Satcon Reports Agreement to Enter Alternative Energy Market in SpainMarch 20, 2007...SatCon Technology Corporation of Boston, Massachusetts USA, reports that it has signed
a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a local presence in Spain.
The agreement is with International Master Technologies I+Tec, an energy solution
provider of Spain made up of several large multinational corporations with multiple
alternative energy projects in Spain. SatCon points out that over the last three
years it has expanded its market share of the photovoltaic market in North America.
The overall photovoltaic market is expanding in Europe, and SatCon wants to
establish a European base from which to expand into the European market.
"We continue to implement our strategy to focus our Stationary Power
Systems business on both alternative energy systems and energy efficiency solutions,
and I am pleased to be working with International Master Technologies I+Tec
to implement our plans for Spain and other markets," said Clemens
van Zeyl, President of SatCon's Stationary Power Systems Division. "Spain
is a rapidly growing market for photovoltaic power plants and alternative energy
in general, and is a key country within the European Union for SatCon to have
a presence." SatCon
News Release
 |
March 20, 2007...Cree reported that it is shipping samples of its three new gallium nitride
(GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). According to Cree, the ROHS
compliant HEMTs offer high gain and wide bandwidth and provide linear power
and efficiency for WiMAX applications between 2.3 GHz and 3.9 GHz. The HEMTs
are optimized for high efficiency. The CGH27015S comes in a 3-mm x 3-mm plastic
over-mold QFN package. It typically produces 2.5 watts of average output power
and 28-percent drain efficiency over the frequency range of 2.3 GHz to 2.9 GHz.
Cree says that the HEMT has a 40-percent improvement in device efficiency when
compared with conventional technologies such as silicon LDMOS or GaAs under
WiMAX signals and requirements (802.16-2004).
Cree says that the the CGH35015S HEMT, with a 50 percent improvement in device
efficiency over traditional LDMOS or GaAs under WiMAX, it has an over-mold QFN
package and typically produces more than 2.5 watts of average power and 28-percent
drain efficiency with typical small-signal gain of 13 dB over the frequency
range of 3.3 to 3.9 GHz. Additionally, the CGH35030F transistor provides 4 watts
of average power with 23-percent efficiency over the 3.3 to 3.9-GHz frequency
range. Company
News Release Kyma Technologies and Osemi Inc. to Partner at Semicon China
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 20, 2007...Kyma of Raleigh, North Carolina USA, and Osemi Inc. of Cannon Falls, Minnesota
of the USA, will help market each others products at Semicon China, later this
week in Shanghai, China. Kyma Inc. is a maker of gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminum
nitride (AlN) substrate products, and Osemi Inc. of is a maker of CS materials,
equipment, devices, and services. Osemi has been marketing Kyma’s crystalline
GaN and AlN substrate materials, products and related services since mid 2006.
David Braddock, founder and CEO of Osemi, and Keith Evans, president and CEO
of Kyma, will both be on hand at Osemi’s tradeshow exhibit booth to answer
questions and discuss Kyma’s growing product line of low defect density
gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminum nitride (AlN) substrates and related products
and services. Kyma
News Release Aviza Technology Announces Order for PVD System
CompoundSemi News StafffMarch 20, 2007...Aviza Technology of Scotts Valley, California USA, reported that it received
an order for its Sigma fxP physical vapor deposition (PVD) system from Cension
Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation in Chengdu, China. The Cension Semiconductor
Manufacturing Corporation foundry is managed by SMIC. SMIC Tianjin accepted
Aviza’s Sigma fxP system at its foundry during the third quarter 2006.
SMIC used the system for processes including aluminum (Al) layers and liners
under tungsten (W) plug in addition to the deposition of extrusion free, thick
Al layers.
"We have been pleased with our ongoing collaborative effort with Aviza
Technology, as the Sigma fxP has demonstrated the production worthiness and
flexibility that allows us to run a much wider range of processes,"
said Marco Mora, Chief Operation Officer at SMIC. "In addition, the
Aviza team has proven that they can service and support the installations across
regions." Aviza
News Release Hydro to Purchase Stake in Ascent Solar
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 16, 2007...Norsk Hydro ASA (Hydro) of Oslo, Norway, an energy producer, has signed an agreement
to acquire a 23 percent stake in Ascent Solar of Littleton, Colorado USA. Under
the terms of the agreement Hydro will purchase 23 percent of the total outstanding
shares of Ascent Solar’s common stock for $9.2 million. Also under the
agreement, Hydro will be entitled to purchase up to an additional 12% of the
outstanding shares and a corresponding proportion of Class A and Class B warrants.
Ascent Solar has developed a thin and flexible solar cell technology using copper,
indium, gallium, and selenide (CIGS). The CIGS material is made into a foil
that is encapsulated in a protective material. This produces solar cells that
can be rolled, bent, or applied to curved surfaces.
Ascent Solar’s solar cells convert sunlight into electricity using an
active layer that is merely three micrometers thick (three thousands of a millimeter);
conventional solar cells have an active layer measuring 200 micrometers. Ascent
Solar was reportedly spun off from a commercial R&D company, ITN Energy
Systems Inc in 2005. Ascent Solar raised $16.5m in an initial public offering
in July 2006. The company has plans to build a 1.5 MW pilot plant in 2008. Then
in 2010 it will begin mass producing solar cells from a 25 MW capacity plant.
Hydro indicated that the low weight and the many applications of the thin-cell
technology attracted it to the company. Norsk
Hydro News Release Sharp Plans High-Power Blue-Violet Laser Diode Production
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 16, 2007...Sharp Corporation reported that it will begin volume production in May of the
210 mW, High-Power Blue-Violet Laser Diode called the GH04P21A2G. The company
says the device achieves the world’s highest output. Sharp contends this
performance will enable high-speed 6X recording on next-generation dual-layer
Blu-ray Discs (BD) and HD-DVDs. This year, the first Blu-ray and HD-DVD players
and recorders hit the market. Nichia totally dominates the blue-violet laser
diode market today. However, it has come up short in supplying the demand for
the Sony PS3 video game system.
Sharp says that the market for next-generation DVD recorders, players, and
PCs will soon take off. For this reason the demand for blue laser diodes, a
key component in both HD-DVD and Blu-ray player and recorder formats, will also
greatly increase. Sharp reports that its GH04P21A2G uses the latest crystal
growth technology developed for infrared, red, and blue-violet low-power laser
diodes. The compoany’s newly developed laser chip has a proprietary facet
structure and a high power output of 210 mW that it says would be capable of
high-speed recording for the next generation of DVDs. The GH04P21A2G features
what sharp says is an industry leading service life of 10,000 hours. Sharp
News Release Aixtron Reports Stellar Year for 2006
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 16, 2007...Aixtron of Aachen, Germany, a semiconductor deposition equipment manufacturer,
reported financial results for the entire year 2006. Aixtron’s revenues
jumped 23 percent year over year to EUR 171.7 million (about USD$228.6 million). The company sited its newly launched products and the integration of Genus Inc.
as catalysts for the revenue increase. (Ref: Coverage). Profits for the year were Euros 5.9 million (about USD $7.8 million). The company performed better than its initial expectation of breaking even for the year. Asian sales made up 79 percent of the company's revenues for the year. European sales made up 13 percent and U.S. sales were 8 percent of the revenue total.
Among the biggest improvements for the year, the company pointed to compound
semi equipment sales which skyrocketed 79 percent for the year. Aixtron says
LED manufacturers were the main sources of the compound semi equipment sale
increase. According to the company, makers of memory applications helped drive
sales of silicon CVD equipment up a solid 11 percent for the year.
Aixtron says it expects that 2007 revenues will remain at a healthy level both
for the compound and silicon semiconductor applications. Having what Aixtron
considers a healthy order backlog as of December 31, 2006 of EUR 85.1 million
(about USD$113.3 million), the Company predicts sales revenues in a range of
EUR 190 million and EUR 200 million (between about USD $252.9 million and USD
$266.3 million) for 2007. Aixtron
Financial Results for full year 2006 CCMP Capital to Acquire BOC EdwardsMarch 13, 2007...CCMP Capital has agreed to acquire BOC Edwards, a manufacturer of vacuum equipment for the semiconductor industry. CCMP Capital will purchase the business from the Linde Group that currently owns BOC Edwards. The deal is valued at €685m ($903 million), with an additional payment of €65m (about $86 million) if CCMP Capital is successful in developing the business and subsequently exiting its investment. The acquisition is about a year after the Linde Group acquired BOC Edwards in a transaction in 2006. CCMP Capital Advisors and CCMP Capital Asia are acquiring the main vacuum and semiconductor equipment business of BOC Edwards. However, the pharmaceutical division will remain a subsidiary of The Linde Group. BOC Edwards News Release
Philips to Acquire TIR Systems Ltd.
LIGHTimes StaffMarch 13, 2007...Royal Philips Electronics (Philips) agreed to acquire TIR Systems Ltd., a maker of LED luminaires headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Under the terms of the agreement, Philips will purchase 100 percent of the outstanding
shares of TIR at C$1.60 (USD 1.37) per share. Additionally Philips will pay
TIRs debt (debentures) at a rate of C$1,230.77 per C$1000 (about USD$1052.93
per $855.51)of the outstanding principal amount.
Philips will own TIR’s Lexel technology. Lexel is a series of design
innovations for all of the major components of white LED luminaires. The design
innovations include advances in thermal management, optical design, feedback,
and drive technology. Philips hopes to capitalize on TIR’s IP portfolio
and its product lines. According to TIR the full value of the transaction is
about C$75 million (about USD$64.2 million). 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
|
