Mar 18 2008
TriQuint Semiconductor , a leading RF semiconductor manufacturer and foundry services provider, and IQE plc, the leading manufacturer of advanced semiconductor wafers to the global semiconductor industry, today announced TriQuint has placed the largest commercial gallium nitride (GaN) wafer order in the history of IQE Plc. The wafers will support ongoing development efforts and the roll-out of new commercial and military products by TriQuint.
TriQuint’s announcement comes at the start of the GOMACTech Conference (March 17-20, Las Vegas, NV) that brings together microcircuit industry leaders engaged in ongoing development efforts for the U.S. military and other government agencies. Since being awarded a multi-year GaN research development contract in excess of $30 million by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in 2005, TriQuint has made significant discoveries relating to new gallium nitride-based amplifiers. TriQuint will present a paper highlighting these findings at this year’s conference; research papers in high-voltage gallium arsenide (GaAs) technology and IC packaging for next-generation military products will also be presented.
GaN amplifier technology has garnered significant military and commercial interest because of its ability to operate more efficiently and with substantially greater power density (more wattage per square millimeter of surface area) compared to other commonly used solid-state amplifier technologies. These factors enable the development of more efficient, smaller amplifiers capable of operating at higher system voltages with superior resistance to breakdown (failure occurring due to spikes in current). These benefits lead to better performance and lower overall system costs for the customer.
Military and high-power electronic applications are key catalysts for the development of GaN device markets through 2010, according to the Strategy Analytics study1, “Gallium Nitride Markets: Commercial Markets Drive Power Electronics.”
“IQE’s established track record in providing TriQuint with reliable, high-quality products was a key factor in selecting them to produce and deliver a range of advanced GaN epitaxial materials,” remarked TriQuint Research and Development Manager, Anthony Balistreri. “We’ve developed a close working relationship with IQE throughout the development phase of our GaN program.”
Alex Ceruzzi, VP and General Manager of IQE RF said, “IQE’s broad product portfolio, which ranges from high volume HEMTs, HBTs and BiFETs to emerging technologies such as GaN epitaxial wafers, provides our customers with a one-stop shop for all their advanced materials needs. We appreciate the trust TriQuint has placed in us to meet their needs.”
TriQuint’s recent order for GaN epitaxial HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) wafers from IQE’s New Jersey facility will be used in ongoing military and commercial R & D efforts while supporting TriQuint’s new product roll-outs in 2008. Mr. Balistreri said that because GaN’s performance is clearly superior to existing technologies at higher frequencies, TriQuint’s initial product and process releases will target the 2-20GHz range. These frequencies cover the majority of commercial and military applications that are most viable in today’s markets, according to the company’s research assessments.
Posted March 18th,2008