Arima Opto Spins off Laser Diode BusinessMarch 23, 2007...Arima Optoelectronics (Arima Opto), a Taiwan-based LED manufacturer, reported
that it will spin off its laser diode manufacturing division to set up a new company called
Hua Xin Optronics (transliterated from Chinese), according to the company’s
filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange and Digitimes. The company will focus
on LED manufacturing after the restructuring.
Arima began its laser diode business in 1999 with its main partners, Sony and
Matsushita. The laser diode division accounted for NT$1 billion, about 32 percent
of the company’s revenues in 2006, according to an article
in Digitimes. The Chinese language Apple Daily and Digitimes sited sources which
said that the company will invite Sony and Matsushita to invest in the new company.
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March 23, 2007...Power electronics company, UQM Technologies, was awarded a $1 million contract
to augment an existing U.S. Air Force contract to convert a conventional one-half
ton pickup truck to an all-electric vehicle using advanced technologies. The
contract supplement funds the development of an electronic motor/generator controller
utilizing silicon carbide. The controller is reportedly being developed for
the USAF Advanced Power Technology Office of the 542nd Combat Sustainment Wing
at Robins Air Force Base in cooperation with the U.S. Army National Automotive
Center and Mississippi State University. The U.S. Air Force expects to field
test the controller in the all-electric pickup truck testbeds being built by
the UQM and powered by lithium ion batteries. The contract supplement increases
the total contract value to $2.83 million and extends the expected completion
date to November 30, 2008.
Commenting on the award, Jon Lutz, UQM Technologies’ director of engineering
said, “Silicon carbide power modules of the type being developed in
this program offer the advantage of substantially higher operating temperatures
when compared to traditional silicon modules. This funding supplement will allow
us to continue our development of a new generation of motor/generator controllers
that use silicon carbide modules and are able to operate in harsher environments.
This technology is of significant interest to both military and commercial electric
propulsion customers, and we are excited that the Air Force has provided substantial
additional funding to move this technology toward commercialization.”
Company
News Release Tekcore Set to Produce GaN Blue Laser Diodes with new Aixtron MOCVD Tool
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 22, 2007...Tekcore Co. Ltd. of Nantou, Taiwan has reportedly ordered Aixtron’s MOCVD tool,
the AIX 2400G3 HT IC. Tekcore reports that it will use the machine to produce
405nm blue laser diodes. Tekcore offers epiwafers for lighting, displays, backlights,
and automotive applications. The follow-on order for the Aixtron system will
add to Tekcore’s two Planetary Reactors. Tekcore uses the planetary reactors
to produce portfolio high-brightness LEDs in the range of UV to Green (370-530nm
wavelength), custom chips, and large area LEDs.
Mr. Nithi Nithipalan, President of Tekcore, commented, "Choosing the
AIX 2400G3 MOCVD tool was a straightforward decision, following our long term
experience with Aixtron systems. The performance of our Aixtron and Thomas Swan
reactors has been exemplary. Now we are preparing to deliver the latest generation
of laserdiodes so we need the best available control of material uniformity,
thickness, doping, and composition. We are sure the Planetary Reactor backed
up by responsive Aixtron service will provide us with the technology, reliability
and volume production for the rest of the decade.” Aixtron
News Release Alfalight Wins Army Contract to Develop High-Power Fiber Laser Pump Modules
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 22, 2007...Alfalight a high power laser diode manufacturer of Madison, Wisconsin USA,
was awarded a $1.7 million research and development contract from the Army Research
Laboratory (ARL) in Adelphi, Maryland. As part of a one-year program called,
“Scalable High Efficiency Solid-State Laser” (SHESSL), will enable
Alfalight to develop high-power fiber-coupled pump modules suitable for pumping
high power fiber laser systems developed in conjunction with ARL.
According to Alfalight, the goal of the contract is to develop very high power
pump blocks, suitable for use in building compact and efficient high-power fiber
lasers. Alfalight says that its high power-conversion efficiency and spectrally-bright
diode material in combination with its reliable packaging technology will drive
the high-power fiber-coupled pump modules. Alfalight says the program will result
in accelerated laser system development for defense applications and new commercial
products well-suited for material processing equipment. Company
News Release 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 Cree Ships GaN HEMTs for WiMAX With Improved EfficiencyMarch 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 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 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 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 Our news features are reported
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