Osram Opto's HB-LEDs Head Up BMWs DisplaysMarch 3, 2004...The sleek new BMW 5 Series of automobiles will, for the first time, be lit
by a HB-LED light source as powerful as the car itself. As part of the driver
information system that Siemens VDO Automotive is supplying to the new BMW,
these advanced Osram LEDs provide bright directional light that can be dimmed
without changing the color. Called a head-up display, the most important property
of the LED light source is its high luminance of more than 500,000 cd/m². Its
total of 128 very bright red and green LED chips have been produced and the
two prime colors are used to produce the typical orange color used for all the
dashboard indicators. The chips are arranged in groups of four in a matrix of
32 chip modules, an arrangement which then provides particularly uniform illumination
for the TFT display and the matrix is attached to an aluminum heat sink and
comes with a casing and flexible cable connector. Measuring just 58 x 26 mm,
the complete LED module takes up much less space than conventional lighting
solutions and is particularly economical with precious energy resources. The
head-up display appears to float over the bonnet of the car and presents drivers
with important data such as current speed, warnings and navigation information
so drivers no longer have to take their eyes off the road. This optical effect
is created by using four mirrors to direct the image from the TFT display onto
the specially adapted windscreen. The display can be programmed and is easy
to read day or night in all conditions thanks to an ambient light sensor from
Osram which automatically adjusts the brightness according to ambient conditions
and the color of the display does not change because the color location remains
the same at all brightness levels. Color Kinetics Lights Super Millionaire ShowMarch 3, 2004...Nothing like a new "super millionaire" show to lift the spirits of
all those who are still unemployeed in the USA. The new hit television show
is uniquely lit by our very own HB-LEDs as cleverly integrated and displayed
by Color Kinetics of Boston, Massachusetts USA. The set of Super Millionaire,
hosted by Regis Philbin, features cutting-edge effects enabled by Color Kinetics'
intelligent LED illumination technology. "The Super Millionaire set was designed
to reflect the show's bigger, bolder premise while staying true to the familiar
look and feel of the the original show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,"
said Deke Hazirjian, owner and president of New York City Lites, which managed
the entire project from lighting design, to installation, to control during
taping. According to lighting designer Chuck Noble, "With just days to conceptualize,
design, and bring the set to life, Color Kinetics' LED-based systems enabled
our vision through sophisticated control and tremendous creative flexibility
- allowing us to add an element of movement that translates well on camera and
matches the higher intensity of the game." Details on what's involved in
the lighting project and how it works, are included in the company
news release. Colibrys Teams with Bookham on MEMS for Optical Attenuation ProjectMarch 3, 2004...Bookham Technology of London, England and Colibrys SA of Neuchatel, Switzerland
are teaming on a MEMS project to create and implement variable optical attenuator
modules. Bookham is designing three-dimensional MEMS structures with micro-shutters
to produce optical attenuation with analog control and has designed them as
generic building blocks to commercialize the technique as a means of readily
integrating them into modules such as dynamic transmitters and receivers. Colibrys
has established innovative approaches to the fabrication of a MEMS die that
embodies the Bookham designs. In this successful collaboration, a dedicated
snap-apart method is deployed for MEMS-wafer dicing as a necessary replacement
for standard semiconductor dicing strategies that prove to be unsuitable for
these categories of MEMS devices. The approach delivers high-yield separation
(singulation) of MEMS chips in a manner compatible with standard pick-and-place
semiconductor equipment and ensures maximum reliability by avoiding particulate
generation. Details are in the company
new release. Anadigics Introduces CDMA InGaP HBTsMarch 3, 2004...Anadigics of Warren, New Jersey USA introduced a new family of wideband CDMA
InGaP HBT power amplifier modules at 3GSM World Congress. The new WCDMA PA modules
are used in QUALCOMM's Surf 6250 which supports WCDMA-IMT or WCDMA-PCS and GSM
quad-band operation using Anadigics' AWT6252, AWT6251, and AWT6108 respectively.
The new PAs provide 40% power added efficiency in high power mode at 27.5 dBm
and 20% efficiency in low power mode at 16 dBm, for the highest possible handset
talk and idle times. The AWT6251, AWT6252, and CHP2299 WCDMA power amplifiers
are priced at $2.95 in quantities of 10,000 units. Samples are now available
and technical details are included in the company
news release. Intense Headcount RisingMarch 3, 2004...Optoelectronic chip maker Intense Photonics of Glasgow, Scotland appears to be doing
better than most in the opto sector and has announced that its headcount is
up by 30% and rising, and that they are expanding their facilities at its UK
semiconductor fabrication plant to handle demand from new markets. According
to Intense, the initial focus on the telecommunications sector has now broadened,
with printing and defense markets now featuring heavily in this young company's
order book. To meet this demand, the company has grown headcount from 50 in
late 2003 to 65 today, and expects the trend to continue throughout 2004, with
most additions in engineering and production technician roles. It has also added
some 500m2 of office space with a new mezzanine floor, and extended cleanroom
facilities for wafer fabrication, test and packaging by around 25%. "Optical
integrated circuits are a platform for progress for many industry sectors, not
just telecoms, and our broader focus is opening up significant new markets for
our core technology", says Intense CEO David Lockwood. Telecoms remains
a focus for Intense, and they have seen a "pronounced interest" in
tunable optics. Details of what they bring to this market area (and how it competes
with InP) are included in the Company
news release HDTV Finally Catching On in EuropeMarch 3, 2004...According to market research firm, Strategy Analytics of London, England the
long-awaited High Definition television (HDTV) market is finally becoming a
reality. At least in Europe. In a recent report, SA reports that by 2008 the
HDTV market will reach 2.6 million European homes. According to the latest estimates
from Strategy Analytics, Europeans bought 70,000 HDTV displays in 2003, and
demand is growing rapidly as consumers buy the latest LCD and plasma flat panel
displays. By 2008 the analysts predict that 17.4 million homes will have HD-capable
TV sets; 2.6 million of these homes will have bought set-top boxes to receive
HD broadcasts. Europe's first HDTV broadcaster, Euro1080, has just launched
a satellite-based service offering a carousel of four hours of programming per
day. Other broadcasters are known to be examining the opportunity, but have
made no commitments as yet. In spite of this, Strategy Analytics believes that
the beginning of mainstream HD programming in 2006 will drive a further wave
of adoption. "Europeans are now watching their US rivals with some degree
of envy," notes David Mercer, Principal Analyst at Strategy Analytics. "In
spite of the difficulties the Americans have faced in launching HDTV, demand
there is now growing steadily. Europe realizes it cannot afford to be left behind."
This report identifies the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the
European HDTV industry. It recommends that industry players such as manufacturers,
programmers and broadcasters establish a European HDTV forum to coordinate standards
and avoid unnecessary market fragmentation. Company
news release Veeco Calls for Nominations for Annual MBE Innovator AwardsMarch 1, 2004...Here Ye! Here Ye! The time has come again for nominations for the annual
award for MBE Innovator of the Year. The call comes out from Veeco Inc., MBE
operation in St. Paul, Minnesota USA who is again co-sponsoring the awards in
conjunction with both the North American Molecular Beam Epitaxy (NAMBE) and
the International MBE organizations. The award, initiated to recognize those
individuals whose innovations have significantly advanced the field of MBE,
consists of a $3,000 honorarium and a very cool plaque. Nominations for this
year’s two awards are open from any universities, government organizations or
commercial companies worldwide and the nominees must have shown innovation in
advancing MBE technology in one or more of the following categories: 1) materials
research, 2) device development, 3) device commercialization, or 4) equipment
development. NAMBE and International MBE officials will select each organization’s
winner. Nomination forms for the award and complete details can be found at
www.mbe2004.org for the International MBE
meeting, and at www.nambe.info for the NAMBE
meeting.
“MBE is a critical enabling technology for compound semiconductor
devices in the telecom, wireless and lighting markets,” said Marlin Braun,
VP and General Manager, Veeco MBE Operations. “We’re pleased to again co-sponsor
these awards to acknowledge those who have contributed to MBE’s success to date,
and to spur innovations that further expand MBE’s usage around the world.”
And we're pleased that Veeco is again helping underwrite and popularize this
award. Veeco's MBE arm has always been a strong supporter of the compound semi
industry, and now with the addition of their TurboDisc division in Somerset,
New Jersey, their contributions to the MOCVD side of the industry provides this
outstanding company even more visibility. Veeco is our prime sponsor (diamond)
for CompoundSemi Online's Blue 2004
meet in Taiwan in May. Additional information on the MBE awards is on the Veeco
company
news release.
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