Commodity Supplier, Sumitomo to Represent Intematix's Phosphor Solutions in JapanFebruary 13, 2006...Sumitomo Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, has agreed to be the key representative
of Intematix Corporation’s phosphor technology solutions for Japan. According
to the Fremont, California USA company, Intematix, the agreement with Sumitomo
highlights their successful development efforts that have resulted in a broad
family of true merchant phosphors. The phosphors are reportedly used to create a variety of cool and warm white,
green, and other color high brightness (HB) LEDs. Stated Dr. Yi Qun Li, Intematix Vice President
of Engineering and Co-Founder, “Not only is this a substantial commercial
validation of our IP standing within the solid state lighting community, but
it also opens the door to key relationships within one of the world’s
most important high brightness LED markets.” Content continues for LIGHTimes SecondPage members... Spire Wins Grant to Develop Thermophotovoltaic CellsFebruary 13, 2006...Spire Corporation, located in Bedford, Massachusetts USA, was awarded a Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from NASA's John Glenn Research Center
in Cleveland, Ohio, to develop a new type of thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power
cell that produces electricity from heat. The technology is similar to that
of solar cells which convert visible photons to electricity, but, according
to the company, the indium gallium arsenide-based cells are adjusted to convert
long-wavelength thermal photons to electricity. In long duration space missions,
heat generated by long-life radioisotopes could supply electrical power where
power generated from conventional solar cells would be limited due to the long
distance from the sun. Additionally, wood or propane combustion could supply
the heat for commercial applications.
According to Spire, Bandwidth Semiconductor, its wholly owned subsidiary with
a compound semiconductor foundry for epitaxy and device processing, will develop
indium-gallium-arsenide-based thermophotovoltaic cells optimized for both high
temperature operation as well as for radiation hardness. Bandwidth Semiconductor
reportedly has ten years experience in the field of TPV cells for government
customers and special applications. Roger Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire,
said, "With this grant, we will leverage our expertise in solar cells,
compound semiconductor epitaxy and device processing to grow nanostructures
that can efficiently convert heat to electricity for energy generation both
on earth and in space." Company
News Release Skyworks, RFMD, and TriQuint Release EDGE and WCDMA Products at 3GSM World ConferenceFebruary 13, 2006...At the 3GSM World Conference in Barcelona, Spain, EDGE Radio, and WCDMA products
abound. Among them, Skyworks Solutions, a leader in RF devices, introduced its
Helios II, next generation EDGE radio. The Woburn, Massachusetts USA company
says that the Helios II design reduces the RF board space by half of previous
versions for devices with advanced multimedia capabilities such as video, mp3,
web, browsing, digital cameras, etc…According to the company, the Helios
II eliminates the need for factory calibration, and simplifies original equipment
manufacturers’ testing processes. Skyworks says that to date, three of
the top five handset OEMs have adopted Skyworks’ Helios-based Architectures.
Skyworks
News Release.
RF Micro Devices, Inc., a provider of proprietary radio frequency integrated
circuits (RFICs) for wireless communications applications located in Greensboro,
North Carolina USA, released their new quad-band power amplifier (PA) designed
to support EDGE mobile devices utilizing linear transmit architectures, the
RF3159. According to the company, the design, which operates in the 824MHz to
915MHz and 1710MHz to 1910MHz bands, uses a linear transmit architecture while
still having high efficiency and a small 6mm by 6mm package. The RF3159 will
be available for general sampling in April, with mass production ramping in
May. RFMD
News Release.
RFMD also introduced a dual band power amplifier, the RF5184. This newest addition
to RFMD's PA portfolio is specifically designed to be the final RF amplifier
in high-performance WCDMA wireless handheld devices, and it supports Region
2 (1850-1910MHz) and Region 5/6 (824-849MHz). RFMD
News Release
Among many other products TriQuint Semiconductor, located in Hillsboro, Oregon
USA, also released a PA module. Specifically a quad-band GSM / EDGE-polar power
amplifier module (PAM) called the TQM7M5003. TriQuint says it is a key member of its EDGE (enhanced
data rates for GSM evolution) and WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access)
total RF front-end strategy. TriQuint
News Release
Additionally, TriQuint released three integrated wideband code division multiple
access (WCDMA) modules that they say reduce the RF front end complexity of (3G)
wireless phones. Of the three modules, (TQM616017), PCS (TQM666017) and IMT2100
(TQM676001), the cellular and PCS-band modules, TQM666017 and TQM616017, incorporate
a PA, a duplexer, an inter-stage transmit (Tx) filter and power detection/bias
control functions. The IMT2100-band TQM676001 comes complete with interstage
and front-end filters, a PA module and power detection/bias control functions.
TriQuint
News Release
Other of TriQuint’s released products include two new smaller form factor
wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) and enhanced data rates for GSM
evolution (EDGE) wireless phone receive modules. The company says the modules
are designed to better meet the signal processing needs in next-generation,
multi-mode slim-line (cellular) handsets that use both WCDMA and EDGE (WEDGE)
networks. The new modules (numbered 890057 and 890060) are tri-band and quad-band,
respectively. TriQuint says these new modules address the need for phone modules
using the combined WCDMA and EDGE (WEDGE) networks in deployment. TriQuint
News Release
TriQuint announced the release of their latest fully optimized wideband code
division multiple access (WCDMA) / GSM quad-band switch module for the RF front
end of 3G (cellular) handsets. According to the company, the new module (p/n
890047), provides several component level parts, and provides key functions
to switch between WCDMA and GSM bands. The company stated that the device uses
a gallium arsenide (GaAs) pHEMT (enhancement mode pseudomorphic high electron
mobility transistor) switch and diplexer to provide the critical function that
switches highly sensitive phone signals between all WCDMA (IMT2100) and GSM
bands (GSM-850/900/1800/1900) inside the handset. TriQuint
News Release
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February 13, 2006...Nichia Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, owner of the valuable, original blue LED, GaN growth patent which
helped make white LEDs possible, has decided to abandon its claim on the patent
at the heart of a contentious legal battle with former employee Shuji Nakamura,
according to The Nihon Keizai Shimbun
Saturday morning edition. Aside from the disputed patent, Japan patent No. 2628404, Nichia holds 191 other patents that were enabled by the initial
blue LED patent, the article indicated. Nakamura, who now teaches engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara, filed a lawsuit against his former employer, demanding proper compensation for his contribution to the development of the blue LED. Following the recommendation of the
Tokyo High Court in a landmark decision in January 2005, Nichia settled out of court and agreed to
pay roughly 600 million yen (about $8.1 million at the time) to compensate Nakamura’s work. (Ref: coverage) The patent
pertains to a device for producing high quality gallium nitride crystals, a
key component of blue LEDs. The article indicated that Nichia has developed a production system which they
claim no longer uses the technology. The company believes that it no longer
needs the patent to make blue LEDs. Aside from the 404 patent, Nichia holds
about 400 LED related patents, the article said. Fairchild Semiconductor Wins Siemens VDO Performance Award
February 9, 2006...Fairchild Semiconductor, a power electronics maker with headquarters in South
Portland, Maine USA, has been recognized by Siemens VDO for its outstanding
account management, technical support, and logistics performance. Fairchild
supplies power components to Siemens VDO, a leading suppliers of automotive
electronics and electrical systems. Laurenz Schmidt, executive vice president,
Global Operations and the executive advocate for Siemens, accepted the award
at Siemens Supplier Day. Fairchild expects the increasing demand in the automotive
market for its power module products to continue. This demand stems from the
introduction of new applications, such as enhanced information and car communications
systems, power steering, direct injection, switch-on-coil ignition and hybrid
electric vehicles. (Ref: coverage),
Company
News Release Oxford Instruments Develops Etch Process Targeted at HB LEDsFebruary 9, 2006...Oxford Instruments of Oxon, UK, has developed etch processes targeted at high
brightness LEDs (HB LEDs). The increased etch batch sizes now can work with
twenty, 2-inch wafers for gallium nitride (GaN), aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN),
and related materials etching. With some HB LED production companies making
the transition to larger diameter wafers, these equate to eight, 3-inch or
four, 4-inch wafers. The HB LED processes have been developed on Oxford Instruments’
Plasmalab System133 process tool which the company says offers etch uniformity
and repeatability within wafer, within batch, and across batches. The company
indicated that large batch sizes are also realized in substrate preparation
etch processes, particularly for sapphire and SiC. The company said that hard
mask and passivation processes on the Plasmalab800Plus process tool, with batch
sizes of forty 2” wafers for silicon dioxide and nitride deposition and
etching, complement the GaN-related and substrate etch processes. Oxford Instruments
offers the Plasmalab80Plus and PlasmalabSystem100 systems for smaller batch
sizes for development and pre-production. Company
News Release RFMD Ships its 20 Millionth Polaris TransceiverFebruary 9, 2006...RFMD of Greensboro, North Carolina USA, announced shipment of its 20 millionth
Polaris transceiver. The company’s Polaris transceivers are in Motorola’s
EDGE handsets among other leading handset makers. Among the company’s
transceiver line, RFMD said that their highest selling are the Polaris 2 and
the Polaris 2 integrated solution. Both of these are for GSM/GPRS and GSM/GPRS/EDGE
handsets. The company expects the products to contribute to its anticipated
growth in transceiver shipments. Company
News Release Kopin Extends Supply Agreement With SkyworksFebruary 8, 2006...Kopin Corporation of Taunton, Massachusetts USA, has announced the extension of its multi-year supply agreement with Skyworks Solutions for the purchase of Kopin’s heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) wafers. According to the company, the agreement also helps the Skyworks’ continued production and development of cell phone power amplifiers to support increasing demand. The agreement also provides support for several HBT wafer technologies including, GaAs HBT products, Skyworks’ BiFET technology, and Kopin’s GAIN-HBT platform. Company News Release
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