to exports. We’ve got to go back to innovation. ... The true engine of economic growth will always be companies like Solyndra, will always be America’s businesses." Skyworks Captures Design Wins at MediaTek; launches WiFi PAs; Introduces Ultra-Low Noise Amplifiers
CompoundSemi News StaffJune 1, 2010...Skyworks Solutions, Inc. of Woburn Massachusetts USA, reports that it has captured design wins at MediaTek. The design wins place Skyworks front-end modules and components in MediaTek's next-generation platforms for low-cost handsets in emerging markets. Skyworks says that its compact and integrated total transmit solutions, consist of a power amplifier (PA), switch module, and automatic power controller. Skyworks says that its transmit solutions offer reduced bill-of-material costs, and they have a smaller footprint.
Skyworks also launched its new mid- and high-power WiFi PAs.
The new mid- and high-power (2.4 - 2.5 gigahertz) PAs are designed for 802.11n multiple in/multiple out (MIMO) access points, routers, and gateways. The PAs reportedly enable multiple-transmit channels on printed circuit boards (PCBs).
Skyworks also unveiled two monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) low noise amplifiers (LNAs) for multiple cellular infrastructure receiver applications including GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, and LTE base stations and repeaters. Skyworks boasts that the amplifiers allow infrastructure providers to meet a wide range of demanding performance requirements with a single device that minimizes system noise figure, improves receiver sensitivity, and delivers unconditional stability. Our news features are reported
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