|
September 28, 2005...Chip making giant, Intel, and software trendsetter, Microsoft have chosen to
support the HD DVD standard. The HD DVD standard put forth by Toshiba, NEC,
and Sanyo started out with a 15 GB capacity and has increased now to 30 GB.
Initial estimates were that two hours of HD video would require around 15 GB
of memory. So far, HD DVD has proven 30GB capacity while currently, Blu-ray
only delivered 25 GB outside of the lab, half of what proponents promised, according
to HD DVD supporters. "HD DVD format is extremely important for the
development of both the PC and AV markets, as it fulfills the needs of PC applications
requiring high-capacity data and AV applications that require the recording
and playback of high definition images," said Hiroshi Gokan, NEC's
Executive General Manager of Computers Storage Products Operations Unit. "We
are fully confident that Intel and Microsoft's affiliation with the HD DVD Promotion
Group will significantly contribute to the propulsion and penetration of the
HD DVD format."
Both formats said they would develop a standard that supports playing of both
current DVDs and their next generation standards. Thus far, only HD DVD has
delivered. Also, HD DVD proponents point to its lower production costs and the
much higher factory upgrade costs of Sony’s Blu-ray technology. "The
capacity for volume production of HD DVD discs is already in place, and the
content industry has great expectations of HD DVD as the key product to sustain
the growth of the next-generation audio-visual software market," said
Shiroharu Kawasaki, President and CEO of Memory-Tech. "We welcome the
participation of Intel and Microsoft as further enhancing HD DVD's potential
applications." Microsoft has chosen the HD DVD standard perhaps in part because it supports iHD interactivity
standard that uses extensible markup language (XML), a text based computer
language for showing data. Microsoft’s new operating system,, Vista uses
XML. The Blu-ray technology does not support the iHD interactivity standard.
HD DVD
Promotion Group News Release IXYS Increases Production High Power Compound Semi Products in Wake of Hurricanes
CompoundSemi News StaffSeptember 28, 2005...Power compound semi company, IXYS of Santa Clara, California USA, has increased
production of its MOS and Bipolar modules as demand for personal alternative
electrical power sources surges as a direct result of the recent hurricanes
and power outages they have caused. IXYS says it is one of the few semiconductor
companies that supplies all the required semiconductor components to convert
energy into AC electric power using the variety of alternative electrical power
options available to the public including gas powered generators, solar PV,
and wind turbines. Additionally the company produces insulated (or sometimes
called isolated) gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and polar field effect transistor
(FET) technology for both backup and “uninterruptible” power supplies.
The company has also seen greatly increased demand for these products in light
of the recent natural disasters. With increasing gasoline prices, demand for
“green” and “uninterruptible” electricity will likely
increase significantly. Some experts predict double digit growth rates. IXYS
which will likely benefit from this trend, says it will “continue
to focus its sights on serving this market in a leadership position.”
"We are moving very quickly to provide fast delivery of our products
to OEM customers around the world in order to meet the demand for portable generators
and other industrial equipment such as soft-start controllers and motor generator
sets," stated Dan Schwob, Senior VP of Marketing and Business Development.
"The unfortunate natural disasters of the last 20 months again highlight
the importance of alternative sources of electricity as well as back-up sources
of energy, like uninterruptible power supplies." Company
News Release
Dr. Shuji Nakamura and UCSB Team Develop Novel GaN Films for More Efficient LEDs and Laser Diodes
Scott McMahanSeptember 27, 2005...Blue LED breakthrough artist, Dr. Shuji Nakamura and his team of researchers from
the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) have made significant advances
in producing both nonpolar and semipolar GaN crystal films that the team hopes
will significantly improve the efficiency of blue LEDs and diode lasers. The research
is part of the ERATO program which gets funding from the Japanese Science and
Technology Corporation (JST). Within the program researchers from UCSB, the University
of Tsukuba, and the University of Tokyo are collaborating in the development of
next generation gallium nitride semiconductors. What makes the development of
these novel GaN crystal films important is that certain planes of the hexagonal
GaN crystal structure can have less or even none of the electric fields which
hinder the proper recombination of electrons and holes to make light, which as
the researchers point out is the whole purpose of having quantum wells at all.
Devices on nonpolar and semipolar GaN crystals films have the following potential
benefits, including: higher quantum well recombination efficiency;, higher p-type
doping efficiency;, lower turn-on voltage or threshold current density; and
polarized light emission from LEDs. Semipolar planes, as the name implies, have
partial polarity under most circumstances. If arranged properly however, quantum
wells on semipolar planes may have zero net electrical fields, just as those
of on the nonpolar planes do. The researcher found that the p-typed doped layers,
the positive part of the light emitting device, have lower resistance with the
new crystal structure. Less resistance may lead to less heating and therefore
more efficiency. Extended Feature For Subscribers Anidigics Introduces HELP2 PAsSeptember 28, 2005...Anadigics of Warren, New Jersey USA, has introduced a new generation of High-Efficiency-at-Low-Power
power amplifiers (PAs) for Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) protocol applications.
The company’s second generation HELP (HELP2) CDMA PAs use InGaP Plus technology,
integrating bipolar and field effect transistor (FET) structures on the same die.
The PAs boast what the company touts as industry leading efficiency especially
at low and mid-range power levels where the PA typically operates in handsets.
Therefore, it dramatically increases handset talk-time and standby-time. The company
says that the level of integration and performance eliminates the requirements
for external voltage regulation. Additionally, the 3mm by 3 mm HELP2 CDMA PAs
are footprint compatible with the company’s 4mm by 4mm PAs.
"Next-generation mobile phones are being designed to deliver an unprecedented
level of multimedia services as consumers continue to demand greater functionality.
Our innovative HELP technology allows handset designers to extend battery life
in support of advanced multimedia features," stated Dr. Ali Khatibzadeh,
Senior Vice President and General Manager of Wireless Products at Anadigics.
"Through the introduction of HELP2 CDMA power amplifiers, customers
can further decrease bill of materials cost, minimize space requirements, and
reduce time-to-market." Company
News Release Laser News Update
CompoundSemi News StaffSeptember 26, 2005...Fujitsu has reportedly adopted Intel’s full-band tunable VCSEL laser for its
next-generation tunable transponders. Intel points out that tunable lasers simplify
network reconfiguration, and allow parts manufacturers and carriers to have
fewer different kinds of parts on hand. According to Intel, its tunable laser
can replace up to 80 single-band lasers. In addition, tunable lasers can remotely
switch wavelengths, in response to network bandwidth demands. “Intel’s
full-band tunable laser is unique because it’s designed with no moving
parts, providing higher performance along with increased reliability,”
said Gary Wiseman, general manager, Intel’s Optical Platform Division.
Intel
News Release
In related news, Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
demonstrated room-temperature operation of a heterojunction bipolar transistor
laser. The scientists describe their work in the Sept. 26 issue of the journal
Applied Physics Letters. Room-temperature transistor lasers "could
facilitate faster signal processing, large capacity seamless communications,
and higher performance electrical and optical integrated circuits,"
said Milton Feng, the Holonyak Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
at Illinois. University
of Illinois News Release
Optnext has introduced three new VCSEL laser diodes with low driving current and
low aspect ratio models for collimator applications. The company says that the
laser diodes are suitable suitable for levelers, bar code scanners, measuring
instruments, medical equipment, and similar high performance systems Optnext
News Release
Princeton University engineer, Clair Gmachl was selected as a 2005 the Catherine
T. MacArthur Foundation, Fellow. The award, informally known as the "Genius
Grant" of $500,000 of unrestricted funding over a 5-year period, was awarded
to Dr. Gmachl for her research and pioneering work in studying, improving performance,
and developing new types of quantum cascade lasers. Dr. Gmachl says she will
use the money to fund cutting edge research that otherwise would be hard to
get funding for. "It will go toward more far out, risky research,"
she said. "It gives my group and me the means to try out really new stuff.
This award allows us to really follow our interests and try out different things."
Princeton
University News Story
Rohm and Haas Electric Materials Devises Germanium Film Growth Process
CompoundSemi News StaffSeptember 23, 2005...Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials of North Andover, Massachusetts USA and the
Laboratory for Photonics and Nanonstructrues (LPN) at CNRS, Marcoussis, France
have devised an new process to grow germanium films on germanium at low temperatures
in a MOCVD reactor, according to a report from III-Vs
Review. The work is reportedly targeting Ge/III-V hetero devices, and
the researchers hope to advance the integration of compoundsemi devices on silicon
and other substrates. The breakthrough was presented at the ACCGE-16 at the Big Sky Resort in Montana in the USA. Using the new and less toxic precursor isobutylgermane, the group at
LPN-CNRS demonstrated the growth of high quality germanium films at temperatures
as low 500C. The low growth temperature and the new precursor are expected to
virtually eliminate a memory effect of germanium in the III-V material.
Many researchers have hoped that Germanium which has about three times the
electron mobility of silicon, could lead to faster transistor switching times.
Electrical engineers have also developed a process for combining high-K oxides
with both silicon and germanium. This could be important for integrating compoundsemi
and silicon devices. However, Germanium's small bandgap results in greater electrical
leakage than silicon. Stanford's Center for Integrated Systems has been studying
the feasibility of using germanium, and it has received aid from the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Shuji Nakamura Reports New GaN Crystal Structures for More Efficient LEDs
LIGHTimes StaffSeptember 22, 2005...A research team led by the blue spectrum LED and laser diode breakthrough artist, Shuji Nakamura,
has announced the development of a gallium nitride (GaN) crystal structure perhaps allowing
brighter and more efficient LEDs, according to an article from Nikkei
Net Interactive. Dr. Nakamura, who is a professor and researcher now at the University of California
at Santa Barbara (UCSB), reported the findings at a recent news conference in Tokyo.
Content continues for LIGHTimes SecondPage members... Cree Offers 100mm SiC Substrates to Civilians
CompoundSemi News StaffSeptember 22, 2005...Cree, which has been developing 100mm (4-inch) silicon carbide (SiC) substrates
for DARPA for some time now (Ref: 2003
article), has announced that it will take orders from civilian
companies for its n-type 100mm SiC substrates and epitaxial materials. While
the company is not new to the production of 100mm substrates, its standard is
still the 75mm (3-inch) SiC substrates. The idea of switching to 100mm (4-inch)
substrates is to allow the production of more circuits per wafer and thereby
lowering the cost of production.
According to the company, Cree's ability to produce single crystal SiC in the
larger 100 mm format allows customers to potentially double the number of devices
produced per wafer compared with current production on 3-inch material. The
increase is possible because the surface area of the wafer is almost doubled,
and the required distance between circuit structures and the wafer’s edges
remains the same. Therefore, the unused space makes up a lower percentage of
the wafer surface area. Add this to the reduced cost of production per circuit
for the larger wafers, and it is easy to see the benefits of the larger size.
"Cree's launch of 100 mm substrates and epitaxy establishes that SiC
can be a high volume, production-oriented material within the semiconductor
industry. It demonstrates Cree's technology and commitment to develop material
products targeted to the needs of the commercial market," noted Lyn
Rockas, Cree Materials general manager. "Cree would like to acknowledge
the significant support received from the Army Research Laboratory and the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in our efforts to develop 100 mm SiC
substrates and epitaxy. We all benefit from the commercialization of this product,"
said John Palmour, Cree executive vice president of advanced devices.
Earlier in the month Cree was awarded a five-year $15 million contract (Ref:
our
coverage) from the Air Force Research Laboratory to develop processing techniques
for switching from 3-inch to 100mm (4-inch) silicon carbide(SiC) microwave monolithic
integrated circuits (MMIC’s). Also, earlier in the year Cree completed
phase I of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Wide Bandgap Semiconductor
Technology Initiative which included demonstrating 100 mm semi-insulating, high
quality substrates, and developing epitaxial material technologies with better
than plus or minus 1% composition, thickness, and doping control. Company
News Release
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
|
