SET Scores Two More Nitride SBIR ContractsJanuary 22, 2004...Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc. (SET)
of Columbia, South Carolina USA has announced that it has been awarded two Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contracts to develop high microwave
power transistors and deep ultraviolet light emitters technology using novel
single crystal bulk AlN substrates. These two year programs, valued at $1.5
million, are focused on improved performance of the devices fabricated on very
low defect density AlN substrates, which are "native" to III-Nitride materials.
The work SET is doing on transistors on AlN is being funded by the USA's Department
of Defense Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and the contracting office is Wright
Patterson AFB. SET's outstanding work on UV LEDs on AlN is funded by the DoD's
advanced research projects agency, DARPA, and the contracting office is the
U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command. SET, which was founded by two outstanding
names in Nitride development, Professor Michael Shur of RPI and Dr. Remis Gaska,
who serves as President and CEO of SET, is focused on the task of substantially
lowering defect density (compared to devices on more conventional SiC substrates)
which will significantly improve reliability and breakdown characteristics,
increase microwave power, and reduce device noise. SET works especially closely with Crystal IS, which works on the substrate side of this critical Group III Nitride development. Commenting on the new awards,
Remis Gaska said, "This is a huge boost to our efforts in developing this
new and exciting technology. We hope to advance the quality of epitaxial
materials for fabrication of III-Nitride based electronic and optoelectronic
devices to a whole new level." More details are included in the SET company
news release.
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Xanoptix Broadens IP Portfolio with Acquisition of AraLightJanuary 22, 2004...Xanoptix Inc. is acquiring a 2001 spinout of Bell Labs called AraLight. Xanoprix
is known in the compound semi community as the developers of a technology used
to combine multiple materials technologies on a single hybrid chip. On a custom
silicon based IC, for example, they are able to mount a GaAs-based VCSEL die,
InP based laser die, GaAs-based or Si/Ge based RF chips, or a wide variety of
active or passive components. The mounted die are bonded to the Si wafer and
wire bonded appropriately. The company claims to have addressed technical issues
such as TCE mismatch with high thermal conductivity to the substrate. AraLight
has a very similar technology, and looks like a very good fit to Xanoptix, whose
first product line is a series of optical transceivers with as many as 72 channels,
boasting a throughput of 250 Mbit/sec. The transceivers illustrate the Xanoptix
technology by combining separate GaAs-based laser and photodetector chips with
silicon-based electronics. Also of note, Xanoptix has a manufacturing and sales
agreement with Tyco/AMP, and is soliciting business for custom hybrid chips.
In their announcement of the pending acquisition, Rob Baxter, CEO of Xanoptix
said, "We are pleased to be able to continue the innovative concepts
brought forth by AraLight and combine them with our own to greatly reinforce
our leadership position in this exciting breakthrough technology."
Company news release Jazz Files IPO Prospectus for Nasdaq with SECJanuary 22, 2004...Jazz Semiconductor Inc. of Newport Beach,
California USA has filed a preliminary prospectus with the USA's Security and
Exchange Commission (SEC) to become part of the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. According
to the prospectus, communications chip designer, Conexant Systems, currently
holds a 38.4-percent stake in Jazz, and RF Micro Devices holds 11.7 percent.
When listed, Jazz will trade under the obvious symbol "JAZZ". The
company's stated goal by going public is to raise as much as $150 million in
a initial public offering of common stock, but their document to the SEC did
not state the estimated number of shares or their price in the IPO. Such details
are expected in future filings. The IPO will be managed by Credit Suisse First
Boston and Lehman Brothers, with the assistance of SG Cowen, Wachovia Securities,
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC and Needham & Co. Inc. Company
news release Nortel in Talks with Flextronics to Divest Rest of ManufacturingJanuary 22, 2004...Those who used to follow the lead of Nortel Networks, and those who used to
be part of Nortel prior to so much of its compound semi-related businesses being
either sold off or closed, may be interested to know that Nortel Networks is
now in discussions with Flextronics to divest itself of even more holdings.
Calling this "another major step in the evolution of its supply chain strategy,"
Nortel announced its intention to divest substantially all of its remaining
manufacturing activities, including product integration, testing, and repair
operations carried out in the Calgary and Montreal (Canada), Campinas (Brazil),
Monkstown (Northern Ireland), and Chateaudun (France), as well as certain related
activities, including the management of the supply chain and related suppliers
for these locations. The successful completion of these discussions with Flextronics
could result in Flextronics undertaking and managing in excess of US$2 billion
of Nortel Networks annual cost of sales on a go forward basis, and involve the
transfer from Nortel Networks to Flextronics of more than US$500 million of
manufacturing and inventory assets. In return Nortel Networks anticipates receiving
from Flextronics proceeds in excess of US$500 million in cash, over a nine-month
period, for primarily inventory and certain manufacturing assets, as well as
an additional amount for certain intangible assets. As part of this latest strategy,
Nortel intends to retain in-house all strategic management and overall control
responsibilities associated with their various supply chains, including all
customer interfaces, customer service, order management, quality assurance,
product cost-management, new product introduction, and network solutions integration,
testing, and fulfillment. The successful completion of these discussions with
Flextronics could affect up to approximately 2,500 Nortel Networks employees.
Company
news release Emcore Announces 10 Gig Transceiver and Appoints Lee Johnson VP MktJanuary 20, 2004...Emcore's stock has been reflecting what the communications industry is starting
to see. That long-awaited rise. Why the specific rise at Emcore? The first news
in was Jan. 12th with the announcement of Emcore's 10 gigabit Ethernet transceiver
for network transmission over legacy and singlemode fiber. Then news came in
that, as of Jan. 19th, Lee Johnson, formerly of TriQuint, joins Emcore as their
new VP of Marketing. Adding such an experienced senior marketing veteran who
definitely knows the optoelectronics marketplace, is considered an excellent
move on the part of Emcore. While both news items may be factors for the increased
attention by Emcore shareholders on the Nasdaq, according to Jed Dorsheimer
of AHH (one of our communities especially
savvy young financial analyst), Emcore's rise was linked more to Juniper's recent
performance in the same
telecom marketplace Emcore caters to. Emcore's new product, dubbed the ELX-7100
XENPAK transceiver, is compliant with 10GBASE-LX4, the highly versatile wavelength
division multiplexing (WDM) format within the IEEE 802.3ae standard for 10 Gigabit
Ethernet. The ELX-7100 is the latest product in Emcore's expanding solutions
for the data center and central office Enterprise network and it is built on
Emcore's long-standing expertise in the compounds, and employs both lasers and
detectors that are produced internally at Emcore. Commenting on the importance
of this market, Tom Hausken, Director of Optical Components at Strategies Unlimited,
the leading market research firm in the compound semi industry reinforced Emcore's
message stating that, "The technical challenges at 10 Gbps, especially for
use with legacy or installed fiber, will drive increased use of long wavelength
(i.e. 1310nm) transceivers where short wavelengths (i.e. 850nm) have traditionally
operated. This, combined with the strong growth of 10 Gbps switching for LANs
and SANs, will drive the 10 Gbps 1310-nm transceiver market well beyond $500
million by 2008." More details on the product and the applications are included
in the company
news release Bandwidth Semiconductor Scores SBIR for AlGaSb Lower Noise Avalanche PhotodiodesJanuary 20, 2004...Bandwidth Semiconductor, a whole owned subsidiary of Spire Corp. of Bedford,
Massachusetts USA, recently was granted a six-month, $100,000 Small Business
Innovative Research Phase I grant from the USA's prestigious National Science
Foundation. The monies will go toward Spire's investigation of low noise avalanche
photodiodes (APDs) in the 1 to 1.6 micron wavelength range with the program
goal of achieving lower noise APDs at 1.55 micron, which will enable higher
speed optical fiber communication systems with lower bit error rates. Spire's
APDs will be made from a particular composition of the compound semiconductor
AlGaSb, which Spire feels enhances "hole ionization" that results
in a lower noise device. According to Roger Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire,
"With the telecom industry experiencing some recovery, we are delighted to
receive this award. Low noise APDs are products that fit well with Bandwidth
Semiconductor's capabilities and commercial directions." Company
news release Rohm Continues to See RedJanuary 20, 2004...Rohm Ltd of Japan has recently completed development of a high-output semiconductor
laser with a maximum 16x capacity for DVD writing. Initial production of this
red spectrum laser diode, called the RLD65PZB5, which is targeted at high-output
semiconductor DVDs, will begin at the level of 500,000 units/month output, starting
in April, with production volume steadily increasing from there. Samples are
already being shipped. Rohm's production is being split into two stages: the
first at the Kyoto plant and the second at Rohm Wako Co., Ltd. As a reminder
of how big this red spectrum market is, Rohm notes that the market for DVD recorders,
DVD-R/RW, and RAM is rapidly expanding, with 10 million units expected to be
shipped for AV use and 50 million for PC use in 2004, and underscores that the
year 2005 is expected to see even greater growth. The RLD65PZB5 high-output
semiconductor laser developed by Rohm delivers 240mW of optical output, making
possible a 16X maximum speed for DVD recording. More details are in the company
news release Our news features are reported
by the CompoundSemi News staff writers.
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