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Editorial: Summer Changes
... Summer is always a good time to carefully rethink your company status and stature and maybe make a few changes. Sometimes the changes are subtle shifts; other times they're dramatic. Reasons summer is such a good time to enact changes may include: a) the summer slowdown permits inward...
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Agenda is posted
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26-27 2008
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Major Organizational Changes Underway at AXT
CompoundSemi News StaffJuly 4, 2005...AXT Inc. of Fremont, California USA has created two new executive positions,
chief operating officer (COO) and chief technology officer (CTO). AXT, a maker
of compoundsemi substrates, also named the former CEO of its Chinese operations
and company founder, Morris S. Young PhD., to the company’s newly created
CTO position.
According to the company, Dr. Young will be responsible for research and development,
and he will focus on the technological enhancement of company products. Dr.
Young pioneered and commercialized the company’s vertical gradient freeze
(VGF) method of GaAs growth to produce substrates with fewer defects, which
translates to MBE and MOCVD with fewer structural imperfections.
AXT has also hired Minsheng Lin as COO to run the day-to-day operation of its
Fremont and Beijing facilities, effective July 11. Mr. Lin worked previously
at silicon producer, Helitek Co. Ltd. The company made Davis Zhang, also a company
founder and president of its China operations, president of AXT's joint venture operations which produces 99.99% pure
gallium (4N Ga), high purity gallium, arsenic, germanium, germanium dioxide,
paralytic boron nitride (pBN) crucibles, and boron oxide. The company holds
25 to 88% ownership in these ventures.
Robert Ochrym, former North American sales manager at Aixtron Inc, was hired
as senior sales director. "I am extremely pleased to announce our new
organizational structure," said Phil Yin, chief executive officer.
"This structure enables AXT to maximize the expertise and skill sets
of our team while placing enhanced emphasis on manufacturing, production and
quality, and quality systems improvements. This structure also integrates the
operation of our China facility more closely with our Fremont operations and
allows us to focus more closely on two important elements of our future success,
our technology development and our growing joint venture operations."
He added, “Minsheng and Bob will play critical roles in refining our
manufacturing, quality assurance and market and sales penetration strategies."
Company
News Release WJ Communications Appoints Former Anadigics VP, President and
CEOJuly 5, 2005...WJ Communications of San Jose, California USA, appointed Bruce W. Diamond as
president and CEO. Mr. Diamond has been a board member since July 2003, and
he brings over 20 years of experience in the semiconductor industry including
a period from 1997 to 2000 where he was senior VP of operations for Anadigics.
Mr. Diamond replaces Dr. Mike Farese who has resigned from the Company in order
to pursue other opportunities.
Until recently, Mr. Diamond was chief operating officer (COO) and executive
vice president at Zilog Corporation, a San Jose, CA based publicly traded silicon-based
provider of integrated 8-bit microcontrollers (MCU) and universal remote control
solutions. Before this he served as president and COO for Sipex, Inc., an analog
semiconductor company. In this position he was responsible for day-to-day operations
including development of the Optical Storage, Power, and Interface products.
From October 1997 to December 2000, Mr. Diamond served as Sr. Vice President
of Operations for Anadigics, Inc., an RF-based semiconductor integrated circuit
company. He was responsible for building an industry leading GaAs (Gallium Arsenide)
wafer fabrication facility.
W. Dexter Paine, III, WJ Communications, Chairman of the Board said, “Having
held leadership roles at numerous semiconductor companies Bruce has helped develop
new markets, overseen the introduction of many innovative product lines and
focused on improving manufacturing efficiencies. We look forward to the contributions
that Bruce can make to our future growth and are pleased to have a manager of
his experience and accomplishments to lead our company."
“Through my experience on WJ Communications Board, I understand the tremendous
potential this company has in a number of markets," commented Mr. Diamond.
"WJ Communications has a long history of excellence in wireless infrastructure
and continues to develop products for fast growing new markets like RFID.”
In company financial news, the company announced the reaffirmation of the guidance
given on May 12, 2005 of $7.7 million to $8.5 million in second quarter 2005
revenues. Company
News Release Oxford nanoScience Creates 3D Atomic Probe for Seeing Silicon and Metal Oxide on Silicon StructuresJuly 4, 2005...Engineers will have another tool to look at device structures. Oxford nanoScience,
a company founded by Oxford University professor, George Smith, has introduced
its advanced laser 3 dimensional atom probe (3DAP). The device, with atomic microscopy
technology pioneered by Dr. Smith, allows engineers to determine elemental identity
and position of atoms on silicon and metal oxide on silicon structures. The company
hopes the device will lead to improved understanding of how manufacturing processes
affect structural dimensions on an atomic scale. This understanding could lead
to improved yields, performance, and reliability.
The 3DAP uses laser excitation to evaporate individual atoms from a semiconductor
sample, measures its atomic mass, and calculates its position in the sample’s
3 dimensional structures. A detailed 3D atomic model is created using special
software. The company says that impressive results have been produced on silicon
samples of different conductivities and a variety of metal multilayer structures,
including metal oxide layers, grown on a silicon substrate. Company
News Release Renesas Launches SiGe MMICs for 5GHz Wireless LAN TerminalsJuly 1, 2005...Renesas Technology Corp of Japan has developed, SiGe process MMICs (monolithic
microwave ICs) for 5GHz-band wireless LAN terminals. The MMICs are the first
from the company for wireless LAN use. These products include the HA31005 high-performance
transmission power amplifier MMIC, and the HA31006 low-noise amplifier MMIC. The company says that SiGe offers easier and more environmentally friendly
treatment than InGaP or GaAs process products while offering the same high gain
performance. Renesas touts the HA31006 as having the industry's lowest noise performance
for a 5GHz-band wireless LAN low noise amplifier MMIC 1.5dB at 5.2GHz. The MMICs
also boast low Current dissipation of 7mA at 3V operation. This increases the
reception sensitivity of a wireless LAN system while lowering power consumption.
Company
News Release Marubun Will Sell Epigress SiC MOCVD Machines in Japan
Compound Semi News StaffJune 30, 2005...Marubun of Tokyo, Japan has signed an exclusive sales agreement with Epigress
AG of Lund, Sweden to sell silicon carbide epitaxial machines. Epigress’
silicon carbide (SiC) metallic oxide chemical vapor disposition (MOCVD) machines
will soon be available in Japan, according to a Nikkei Net Interactive article.
Marubun who sells Aixtron equipment, is the first company to market the SiC MOCVD
machines in Japan. The company hopes to sell two or three of Epigres’s SiC
MOCVD machines to be used for research during the next 12 months. Marubun is targeting
auto manufacturers who produce hybrid models and power integrated circuit makers.
SiC makes a very robust thin film substrate that can operate under extreme
conditions. It can be used with much higher frequencies, higher temperatures,
and higher voltages than traditional silicon. For this reason it is often used
in military, power electronics, and power conversion applications such as hybrid
autos. The main model, the VP2000HW, has a gas foil rotation system that rotates
the substrate during the layer-growth process to ensure uniform deposition inside
a reaction furnace heated to 1600 to 1700 °C. Osram Agrees to More Cree Product Purchases
LIGHTimes StaffJune 29, 2005...As part of an ongoing relationship, Osram Opto Semiconductor GmbH has signed a
three-year purchase agreement with Cree Inc. for Cree’s LED and opto-electronic
products. Content continues for LIGHTimes SecondPage members... The DoE Outlines IP Rules in SSL Program
LIGHTimes StaffJune 28, 2005...The United States Department of Energy (DoE) has created a solid state lighting
program to speed up solid state lighting adoption. The DoE has passed legislation
that outlines the regulations surrounding intellectual property developed with
DoE awarded funding for the solid state lighting program. The Core Technology
Program, part of the SSL program, is an alliance of many organization and businesses
designed to create a more cooperative environment among members. In addition to
a number of larger businesses, it includes mostly non-profits, universities, domestic
small businesses, and DoE laboratories that will develop solutions for the more
difficult technical barriers that the SSL Partnership has identified.
The DoE explains that in order for the Core Technology Program to work the
members of the SSL Alliance will require a guarantee to license the technology
developed by the Core Technology Program Participants. However, according to
the DoE legislation, many if not most of the Core Technology Program participants
will be non-profit groups, domestic small businesses, or universities, or DoE
laboratories that will be subject to a waiver on this regulation. Editorial About DoE SSL Program and Related IP Issues. Content continues for LIGHTimes SecondPage members... Our news features are reported
by the CompoundSemi News staff writers.
For submissions or content suggestions, you can contact us using
editor -at - compoundsemi.com
For more information and to reserve promotion space contact
Info7 -at - compoundsemi.com
or call +1 (512) 257-9888 |
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The
McDonald Report
Commentary & Perspective...
July 5, 2005...Summer is always a good time to carefully rethink your company status and stature
and maybe make a few changes. Sometimes the changes are subtle shifts; other
times they're dramatic.
Reasons summer is such a good time to enact changes may include: a) the summer
slowdown permits inward focus, b) shareholders and customers aren't hovering
over you as they do during the spring and fall, and... c) when you announce
said changes, they get pretty good play in the secular media because we're hungry
for news in the summer. Especially this summer because business, industry-wide,
continues to be rather slow.
Recent news out of AXT and Aixtron caught my eye as examples of companies undergoing
change. These are two mainstay suppliers to the compound semi and solid state
lighting industries. Business doesn't get more basic than substrates (AXT) and
MOCVD reactors and epiwafers (Aixtron).
Both AXT and Aixtron appear to be taking advantage of the summer lull to restructure,
based on major shifts. AXT, having shed its LED operation, has recharged their
management structure (ref:
our July 4th coverage) as they complete their manufacturing shift from
Silicon Valley to Beijing. AXT has long traded their stock over the Nasdaq exchange
in the USA under the symbol AXTI.
Having completed their merger with Genus (ref:
our March 11 coverage), Aixtron's stock now trades on the Nasdaq exchange
in the USA in addition to the German exchange. Aixtron's new Nasdaq stock symbol
is AIXG. Interestingly
and probably simply coincidence, AXT and Aixtron have traded a few key employees
over the past year.
I view the changes at both AXT and Aixtron as very positive for both companies
and for the industries they serve. These are the industries we champion at CompoundSemi
News and LIGHTimes. Therefore, I'm publicly announcing my intent
to purchase my usual very modest number of shares in AXT and Aixtron,
adding them to my humble CS stock portfolio, which I announced in May (ref:
May 5,
2005 McD Report) and detailed in June (ref: June
1, 2005 McD Report).
Being the upfront, ethics-minded columnist that I am, I'll wait an appropriate
period from now to purchase my whopping 100 shares of each (my standard for
the initial 11). That way, if the prices shoot up suddenly because of my publicly-stated
support for them (dream on), I'll be beyond reproach. The best we can
find, that's the accepted protocol. Plus, any time I write about one or more
of the companies in which I've invested, I'll state my holding status.
The addition of AXT (AXTI) and Aixtron (AIXG) bring my total to what I affectionately
now call my Lucky 13. The others are: Emcore (EMKR), Cree (CREE), TriQuint
(TQNT), Color Kinetics (CLRK), Anadigics (ANAD), JDS Uniphase (JDSU), Spire
(SPIR), RF Micro Devices (RFMD), Kopin (KOPN), WJ Communications (WJCI), and
Vitesse (VTSS). How has the lot been doing? Pretty predictably, actually. In
the brief period I've held shares in the above initial 11, the majority have
steadily risen. In most cases, however, they were priced so low at purchase
(in May/June) there was no direction for their price per shares to go but up!
That's why I finally got in on the action. They were affordable. The same can
be said for the prices of AXTI and AIXG. The coolest thing about the portfolio,
however, is getting the annual reports promptly and all those interesting notices
about shareholder votes. Actually investing provides a whole other side of a
company's communication that journalists seldom see.
These are long term holds for me because I purposely selected only those companies
I truly believe will be around, and healthy, years from now. Watching their
growth as an interested and involved shareholder (instead of just a journalist)
will help keep me on the front lines for the ensuing years. The number of shares
owned is so minuscule that I'm not likely to get rich off them. But hey, you
never know. If a monetary windfall ever comes my way, maybe I can afford to
increase the number of shares held or add to the list.
For the record... and again, to keep on the right side of journalistic ethics,
I hold stock also in our own CompoundSemi Online Inc. (I should hope so,
I co-founded it) and I will soon be the proud possessor of shares in OptoLum,
which is a privately held startup that I've tracked carefully since its inception.
OptoLum was co-founded by my good friend (and fellow Texan) Joel Dry and his
partner Karen Baker. I've been very impressed by their performance thus far,
and especially by Joel's extraordinary grasp of the SSL industry and its needs,
and his willingness to share that knowledge and insight to help catapult the
SSL industry into the international business spotlight.
As I near retirement, my personal investment strategy (as it relates to the
compounds) is to ultimately profit from these long term investments in what
I sincerely feel are key industry players. I hope to have the opportunity to
also get in on some especially promising IPOs and dabble a bit, perhaps, in
some of the more promising startups and spinouts. For me, investing represents
a significant change in my life. It's something new to me and something I'm
really enjoying. But hey, it's summer and a great time for change.
If you have questions about the
solid state lighting and compound semiconductor industries or have news
or views to share, I'm Jo Ann McDonald, Editor of LIGHTimes and CompoundSemi News.
Feel free to contact me directly, anytime. 
My direct tel at the ranch is
+1-325-463-5345
From time to time Jo Ann may comment on companies in which she holds a
modest investment - be sure to read
her disclosure at some point in time... |
