Editorial: Paul Jay Previews "Photonics North"
 
... Canada has been helping lead the photonics revolution (which includes LEDs) for decades, but with recent downtimes, we haven't heard much from the land of the Mounties. Compound semi industry veteran Dr. Paul Jay is helping change that. As executive director of the Canadian Photonics Consortium, Paul is helping...
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August 11, 2005...Cree Inc., of Durham, North Carolina USA, was awarded a $19.7 million cost share contract to develop and manufacture silicon carbide monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) devices for next generation military radar systems, according to the Department of Defense. The DoD reported that $4.1 million of the funds have been obligated thus far. The work is scheduled to be completed in March 2010. Solicitation began March 2005 and negotiations were completed July 2005. In early July of this year, Raytheon was awarded a $580 million contract through Boeing to provide 190 GaAs-MMIC-based radar systems for the Super Hornet fighter aircraft used by the U.S. navy.

Chemical Warfare Agent Detection Systems Development Update
CompoundSemi News Staff

August 11, 2005...Northwestern University researchers (Illinois, USA) have created a quantum cascade laser that may one day be a part of a man portable (or perhaps even handheld) system to detect chemical warfare agents (CWA’s). Portable compound semi-based CWA detectors is a field in which Ahura Corporation of Wilmington, Massachusetts USA already has a established a foothold with their Ramen laser-based handheld devices. Northwestern's development effort is part of a three-year program called Laser Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (LPAS), funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to create a system that can warn against a wide variety of potential threats.

The researchers at Northwestern University have created the quantum cascade laser (QCL) that can operate continuously at high power and at room temperature with an emission wavelength of 9.5 microns and light output greater than 100 milliwatts, according to a PhysOrg.com article. The researchers contend that existing standard diode lasers such as those that read CD’s or scan barcodes do not operate at the wavelengths required to detect chemical warfare agents (CWA’s). While every chemical has a unique 'fingerprint’ because it absorbs light at a particular frequency, most CWA’s absorb light in the 8 to 12 micron range.

Over the next two years, the Center for Quantum Devices director, Manijeh Razeghi and her team at Northwestern will work to put together a detection system based on the center's far-infrared laser. The system will then be evaluated by DARPA for use by the military. The Center for Quantum Devices at Northwestern, a leader in high-power QCL research. was reportedly the first university research lab in the world to successfully grow, fabricate, and test quantum cascade lasers in 1997. After the initial demonstration of room-temperature pulsed lasers in 1997, the primary efforts of Razeghi and her colleagues over the past several years have been to increase the laser's operating temperature, power output, and efficiency for the continuous operation necessary for sensitive chemical analysis.

The Ahura Corporation's approach focuses on a device with a similar function of detecting chemical warfare agents and other potential threats. Unlike the device the Northwestern University researchers are attempting to design, the handheld Ahura system uses a Ramen-laser for spectroscopy. The results are interpreted by a sophisticated algorithm and compared with signatures of known chemical agents including industrial chemicals, explosives, narcotics, and chemical warfare agents. The system, called the First Defender, can be used through glass or plastic. Details on First Defender can be found on the company's website, www.ahuracorp.com. Ahura recently received the Product Innovation Award for Homeland Security Devices for their First Defender product from Frost and Sullivan.

Applied Materials Enters MOCVD Equipment Market
CompoundSemi News Staff

August 10, 2005...Applied Materials Inc. of Santa Clara, California USA, plans to make and sell metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) equipment to produce high-k dielectrics for advanced gate-stack applications, according to a recent EE Times article. The company, which already produces CVD and atomic layer disposition machines, is also expected to enter the ALD tool market for gate-stack applications.

In the article, Pravin Narwankar, high-k engineering manager for the Front End Products Division at Applied Materials said that MOCVD technology is expected to give chip makers the ability to produce high-k gate-stack films with lower costs than ALD-based tools on the market. The article points out that device manufacturers are struggling to reduce current leakage in their cutting edge devices while increasing performance. Narwankar said, “The 45-nm transistor is at the cross roads,” He added,. “Silicon dioxide has hit the wall at 65-nm. Silicon dioxide has also hit the wall for low-power applications.”

According to the article, companies are evaluating the use of ALD, plasma enhanced ALD, MOCVD, and related technologies for the production of high-k for gate stacks to overcome such hurdles. Applied Materials has also gained a new ALD product, based on a mini-batch technology through its acquisition of Torrex. The company showcased its technology at the AVS 5th International Conference on Atomic Layer Deposition 2005 in San Jose on Monday.

Phasebridge Wins Contract for Optoelectronic Development

August 9, 2005...The US Navy has selected Phasebridge to develop and demonstrate analog RF signal transmission through fiber optic cable instead of the copper cable currently used. While copper cable can handle some RF transmissions, it is limited in its ability to transmit RF signals. Dr. John Gallo, vice president of business development at Phasebridge, explained, “As frequencies of these RF signals increase, copper cables become incapable of transmitting these signals faithfully over any significant distance. Our advanced, hybrid fiber optic links not only overcome this bandwidth-distance limitation, but also weigh much less than copper cables – a significant factor in airborne applications.”

Phasebridge, Inc. of Pasadena, California USA, which specializes in photonic integration technologies, has been awarded a contract for the development and manufacture of integrated fiber-optic transmitters and receivers for the AN/ALR-95 system on the P-3C Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The EDO Corporation awarded the contract to provide the AN/ALR-95 system to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Maritime Patrol Aircraft Program (PMA290). The company will develop the fiberoptic transmitter and receiver modules using their proprietary hybrid integration technology. According to the company, the photonic modules developed under this contract will be capable of delivering high bandwidth Electronic Support Measures (ESM) in the presence of extremely challenging environmental conditions.Company News Release

Northrup Grumman Wins DARPA Contract for SiC Power Electronics

August 8, 2005...Northrup Grumman has won a Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) contract to develop silicon carbide (SiC) high-power modules to replace bulky transformers on naval vessels. According to the $8.9 million contract, part of Phase II of DARPA’s Wide-Band gap High Power Switching program (Ref: article), Northrup Grumman will lead the team of multiple companies and institutions to develop the technology to replace transformers on navel vessels that can be as large as a sport utility vehicle and can weigh as much as 20,000 lbs. (about 9,091 kg). Silicon-carbide technology can enable these improvements due to its ability to switch high voltages in what the company describes as a thin, high-speed device with excellent thermal properties.

"The U.S. Navy will benefit from these volume and weight reductions, translating into more shipboard capacity to accommodate other mission-essential sensors, systems, weapons and other equipment," said Steve McCoy, director of advanced technology programs at Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector. Company News Release

Alfalight Awarded $4.5 Million ARL Contract for Laser Research

August 8, 2005...Alfalight has again won funding for laser research. The Madison, Wisconsin USA, a company which was recently awarded a $1.4 million DARPA contract has also won $4.5 million from the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) in Adelphi, Maryland for the development of diode laser sources with 1kW output. Alfalight expects the results of this contract to have a significant impact on diode source brightness. They also expect the research findings to increase the power per laser emitter, and they hope to produce new techniques for combining the output of several laser emitters into one compact spot. The company says that the new contract could help develop high-power laser modules for pumping fiber lasers or for direct materials processing.

"The results of this program will have a significant impact on fundamental diode source brightness and foster new techniques for delivering power from multiple diodes into small spot sizes and fibers," said Manoj Kanskar, vice president of Research and Development of Alfalight."This program will provide a new diode-based high-energy laser architecture with important defense and commercial applications," said Dr. Gary Wood, Chief of Electro-optics & Photonics Division at ARL. "The system efficiency and brightness of the laser diode source has the potential to make this suitable for deployment in portable, close-range defense systems."

Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, who was on hand for the company announcement said, "This development program is expected to yield fundamental technology improvements, commercial products, and potential for growth in jobs and market share that benefit both Alfalight and the state of Wisconsin."Company News Release

IBM Announces Fourth Generation SiGe Foundry Technology

August 5, 2005...IBM announced its fourth generation 130nm silicon germanium (SiGe) bipolar complementary metal oxide semiconductor (BiCMOS) foundry technology called 8HP, which claims over twice the performance of the previous technology. The company says it also offers a lower cost variation of the 8HP technology specifically targeted at wireless applications that can enable longer battery life and increased functionality in cellular handsets to help proliferate wireless local area networking and global positioning satellite (GPS) technology. According to IBM CMOS chips are the foundation for digital computing applications, while silicon germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS chips provide enhanced radio frequency communications and analog functions in addition to the core digital computing capabilities. "Silicon germanium technology is increasingly influencing next generation consumer devices and applications," said Bernie Meyerson, Chief Technologist for Systems & Technology Group, IBM. "IBM introduced the technology in 1989 to allow chip designers to increase computer performance. Over the years, SiGe revolutionized the wireless industry by providing a high volume Silicon-based technology. The fourth generation of SiGe will continue to enable wireless connectivity on an increasingly global scale."Company News Release

Vishay to Acquire Cyoptics Isreal
CompoundSemi News Staff

August 4, 2005...Vishay Intertechnology of Melvern, Pennsylvania USA, one of the worlds largest semiconductor makers with 25,000 employees worldwide, has signed a letter of intent to purchase CyOptics Israel Ltd., the Isreali subsidiary of Cyoptics. CyOptics Israel Ltd. employs a team of engineers who design optical components in the field of infrared technology. It has a wafer fab in Yokneam, Israel, for the production of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide(InP) chips for optoelectronics. Vishay plans to employ these engineers to develop new products at this facility.

Dr. Zandman, Vishay president and CEO commented, "The CyOptics Israel design team with its state-of- the-art wafer fab will provide the technological strength to place our existing optoelectronics division in the forefront of the gallium arsenide and indium phosphide technologies. The fab has been used for both R&D and production and can be adapted rapidly to the needs of Vishay. This acquisition is part of the ongoing effort to advance Vishay for future markets."

CyOptics, Inc., the parent corporation of CyOptics Israel Ltd., recently acquired the optical business of TriQuint Semiconductor and is consolidating its production of Indium Phosphide lasers and detectors for broadband communication systems in its wafer fab located in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania USA. Ed Coringrato, president and CEO of CyOptics, Inc., commented, “We built a world-class fab in Yokneam, Israel. We are delighted that the fab will remain a strong asset for the Israeli economy."

Bookham Posts Loss But Increases Revenue for Fiscal Year
CompoundSemi News Staff

August 4, 2005...Bookham ended fiscal 2005 with a net loss of $18 million despite a revenue increase of 22% over fiscal 2004. Revenue increased from $50 million in fiscal 2004 to $61 million for fiscal 2005. In addition to the net loss, the company paid $21 million for a combination of severance payments and acquisition costs of New Focus.

The company did manage to cut costs by moving much of its test and assembly operation from Paignton in the UK to Shenzhen, China. The Shenzhen facility made up 11% of total revenue for the fiscal year. Bookham also cut research and development costs for the quarter by 32% over the same period of fiscal 2004 to $9.8 million in the latest quarter. The company boasted a reduction in overhead costs by 13% over the previous fiscal year.

CFO Steve Abely said in a conference call that the company still needs to raise more money. Bookham is selling assets for this purpose. The company hopes to raise $25 million in asset sales. According to the company, part of this will come from land and building sell-offs over the next fiscal quarter. Bookham projects between $62 million and $65 million in revenue for the next fiscal year.

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