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MACOM acquiring AppliedMicro•BluGlass and IQE collaborate EpiWorks breaks ground on expansion•First Solar restructures

2D semiconductor yieldsthinnest photodetector

Introducing Veeco’s new TurboDisc® EPIK700™ GaN MOCVD system As global consumption for LED general lighting accelerates, manufacturers need bigger, better MOCVD technology solutions that increase productivity and lower manufacturing costs. The EPIK700 MOCVD system combines Veeco’s award-winning TurboDisc reactor design with improved wafer uniformity, increased productivity and reduced operations expenses to enable a cost per wafer savings of up to 20 percent compared to previous systems. It also features a reactor with more than twice the capacity of previous generation reactors. This increased volume coupled with productivity advancements within the EPIK700 reactor, results in an unmatched 2.5x throughput advantage over previous reactors. Learn how Veeco’s TurboDisc EPIK700 GaN MOCVD system can improve your LED manufacturing process today. The advantage is not just big. It’s EPIK.

Contact us at www.veeco.com/EPIK700 to learn more.

Another breakthrough from Veeco. This time it’s EPIK.

Veeco’s New TurboDisc EPIK700 GaN MOCVD System

Faster LED Adoption

Lower Cost LEDs

www.semiconductor-today.com semiconductorTODAY Compounds&AdvancedSilicon • Vol. 11 • Issue 9 • November 2016

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contentsEditorial 4

Markets News 6 VCSEL market to rise at 22.3% CAGR to $4728.8m by 2024 •Usage of LED chips in TV backlights to grow in 2017 Microelectronics News 8MACOM to acquire AppliedMicro for $770m • Qorvo grows 23.8% asChina migrates from three-mode to full-mode smartphones Wide-bandgap electronics News 16Mentor Graphics joins Wide Band Gap integration power electronicsconsortium in Japan • MACOM granted preliminary injunctionagainst Infineon on GaN-on-Si rightsMaterials and processing equipment News 25BluGlass and IQE collaborate •EpiWorks breaks ground on expansion •Veeco’s MOCVD sales double •Aixtron returns to positive free cash flow•Evatec establishes South East Asia operationLED News 42 Arima shifting from nitride blue LEDs to AlGaInP infrared LED chips• Osram presents first broadband infrared LEDOptoelectronics News 52 Analog Devices acquires Vescent’s laser beam-steering technology Optical communications News 54 Philips Photonics to double VCSEL capacity in Ulm • EC projectCOSMICC to develop silicon photonics-based transceivers Photovoltaics News 60 ISE and EVG set 30.2% efficiency record for Si-based multi-junctionsolar cell • Drop in module pricing drives First Solar restructuring

Technology focus: Photovoltaics 66Three-prong attack to improve quaternary solar cell MBE

Technology focus: Photodetectors 68Korea’s Institute for Basic Science develops thinnest photodetector

Technology focus: III-Vs on silicon — Lasers 70Indium phosphide on silicon template for optoelectronics

Technology focus: Lasers 72Extending interband cascade VCSEL wavelengths to 3.4µm

Business focus: China 74China: the future of world trade and the semiconductor industry

Technology focus: LEDs 76Seeking source of green gap in InGaN light-emitting diodes

Technology focus: Nitride material processing 78Photo-electro-chemical lift-off of free-standing gallium nitride

Technology focus: LEDs 80Low-resistance tunnel junction boosts InGaN nanowire LED

Technology focus: III-Vs on silicon — LEDs 82Integrating gallium nitride LED with silicon drive transistor

Market focus: Silicon carbide power electronics 84SiC technology preferred over traditional silicon technology

Suppliers’ Directory 86

Event Calendar and Advertisers’ Index 92

Vol. 11 • Issue 9 • November 2016

p16Rohm presented its thirdgeneration of SiC MOSFETs, Schottkybarrier diodes and SiC modules atelectronica 2016.

p26City Council planners haveapproved the latest phase of Cardiff University’s £300m InnovationCampus, which will host the Institutefor Compound Semiconductors.

p55 The EU-funded project COSMICChas been launched to combine CMOSelectronics and silicon photonics withhigh-throughput, fiber-attachmenttechniques.

semiconductorTODAYC O M P O U N D S & A D V A N C E D S I L I C O N

Cover: By using 2Dtechnology compris-ing molybdenumdisulfide (MoS2)sandwiched ingraphene, SouthKorea’s Institute forBasic Science (IBS)

Center for Integrated NanostructurePhysics at Sungkyunkwan University hasdeveloped what is reckoned to be theworld’s thinnest photodetector. p68

The effect of the slowdown in the LED market (particularly for backlightingapplications), the consequent overcapacity and depressed prices over thelast few years has been borne out throughout the supply chain. Faced withshrinking prices and revenues for 2-4” substrates, sapphire substrate makerRubicon says that, while it had been trying to stay in the LED market bylimiting its products to 6” wafers and cutting costs, the continual pricedeclines have “made the prospects of becoming profitable in the LEDsubstrate market unlikely for the foreseeable future” (see page 40). As itaims to focus on optical and industrial markets, the firm is closing itssubstrate manufacturing plant in Malaysia by end-2016. It now also saysthat, since it has excess crystal growth capacity in the USA, it is consolidatingoperations into its leased space in Bensenville and Franklin Park, IL,involving vacating its largest plant in Batavia, IL (which it aims to sell). Further down the manufacturing chain, to avoid the price war in blue LEDs,

Taiwan’s Arima Optoelectronics has ceased production of nitride-based LEDchips and shifted production to infrared AlGaInP LEDs (page 46). The firmhas shut down 40 MOCVD systems used to produce blue LED epiwafersand chips, while 18 have been transferred to produce AlGaInP LED wafersand chips. “Due to the high technological entry barrier, there are relativelyfew manufacturers of AlGaInP LED chips,” the firm notes. Nevertheless, the volume of LED chips used in TV backlighting globally

will rise slightly in 2017 (driven by increasing adoption of Ultra HD TV),according to Digitimes Research (page 7). MOCVD system maker Veeco in third-quarter 2016 reported that revenue

for its Lighting, Display & Power Electronics segment (mainly MOCVD)doubled quarter-on-quarter, as it is seeing “a clear improvement in LEDindustry conditions” (page 30). In particular, it is “expanding its positions inred, orange and yellow (ROY) LEDs”. The firm’s total order bookings rose73%, driven by a sharp recovery in demand for MOCVD systems as it is“starting to see customers making investments in MOCVD capacity”, winning“multiple tool orders from both Epistar [in Taiwan] and HC SemiTek [in China]in support of their LED production plans... We are seeing positive indicationsfor additional MOCVD investment to occur in the near term,” Veeco adds. Fellow MOCVD system maker Aixtron reported Q3 equipment revenue up

64% (page 32). Some of this was due to low-margin sales from its surplusinventory of AIX R6 system (for GaN LEDs), but throughout Q3 there werestrong shipments of systems for both ROY LEDs and power electronics.“We continue to be in a solid position in MOCVD outside GaN LEDs,” notesCEO Martin Goetzeler. Increased demand for production systems for LED,telecom and optoelectronics applications, as well as for the silicon industry,has driven growth in not only revenue but also orders (up 35%). The increasing adoption of wide-bandgap materials such as GaN in RF and

power electronics applications is helping firms such as Aixtron to diversifyto non-LED applications. However, it is also a reason why the technologybecomes more strategically sensitive. Aixtron’s acquisition by China’sFujian Grand Chip has been put on hold by German and US authorities onthe grounds that GaN MOCVD has applications in defense electronics.President Obama will decide within days regarding blocking the deal (pages33 & 74). Given the likelihood of increasing protectionism, such diversificationmay face more widespread obstacles. Mark Telford, Editor

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Semiconductor Today covers theR&D and manufacturing ofcompound semiconductor andadvanced silicon materials and devices(e.g. GaAs, InP and SiGe wafers, chipsand modules for microelectronic andoptoelectronic devices such as RFICs,lasers and LEDs in wireless and opticalcommunications, etc).

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Diversifying from nitride LEDs

The global Li-Fi market will rise at acompound annual growth rate(CAGR) of 116.8% from 2016 to$115bn by 2022, according to thereport ‘Light Fidelity (Li-Fi)/VisibleLight Communication Market —Global Opportunity Analysis andIndustry Forecast, 2014 – 2022’ byAllied Market Research. In 2015,North America contributed themajor share of the market and willcontinue to lead throughout theforecast period. Li-Fi is a very high-speed, two-

way wireless communication tech-nique that uses visible light fromLEDs to transmit data. The technol-ogy is an apt replacement forincumbent Wi-Fi technology, saysthe report, as Li-Fi is considerablyfaster, has almost 10,000 timesbroader bandwidth (because it usesvisible light), and is safe to operatein electromagnetic sensitive areas.The Li-Fi market is currently in itsintroductory phase, although it isexpected to growth rapidly in thenext 5–6 years due to its exclusiveadvantages, such as being safe touse with medical and aviationequipment (due to the absence ofelectromagnetic interference), thevery high data transmission speed,enhanced data security and thebroader bandwidth compared withexisting Wi-Fi technology. Li-Fi incorporates three major

components: the LED, photodetec-tor, and microcontroller. Of these,in 2015, LEDs dominated the mar-ket by contributing more than 40%of the overall component segmentrevenue. Also, this segment isexpected to grow at the highestCAGR (118.1%) during the forecastperiod due to its low cost andincreased adoption in differentapplications (e.g. households,

offices, vehicles, airplanes andretail stores etc). Further, LEDs arepreferred over other lighting sys-tems as they can easily be turnedoff and on using a microcontroller.By industry vertical segment, the

retail industry accounted for morethan 30% of the overall Li-Fi marketin 2015, and is projected to grow ata CAGR of 112.8% during theanalysis period. Li-Fi enables store-keepers to monitor the positioningof customers by tracing their location and to provide notificationson their cellphones. However, thehealthcare sector should be thefastest-growing industry and isexpected to register the highestCAGR of 125.3% during the fore-cast period, since Li-Fi does notcause any electromagnetic interfer-ence and can safely be used withother medical apparatus (such asCT scanners, MRI machines, x-raymachines, and ultrasound machinesetc). North America dominated the

market in 2015 by accounting forabout 40% of total revenue, and isexpected to remain dominantthroughout the forecast period.This is attributed to the presence ofvarious R&D facilities in the regionand investment in implementation

of this tech-nology by the majorcompanies inthe region.The Asia-

Pacific regionis expectedto be thefastest-grow-ing region, ata CAGR of121.7%, dueto the large

electronics market in China andJapan as well as the presence ofseveral developing regions wheregovernments are promoting theuse of LED lights. In the Asia-Pacific, China comprises about 50%of the market and is expected tomaintain its lead throughout theforecast period.The key players in the Li-Fi market

are focused on intensive R&D (such as ongoing research at theUniversity of Edinburgh and theresearch facility of pureLiFi in the UK)to improve their product qualityand partnerships in order to reachuntapped regions. Key players haveadopted product launch as theirkey strategy to grow in the market(e.g. the launch of enhanced lightingnamed Atlanta for precise indoorpositioning by Acuity Brands Incand the Li-Fi-enabled route LiFi-xby pureLiFi). The key players profiled in the report include General Electric, Oledcomm S.A.S,Renesas Electronics Corp, pureLiFi,LVX System, Acuity Brands LightingInc, Qualcomm Technologies Inc,IBSENtelecom Ltd, KoninklijkePhilips N.V., and Panasonic Corp. www.alliedmarketresearch.com/light-fidelity-visible-light-communication-market


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newsLi-Fi/visible light communication market to grow at 116.8% CAGR to $115bn by 2022 Retail sector comprises over 30% of market, but healthcare sector to grow fastest

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News: Markets


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The global market for vertical-cavitysurface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) isrising at a compound annual growthrate (CAGR) of 22.3% from $775.2min 2015 to $4728.8m in 2024,according to a report from Trans-parency Market Research (TMR). Currently, there is demand for

efficient, low-cost and compact illumination systems, replacing tra-ditional thermal imaging systems,notes the report. VCSELs are usedfor infrared illumination since theyoffer advantages including low cost,high reliability, efficiency, a narrowemission spectrum, and a low-divergence cylindrical beam.Infrared illuminators, in turn, findapplication in surveillance, imaging,covert operations and detection inseveral end-use sectors such as themilitary. This has had a considerableimpact on the demand for VCSELs,says the report. GaAs most widely used material By raw materials, the VCSEL marketis led by gallium arsenide (GaAs),which accounted for a massive 77%share in 2015. The segment isexpected to register a CAGR of41.1% during the forecast period. By application, the overall VCSELs

market is dominated by opticalfiber data transmission, followed bylaser printers and computer mice.Chip-sale atomic clocks andabsorption spectroscopy, on the

other hand, will register stronggrowth through 2024. By geographical region, Europe

accounts for the leading share ofthe VCSELs market, at just under30% in 2015, but the Asia-Pacificwill see an impressive CAGR of23.1% over 2016–2024. Demand for GaAs rising in low-power applications “The growing usage of VCSELs inseveral high-volume applications,such as gesture recognition, datacommunications, and illumination ininfrared (IR) cameras, has emergedas the leading factor driving theglobal VCSELs market,” states thereport’s lead analyst. Companieshave been using VCSELs in gesturerecognition technology for gamingas well as navigation applications.In IR cameras, VCSELs enablesafety, night vision, and security. In datacoms, VCSELs offer advan-tages including low-energy opticalstorage, fast switching in servers,and high-capacity data centers. With VCSELs rapidly replacing

edge-emitting LEDs in low-powerapplications, the demand for GaAshas surged significantly, especially inatomic clock technology, datacoms,bar-code sensors, and plastic opticalfiber (POF)-based home networking.This will, in turn, propel the overallVCSELs market, says the report. On the flip side, although long-

wavelength indium phosphide (InP)-based VCSELs show a lot of promise,the lasers are in the early stages ofcommercialization and can prove tobe a challenge concerning thedesign, cost and manufacturing. The VCSEL market is currently

fragmented, with Finisar (USA),Broadcom (Singapore), Lumentum(USA), Sumitomo Electric Industries(Japan), and II-VI Laser Enterprise(Switzerland) accounting for under47% of the market in 2015. How-ever, Transparency Market Researchnotes that, due to a rise in mergersand acquisitions within the industry,the dynamics of the market havechanged over the years. Players have also resorted to

product innovation and investmentin technological advancement askey growth strategies. “Productinnovation is important to sustain ina highly competitive environment,and companies have been involvedin strong R&D work so as to gain alarger share in the VCSELs market,”the report’s author states. Forinstance, to retain its dominanceFinisar has occasionally introducednew products in the VCSEL market(e.g. the 64 Gbaud high-bandwidthintegrated coherent receiver in2016). www.transparencymarketresearch.com/vertical-cavity-surface-emitting-laser-market.html

The volume of LED chips used in TVbacklighting globally will increaseslightly year-on-year in 2017, with usage of Ultra HD, HDR andquantum dot models rising whiledirect-type backlights, OLED and theadoption of flip-chip LED backlightingfalls, says Digitimes Research. The increase will come mostly from

Ultra HD TVs, since such modelswill comprise 36.5% of all LCD TVsto be shipped in 2017 (rising 11.6

percentage points year-on-year)and an Ultra HD TV uses 30–50%more LED chips than a Full HD TV,Digitimes Research notes. HDR and quantum dot TVs will

contribute only slightly to theincrease as their shares of 2017shipments will be under 5% each,although they use many LED chips. Direct-type LED-backlit TVs will

see major reductions in the use ofLED chips in 2017, and they will

comprise 64% of all LED-backlit TVs(the remaining 36% will be edge-type). In addition, the adoption offlip-chip LED devices will also reducethe use of chips in TV backlighting. Finally, the impact of organic

light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs onthe LED backlighting sector will beminimal, notes Digitimes Research,since such TVs will comprise only0.72% of shipments. www.digitimes.com

Usage of LED chips in TV backlights to grow in 2017Ultra HD TVs to comprise 36.5% of shipments, HDR TVs and quantum dot TVs 5% each, and OLED TVs just 0.72%

VCSEL market to rise at 22.3% CAGR to $4728.8m by 2024

News: Microelectronics


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For fiscal second-quarter 2017 (to 1 October 2016), Qorvo Inc ofGreensboro, NC, USA (which providescore technologies and RF solutions formobile, infrastructure and defenseapplications) has reported revenueof $863.7m, up 23.8% on $697.6mlast quarter and 22.1% on $707.4ma year ago (and above the guidanceof $820–850m given on 2 August),reflecting broad-based demand. Mobile Products (MP) revenue was a

record $706.1m, up 29% on $547mlast quarter and 22% on $578m ayear ago, driven by continued RFcontent growth, the ramp of a keycustomer product, and strong Asiacustomer demand, supported bygrowth in premium-tier and mid-tier4G LTE mobile devices. “In the performance-tier smartphones, we enjoyed strong demand for ourRF Flex solutions,” notes president &CEO Bob Bruggeworth. MP also sawstrong demand for bulk acoustic wave(BAW)-based multiplexer solutions.“In Wi-Fi for handsets, Qorvo’s RF Fusion for mobile Wi-Fi deliveredcustomers a unique, highly integ-rated solution combining our high-performance BAW filters with ourWi-Fi front-end modules,” he adds. Infrastructure & Defense Products

(IDP) revenue was $157.6m, up 5%on $151m last quarter and up 22%on $129m a year ago, supported bygrowth across all major marketsegments, highlighted by wirelessinfrastructure, WiFi, defense &aerospace, and Internet of Things(IoT) as the focus on higher-growthsegments continue to bear fruit. In connectivity, IDP saw growth inboth Wi-Fi and low-power wireless.“With the acquisition of GreenPeak[of The Netherlands, in April], Qorvois a recognized leader at ultra-low-power short-range RF communica-tions,” states Bruggeworth. “We areexpanding our low-power productportfolio to include highly integratedRF systems-on-a-chip for the con-nected home and the IoT, and ourtarget markets are growing fasterthan 40%,” he adds.

“We’ve seen a continued recoveryin the base-station market, and weenjoy broad-based market shareacross all OEMs,” notes Bruggeworth.“This helps buffer IDP from the upsand downs of any one customer.” IDP saw broad-based design-win

activity, highlighted by GaN-on-SiCproducts for military S-band radarapplications and 5GHz WiFi PAs forretail and enterprise. “In Wi-Fi, ourgrowth was supported by continuedwins in both the retail and set-top-boxmarket segments,” says Bruggeworth.“In transport, growth was driven bystrength in our cable TV products tosupport the rollout of DOCSIS 3.1,our traditional long-haul optical driverbusiness, and ramping data-centerinterconnect products,” he adds. “In Defense, our growth was driven

by international and domestic GaN-on-SiC sales and a major ASIC pro-gram ramping,” says Bruggeworth.“Design wins for our GaN-on-SiCdevices have been exceptionallystrong in market segments that aregrowing at over 25% per year.” On a non-GAAP basis, gross margin

has fallen further, from 49.7% a yearago and 48.2% last quarter to 42.8%(well below the expected 47%). As well as higher volumes of onelower-margin product, this is duemainly to lower-than-expectedmanufacturing yield in die singulationand wafer-level packaging for TC-SAWfilters at one fab during a steepproduct ramp of Qorvo’s highest-volume part (a low-band PAD[power amplifier duplexer] module)for a large customer. “To protect ourlong-term customer relationships,we did everything we could to assuresupply of high-quality material to thecustomer while working through theinternal yield issues [with modulesbeing scrapped at the finished goodlevel], and this significantly impactedour gross margin,” says Bruggeworth.“We now have new die-level screenswhich are targeting the issue.” Operating expenses have risen

further, from $156.8m a year ago and$168.6m last quarter to $172.9m.

“We had higher expenses to supportongoing development programs,higher sales commissions, and thefull-quarter effects of our GreenPeakacquisition,” says chief financial officerMark Murphy. Despite this, OpEx stillachieved the target 20% of sales. Operating income was $196.8m

(operating margin of 22.8% of sales),up from $167.6m last quarter and$194.8m a year ago. Although upfrom $143.1m (diluted earnings pershare of $1.08) last quarter, netincome was $170.4m (diluted EPSof $1.29, below the expected$1.35–1.45), down from $183.3m(diluted EPS of $1.22) a year ago. Driven by operating income growth

and efficient working capital man-agement (particularly inventories),net operating cash flow has risenfrom $59m last quarter to $250m.Property & equipment expenditureswere $120m (addressing growingdemand for premium filters throughSAW investments in North Carolinaand BAW investments in Texas).Free cash flow was hence $130m.During the quarter, Qorvo repurchased$91m worth of common stock.Cash and short-term investmentsrebounded from $447m to $469m.Qorvo’s board has now authorizeda new $500m repurchase program. During the quarter, Mobile Products

secured multiple placements of RF Fusion high-, mid- and low-band4G LTE solutions in upcoming flagshipsmartphones at leading China-basedsmartphone OEMs. In China, MP isbenefiting as smartphone makersmigrate from three-mode to full-modedevices. “By the end of this year,we expect more than half of all 4Gsmartphones manufactured for theChina market will be full-mode,” saysBruggeworth. “Our largest customersin China are looking for ways tointroduce fewer models with higherlevels of RF content to providebroader coverage of additionalgeographies as they move towardsmore of an export market. Huaweiis adding more RF content to theirsmartphones as they build their

Qorvo grows a more than expected 23.8%, as Chinamigrates from three-mode to full-mode smartphones



9

global brand.” Huawei was one of two10% customers for Qorvo in fiscal Q2and its largest customer in China. “Integration [after the merger of

RFMD and TriQuint in January 2015]has gone well in many ways, validatedour vision for the combined companyand yielded a common culture andsynergies,” says Murphy. “But thereis more that can be done on both theintegration and general productivity...This past quarter was the first fullquarter in which most of the companywas on a common ERP system,” headds. “We expect that improvedvisibility, increased financial disciplineand rigor, and a broad-based com-mitment to operational excellencewill help drive additional synergies.” “We brought up and released our

TC-SAW process in Greensboro,ahead of schedule, giving us theability to support additional cus-tomer demand,” says Bruggeworth.“We are increasing the mix of 6”TC-SAW in Florida while moving allGaAs capacity to Oregon, transition-ing all GaN products to Richardson[Texas]. We are also ramping ournew assembly & test facility intoDezhou, China,” he adds. “InRichardson, the organization hasdone an outstanding job, releasingour most advanced next-generationBAW process, which delivers a sig-nificant improvement over our priorgeneration in key performance met-rics. We’ve also brought up and arenow designing products on our new8” BAW line in Richardson. We areenjoying broad-based demand forBAW filter solutions and we expectthe ramp of new customer programsto improve our utilization rates incalendar 2017... We continue to enjoystrong demand for our BAW-basedmultiplexer solutions and we havedelivered module prototypes con-taining our BAW-based hexaplexers.” IDP is closing on its model of 60%

gross margin and 30% operatingmargin. Bruggeworth is pleased withrevenue growth, initiatives to targetfaster-growing market segments, andthe rate and pace of new productintroductions. In September, IDPreleased 49 new products includingpower amplifiers for small-cell, dual

and quad linear drivers for opticalapplications, LNAs, and filters forautomotive and integrated front-endmodules for Wi-Fi. “The continuedaggressive pace of product releasesis creating a broad-based pipeline ofdifferentiated solutions with longproduction tails,” Bruggeworth adds. For fiscal Q3/2017 (to end-Decem-

ber 2016), Qorvo expects revenueof $800–840m, up by over 30%year-on-year but down significantlyquarter-on-quarter at Asian cus-tomers (although IDP will still be flatto up slightly). “Yields have stabilizedin the fab, which will help supporteven stronger customer demandfor that module,” says Murphy. “Wedo expect margins to improve onmore stable production, howeverhigher mix of the low-band PAD willpartially offset the improvement.”Gross margin should rise 100–200basis points (to 43.8–44.8%) dueto better yield and fewer associatedinventory write-offs (offset by highervolume associated with the lower-margin product). OpEx should remainnear 20% of sales and trend down indollars through the rest of the fiscalyear on lower commissions and anincrease in productivity initiatives.Diluted EPS should be $1.15–1.35. “We currently expect gross margins

to improve from the second quarterand through the second half of thefiscal year 2017, as our mix of low-band PAD peaks in the third quarterand our operations stabilize,” saysMurphy. “We expect to exit fiscal year2017 above 46% gross margin...additional yield improvements, factory loading, sourcing and otherproductivity initiatives will help drivemargin expansion in fiscal year 2018.Factory yield improvements fromprocess maturity and larger-waferproduction in SAW and BAW areexpected to add approximately 100 basis points to gross margin...Higher volumes are projected toadd over 150 basis points of marginbased on higher utilization of ourBAW, SAW and GaAs lines as well asramping our new Dezhou assembly& test facility,” he adds. “Next year,considering projected volumes andthe impacts of consolidation efforts

and measured capacity additions, weexpect our global operations to berunning near capacity,” Murphy adds.“We project ongoing supply chainconsolidation and procurement ini-tiatives, along with additional effortsto wring out merger savings, shoulddrive another 150 basis points ofgross margin expansion... By the endof fiscal year 2018, we expect theseefforts and a more favorable mix ofhigher-margin products should resultin greater than 50% gross margins.” “CapEx will remain elevated through

the rest of the fiscal year, as we investin premium filter capacity to supportforecasted customer demand,” notesMurphy. “In fiscal year 2018, ourOpEx is expected to grow at no morethan half the rate of sales, which willdrive OpEx to under 20% of sales.” “Within six quarters we expect to be

at our targeted operating perform-ance. We currently expect double-digit [above-market] sales growthto continue through fiscal 2018 andforecast over 30% operating marginsby fiscal Q4/2018,” says Bruggeworth. Mobile Products should benefit from

further content growth and demandfor complex modules using premiumfilters. “We made progress advancingcore technologies and developinghighly integrated Qorvo solutionsfor large customer opportunities in2017 and 2018,” says Bruggeworth.IDP has been repositioned to servehigher-growth markets includingWi-Fi, automotive, IoT, and wirelessinfrastructure. “We are continuingour focus on the [base-station]market’s higher-growth segments,with an emphasis on the transitionof base-station power amplifiers toGaN technology and the implemen-tation of massive MIMO,” saysBruggeworth. “Through fiscal-year2018, we expect IDP’s growth to bein line with Mobile Products,” he adds.“We plan to exit fiscal year 2018

at over 50% gross margins, OpExbelow 20% of sales, and operatingmargins over 30%,” says Murphy.“This performance will generatesubstantial free cash flow, which weplan to use for acquisitions andreturning capital to our shareholders.” www.qorvo.com



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For full-year fiscal 2016 (ending 30September), Skyworks Solutions Incof Woburn, MA, USA (which makesanalog and mixed-signal semicon-ductors) has reported record revenueof $3.29bn, up 9.4% on fiscal 2015’s$3.26bn (or up 11–12%, excludingheadwinds at its largest customer). For fiscal Q4, Skyworks has

reported revenue of $835.4m,down 5% on $880.8m a year agobut up 11% on $751.7m last quarterand exceeding the $831m guidance. Compared with Q3, integrated

mobile systems (IMS) rose from55% to 60% of revenue and broadmarkets fell from 29% to 25%(mostly due to infrastructure, as theInternet of Things sector held steady),while the power amplifier sector wassteady at about 16%. “Skyworks iscapitalizing on the strength of bothMobile and IoT eco-systems,” sayspresident & CEO Liam K. Griffin. Skyworks had two more-than-10%

customers: Foxconn at about 40%and Samsung at about 10%. Chinacomprised 25% of total revenue. Fiscal Q4 business highlights were:

leveraging SkyOne acrossHuawei’s Honor 8 global platform; powering Google’s flagship Pixel4G LTE smartphones; securing multiple 4G LTE designwins with leading Chinese OEMs; commencing volume productionof diversity receive and antennatuner solutions; supporting Amazon’s Echo and Tapvirtual assistant devices; enabling Netgear’s Orbi router withconnectivity and analog control ICs; launching linear power amplifierssupporting small-cell ramps in China; delivering integrated 4G LTEmodules for Jaguar and Land Rover; ramping vehicle-to-vehicle communication modules for Alps; capturing ZigBee content in Trilliant’s smart-grid communicationsystems; designed into a premier medicalimaging OEM for MRI applications; integrating GPS, connectivity andswitching solutions for GoPro drones. “As a virtual hub for e-commerce,

enterprise to the cloud, socialmedia, gaming and entertainment,mobile devices are rapidly evolvingto address the massive demand fordata and speed across an increasinglycrowded spectrum,” says Griffin.“Skyworks is resolving this dauntingcomplexity with customized system-level solutions to ultimately improvethe user experience with higher levelsof efficiency, enhanced streamingcapabilities and expanded networkcoverage. As a result, we are wellpositioned to continue deliveringabove-market growth,” he adds. On a non-GAAP basis, gross margin

has risen further, from 50% a yearago and 50.9% last quarter to 51%.Full-year gross margin has risenfrom 48.2% for fiscal 2015 to 51%for 2016, demonstrating strongoperational execution. Operatingexpenses were $107.5m (12.9% ofrevenue), level with last quarter. Operating income was $318.4m

(operating margin of 38.1%), downfrom $335.2m a year ago but upfrom $274.7m (36.5%) last quarter.Full-year operating income is up from$1.17bn (36% margin) for 2015 to$1.24bn (37.8% margin) for 2016. Although down from $296.1m

($1.52 diluted earnings per share)a year ago, net income reboundedfrom $238.1m ($1.24 diluted EPS)last quarter to $277.6m ($1.47 EPS,better than the $1.43 guidance).Full-year net income is up from$1.03bn ($5.27 EPS) for 2015 to$1.07bn ($5.57 EPS) for 2016. Operating cash flow rebounded

from $141m last quarter to a record$455m, driven by high profitabilityand sequential improvements inworking capital: days sales out-standing fell from 69 to 45 days, andinventory was cut from 108 to 94days. This contributed to full-yearoperating cash flow rising from $1bnfor 2015 to a record $1.1bn for 2016. Capital expenditure has fallen fur-

ther, from $150.8m a year ago and$57m last quarter to just $15.7m($189m for full-year fiscal 2016).The drop reflects the lower invest-ment now required for the firm’s

temperature-compensated surfaceacoustic wave (TC-SAW) filter pro-duction. This allowed the firm to more than

double the cash returned to share-holders from $360m (64% of freecash flow in fiscal 2015) to $727m(81% of free cash flow) in 2016 inthe form of over $200m in dividends(up 63% year-on-year) and repur-chasing 8 million shares (including 3 million in fiscal Q4) at an averageprice of just under $66 each. Theboard has since declared a cashdividend of $0.28 per share. “Entering fiscal year 2017, we are

leveraging our scale, customerpartnerships and differentiated sys-tem solutions to capture increasingcontent per platform across mobileconnectivity and IoT applications,”says chief financial officer Kris Sen-nesael. Hence, for fiscal Q1/2017(to end-December 2016), Skyworksexpects revenue to grow by 7–9%sequentially. “Our largest customeris seasonally strong… going into aseasonal ramp,” notes Griffin. “Thetop-three tier-1 accounts are alsoramping aggressively into Q1.” At themid-point of $902m, gross marginshould in the low 51% range. Oper-ating expenses are expected to be$112m (up on fiscal Q4’s $107.4m,but falling from 12.9% to 12.4% ofrevenue). Diluted EPS should riseto $1.58. Days of inventory shouldbe cut further, from 94 to 85 days. “We want to continue to further

drive operational efficiencies,” saysSennesael, who believes that grossmargins can be improved another100 basis points exiting fiscal 2017. For full-year fiscal 2017, Skyworks

targets CapEx of $200–220m (upfrom $189m for 2016). A few yearsago annual CapEx was $400–430mto outfit and install its TC-SAW fab,which is a 3 billion unit per yearproducer of high-performance filters.“With that behind us, the run-rateCapEx is sustainable,” says Griffin.“We can do a great job with thatcapital and monetize our assetsand filters as well.” www.skyworksinc.com

Skyworks’ revenue grows a more-than-expected 11%



11

Skyworks has launched its portfolioof cable TV (CATV) infrastructuresolutions targeting DOCSIS 3.1 andEuroDOCSIS 3.1 cable applications. The suite of products includes

ultra-linear RF amplifiers — the first devices commercially availablefor frequencies up to 1218MHz inEurope — optimized to supporthigh signal fidelity. Skyworks saysthat, by combining linearity withreliability, the products ensureultra-fast data throughput andhigh-quality streaming while minimizing downtime for multiplesystem operators (MSOs) andpaving the way for hybrid fibercoaxial (HFC) systems capable ofgreater data speeds. Skyworks hasalready secured a key design winwith a major European CATV OEM. “The pace of technology is contin-

ually changing the way consumersreceive information and entertain-ment,” says Carlos Bori, VP of sales& marketing. “We are supporting

this massive upsurge in datarequirements for consumersaround the world via smartphones,the connected car and wearables,as well as equipment and servicesinto the home. With our newestsuite of solutions for network oper-ators, Skyworks is addressing thegrowing CATV market, enabling the delivery of new, high-speeddata channels while providing MSOsthe ability to continue pushing fiber networks deeper into theirinfrastructure platforms.” According to market research firm

Strategy Analytics, consumerdemand for new, faster video andbroadband services, the globaltransition to digital, and the drivetowards new back-end systems are all driving growth in CATV infrastructure networks. Customersubscriptions for digital CATVjumped 18% to 16.3 million acrossEurope in first-half 2016 alone assubscribers migrate to enhanced

services, per Cable Europe andScreen Digest. Skyworks’ CATV infrastructure

portfolio include the following wide-bandwidth DOCSIS andEuroDOCSIS 3.1-compliant ultra-linear RF amplifiers: the ACA1216 — a 1218MHz CATVMMIC power doubler amplifier (12V)with what is claimed to be the highest linear RF power for a high-gain 12V CATV surface-mountdevice; the ACA2429 — a 1218MHzhigh-output CATV power doubleramplifier (24V) featuring what isclaimed to be industry-leading biterror rate (BER) across the fulloperational temperature range. Skyworks’ CATV products are

currently available for sampling andproduction. The firm highlightedthe portfolio at the electronica 2016trade fair in Munich, Germany(8–11 November). www.skyworksinc.com/Market/11/CATV

Skyworks has launched a suite offully integrated front-end modulestargeting the rapidly expandingInternet of Things (IoT) marketincluding the connected home,industrial automation and energymanagement. The newest modules are the first

in a series of solutions poweringmulti-mode operation for next-generation Bluetooth, Thread andZigBee wireless networking protocols. When paired with system-on-a-chip (SoC) platforms,the devices deliver an efficientwireless solution, maximizing battery life while simultaneouslyincreasing the transmission rangewith improved power. To date, several leading SoC providers areleveraging the front-end modulesas part of their reference designs. “With consumers and enterprises

requiring seamless connectivity,there is strong market demand for

highly integrated, performance-driven analog solutions deliveringsignificantly improved range andbattery life,” says John O'Neill, VPof marketing. Skyworks is offering“the first front-end modules thatsupport multiple protocols, includ-ing the soon to be launched Blue-tooth 5, while also addressing themost popular broadband platformsand Internet of Things applications.” In a recent report, ABI Research

has forecast that the global wireless connectivity market(excluding cellular connectivity)will reach more than 10 billionannual IC shipments by 2021.With the introduction of Bluetoothmesh functionality, evolving Wi-Fiprotocols, enhancements to802.15.4 (such as ZigBee 3.0 andThread) and the development ofmulti-protocol SoC solutions, thereis a multitude of new opportunitiesin nearly every vertical market.

Analysts forecast that the globalZigBee home automation marketalone will grow at a compoundedannual growth rate (CAGR) of26% over 2016-2020. The SKY66112-11 is designed

for ease of use and flexibility. The multimode front-end moduleprovides an integrated inter-stagematching and harmonic filter, withdigital controls compatible withCMOS. The device operates over awide supply voltage range of1.2–3.6V, allowing it to be used inbattery-powered applications overa broad spectrum of the batterydischarge curve. The SKY66112-11 is available for

sampling and production. Skyworkshighlighted its Internet of Thingsproduct portfolio at the electronicatrade fair in Munich, Germany(8–11 November).www.skyworksinc.com/Product/3152/SKY66112-11

Skyworks launches fully integrated front-end modules for IoT

Skyworks unveils CATV infrastructure portfolio for DOCSIS 3.1; secures design win with European OEM



12

Anokiwave Inc of San Diego, CA,USA, which provides highly integ-rated silicon core chips and III-Vfront-end integrated circuits formillimeter-wave (mmW) marketsand active electronically scannedarray (AESA)-based terminals, iscollaborating with GlobalFoundriesof Santa Clara, CA, USA (one of theworld’s largest semiconductorfoundries, with more than 250 cus-tomers and operations in Singapore,Germany and the USA) to deliversilicon core ICs for the emergingmmWave active antenna markets. Active antennas have been used

in military phase-array radar sys-tems for many years and are nowbeing deployed in record numbersin a wide range of commercialapplications, says Anokiwave. Thehighly anticipated roll out of 5Ginfrastructure is expected to utilizeactive antenna technologies in bothbase stations as well as handsets. Anokiwave says that silicon tech-

nology is playing a major role inreducing the cost of these newactive antennas as well as offeringunprecedented levels of functionalintegration, allowing the beam-steering application-specific integ-

rated circuits (ASICs) to residewithin the lattice of the array(resulting in low profile, planararrays). Silicon-based active anten-nas will be key to the success of 5Gnetworks operating at millimeter-wave frequencies, the firm reckons. Leveraging GlobalFoundries’ 130nm

high-performance silicon germanium(SiGe) platform, Anokiwave willgain early access to new technologydeveloped by GlobalFoundries,allowing accelerated product devel-opment that is expected to result inunprecedented time-to-market forusers seeking high-performanceSiGe solutions in the RF front endof 5G and fixed-wireless millimeter-wave infrastructure and othermmWave phased-array consumerapplications. “GlobalFoundries’ world-class

process technologies, process mod-eling, and packaging technologiescombined with Anokiwave’s team ofestablished industry experts in ICand system design deliver theworld’s most advanced IC solutionsfor mmWave applications,” reckonsAnokiwave’s CEO Robert Donahue.“Anokiwave and GlobalFoundriesare innovating and delivering core

ICs that will revolutionize emerging5G, radar and SatCom marketswith affordable active antennasolutions,” he adds. “Working with innovative compa-

nies like Anokiwave, in the earlystage of technology development,enables functions and features thatare tuned to marketplace require-ments,” comments Bami Bastani,senior VP of GlobalFoundries’ RF business unit. “GlobalFoundries’SiGe 8HP and 8XP technologiesenable customers to develop differentiated RF solutions for next-generation mobile and infra-structure systems.” GlobalFoundries’ 8XP 130nm

BiCMOS SiGe technology processblends high-performance bipolarand power-efficient MOS deviceswith the ability to integratemmWave, analog and digital func-tionality on a single IC. The uniquefunctionality of the 8XP process hasallowed Anokiwave to reach whatare reckoned to be unprecedentedlevels of integration, enabling low-cost planar arrays for mmW appli-cations. www.globalfoundries.com/SiGe www.anokiwave.com

Anokiwave’s Distinguished Fellowof Technology Dr Ian Greshamgave a presentation in the Technology Enablers session on 18 November at the InternationalWireless Industry Consortium(IWPC) Interactive Workshop‘What Role will mmWave Technolo-gies Play in 5G?’ in San Jose, CA,USA (16–18 November). In the interactive workshop,

which considered when and how5G will be deployed (with a specialfocus on mmW systems that willdeliver multiple gigabit-per-seconddata rates with improved mobility,latency, volume and servicedeployment times over current 4G

systems), Gresham is discussingthe changing mmW landscape,why active antenna technology isbest for 5G, and offering anoverview of Anokiwave’s 5G ICsolutions during his presentation‘The Last (Mile) Will Be First —Enabling Fixed Wireless and 5GBasestations with Active AntennaRFICs for 2017 Deployment’. “As we predicted in 2014,

‘Moore’s Law’ has enabled themassive migration of wirelesscommunication and radar solutionsinto the mmW frequency spectrumwith near complete reliance on silicon-based solutions,” saysAnokiwave’s chief systems architect

David Corman. “X-W band activeantenna products will be embed-ded with our cell phones, lap-tops,homes, cars, and almost everyother data-driven application wetouch, and Anokiwave is well positioned to embrace this shiftwith our unique portfolio of active antenna core ICs for 5G,” he adds. Gresham, a 25 year veteran in the

mmW industry and IEEE Fellow, is working on the development ofAnokiwave’s 5G products andtechnology driving the industry,with product offerings availablenow for early 5G systems trials. www.iwpc.org

Anokiwave’s Distinguished Fellow of Technology speaks atInteractive Workshop on mmWave technology for 5G

Anokiwave leveraging GlobalFoundries’ 130nm SiGe Collaboration to develop silicon core ICs for mmWave active antenna

MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc of Lowell, MA, USA(which makes semiconductors,components and subassemblies foranalog RF, microwave, millimeter-wave and photonic applications)has agreed to acquire Applied MicroCircuits Corp of Santa Clara, CA,USA (which provides silicon-basedcomputing and connectivity solutionsfor next-generation cloud infra-structure and data centers) for about$8.36 per share ($3.25 in cash plus0.1089 MACOM shares per share ofAppliedMicro), representing a15.4% premium over the closingprice of $7.25 on 18 November.AppliedMicro stockholders areexpected to own about 15% of thecombined company on a pro formabasis. The transaction is valued at about

$770m in diluted equity value, orabout $688m net of AppliedMicro’s$82m cash and short-term invest-ments as of end-September 2016.MACOM expects to pay the cashportion of the acquisition price fromcash on hand. MACOM intends to commence a

tender offer to purchase each outstanding common share ofAppliedMicro. It will assume certainequity awards held by AppliedMicroemployees. AppliedMicro’s trailing twelve

months (TTM) revenue is about$165m (including the non-strategicCompute business, which MACOMintends to divest within the first100 days of closing). The pro formacombined TTM revenue of MACOMand AppliedMicro is hence about$709m including AppliedMicro’sCompute business (or $644mexcluding the Compute business).MACOM expects to improveAppliedMicro’s profitability bydivesting the Compute businessand by delivering on substantialrevenue and cost synergies. It is reckoned that AppliedMicro’s

Connectivity business is highly

complementary to MACOM’s prod-uct portfolio, through the additionof what are claimed to be market-leading optical transport network(OTN) framers, MACsec Ethernetnetworking components and theindustry’s leading single-lambdaPAM4 platform. The acquisition is targeted at

accelerating MACOM’s growth inoptical technologies for cloud serviceproviders and enterprise networkcustomers serving the high-growth,high-margin data-center market. MACOM expects that AppliedMicro’s

PAM4 solutions based on FinFETtechnology and custom engage-ments with top-tier data-centerand service provider customers willstrengthen its competitive positionwith those customers. “MACOM will now be able to pro-

vide all the requisite semiconductorcontent for optical networks — analog, photonic and PHY — fromthe switch to fiber for long haul,metro, access, backhaul and datacenter,” notes president & CEO JohnCroteau. “AppliedMicro’s 100G to400G single-lambda PAM4 platformshould perfectly complementMACOM’s leadership in analog andphotonic components for data cen-ters,” he adds. “The IEEE recently recommended

the adoption of AppliedMicro’s single-lambda PAM4 solution to bean industry standard for enterpriseand data-centerconnectivity,positioning thistechnology asthe solution ofchoice goingforward. Additionally,AppliedMicro’sConnectivitybusiness alignswell withMACOM’s differentiated,high-growth

business model, offering non-GAAPgross margins well in excess ofMACOM’s long-term target operat-ing model, long product life cycles,and sticky customer relationships,”he continues. “AppliedMicro also provides

value-added technologies includingSerDes, high-speed analog-to-digitaland digital-to-analog converterswith industry-leading engineeringcompetencies and long product lifecycles. Importantly, we expectthat this transaction will establishMACOM with an incumbent positionsupplying strategic components andenterprise and cloud data-centercustomers.” “The transaction affirms the value

that our employees have createdand provides a strong path forwardfor our Connectivity business whiledelivering AppliedMicro stockhold-ers a robust premium,” saysAppliedMicro’s president & CEOParamesh Gopi. “This transactionwill create an industry powerhousewith the scale, deep customer rela-tionships, innovative technology,and enabling products that will helpdeliver explosive growth in enter-prise and cloud data centers,” headds. “In addition, this agreementprovides a promising path forwardfor the Compute business, which is in the process of bringingAppliedMicro’s highly competitivethird-generation X-Gene processorto market,” he adds. Excluding the Compute business,

the transaction is expected to beaccretive to MACOM's non-GAAPgross margin, operating marginand EPS in fiscal year 2017. The boards of directors of both

firms have approved the transac-tion, which is subject to customaryclosing conditions and regulatoryapprovals. MACOM currentlyexpects the transaction to close infirst-quarter 2017.www.apm.com www.macom.com



13

MACOM to acquire AppliedMicro for $770m Acquisition to speed MACOM’s growth in optical technologies forenterprise and cloud data-center customers

MACOM willnow be able toprovide all therequisitesemiconductorcontent foropticalnetworks —analog,photonic andPHY



14

At European Microwave Week(EuMW 2016) in London, UK (4–6 October), Sivers IMA of Kista,north of Stockholm in Sweden(which makes microwave and millimeter-wave components usedin telecom links, radar sensors andtest & measurement equipment),has launched a fully integrated V-band transceiver radio-frequencyintegrated circuit (RFIC). The difference between this trans-

ceiver and previous generationsfrom Sivers IMA is that all parts aremade of silicon-germanium (SiGe).The circuit includes a complete millimeter-wave transceiver (transmitter and receiver), digitalcontrol, signal source, and a complete analog baseband.“We are the first in the world to

include coverage of the new FCC[US Federal Communications

Commis-sion] V-bandfrequencies64–71GHz,which wasrecentlymadeavailable inthe USA,”adds CEOAndersStorm.“Havingthe fulltransceiverin silicon-germaniumfor V-bandprovides afundamen-tal plat-form,

including the relevant buildingblocks, for our ongoing develop-ment of the WiGig RFIC that will bereleased to the market in 2017.” The transceiver is packaged in a

eWBL capsule for easy surfacemounting on printed-circuit boardsand only measures 7mm x 7mm.Since all parts are fabricated inSiGe technology, the cost of thetransceiver can be kept low, andSivers IMA says that it will be ableto offer products with good price-performance to manufacturers ofpoint-to-point links. In the final version, the new RFIC

will cover the entire V-band in theUSA, from 57GHz to 71GHz. Prototypes of the circuit will beavailable to key customers in first-quarter 2017. www.eumweek.com www.siversima.com

Sivers IMA uses SiGe to launch first transceiver chipsupporting FCC’s new V-band Final version to span entire 57–71GHz band; prototypes available in first-quarter 2017

InnoSenT GmbH of Donnersdorf,Germany has launched a surface-mountable radar (SMR)motion detector operating in the24.0–24.25GHz industrial, scientific& medical (ISM) band that incorporates the latest 24GHz silicon germanium (SiGe)-basedtransceiver MMIC (BGT24LTR11)from Infineon Technologies AG ofMunich, Germany, offering what isclaimed to be a unique combinationof high functionality, low powerconsumption and easy-to-installsolution. Compared with passive infrared

(PIR) technology, the use of radarin motion detection applicationsincreases accuracy, since it allows amore precise measurement ofobject detection and provides newcapabilities such as the detection of

speed and direction of movingobjects. Radar is also superior tocamera-based systems by allowingdetection of the objects while keep-ing identities anonymous. Infineon’s BGT24LTR11 transceiver

MMIC features a fully integratedlow-phase-noise voltage-controlledoscillator (VCO) and built-in temperature compensation circuitfor VCO stabilization. It also has full ESD protection, Infineon Technologies’ 200GHz bipolar SiGe: C technology (B7HF200), anda single supply voltage of 3.3V. TheSMR module’s ultra-compact design(20mm x 15mm x 3mm) easesintegration, allowing installation insmall spaces. It provides a solutionfor security applications, homeautomation, lighting control, intelli-gent machine control, touch-free

switches, and movement detection. InnoSenT’s SMR series comprises

three types with different antennacharacteristics. In addition to theoption of simple motion detectionwith a corresponding evaluation, itis also possible to determine speedinformation and the direction ofmovement to the detected objectfrom the returned data. Infineon’sSiGe radar MMIC was designed withDoppler radar applications in mind,which enables additional functional-ities. Besides the 24GHz funda-mental VCO, it also provides theSMR series with variants for FMCW(frequency-modulated continuous-wave) or FSK (frequency shift key-ing) operation mode.www.infineon.com/24GHz www.innosent.de/en/sensors/smr-radar-series

InnoSenT launches surface-mountable radar motiondetector using Infineon 24GHz SiGe transceiver MMIC

We are the first inthe world to includecoverage of thenew FCC V-bandfrequencies.Having the fulltransceiver in SiGefor V-band providesa fundamentalplatform, includingthe relevantbuilding blocks, for our ongoingdevelopment ofthe WiGig RFICthat will bereleased to themarket in 2017



15

Guerrilla RF Inc of Greensboro, NC,USA — which provides monolithicmicrowave integrated circuits(MMICs) to wireless infrastructureoriginal equipment manufacturers— has launched the GRF6011, thefirst member in its range of failsafeswitch and amplifier devices. The GRF6011 provides failsafeoperation, with one RF pathdefaulting to a low-insertion-lossstate, with all power removed, andthe other path defaulting to a high-insertion-loss state. At 1900MHz, typical 3.3V RF

performance offers insertion loss of<0.45dB, IP1dB (input power at1dB gain compression point) of>31dBm, and IIP3 (third-order

input intercept point) of >50dBm. A key application for the single-

pole, double-throw (SPDT) switch isat the low-noise amplifier (LNA) ina tower-mounted amplifier (TMA),where the failsafe functionality istypically implemented using expensive mechanical relays orcumbersome Schottky diodeswitches external to a traditionalLNA. Guerrilla RF says that theGRF6011 is suitable for applicationsincluding cellular boosters, cellularinfrastructure and L-band satcoms.Since the device requires only afew external capacitors for DCblocking, it is housed in an ultra-small 1.5mm x 1.5mm DFN-6package, providing an extremely

compact application footprint. “The device’s flexible biasing capa-

bility allows for supply and controlinputs anywhere in the 3.0–5.0Vrange,” says VP of applications andtechnical marketing Alan Ake. According to market research firm

EJL Wireless, the ability to incorpo-rate the failsafe capability withinthe GRF6011 switch and also eliminate the external relay ordiode switches is a major step for-ward in reducing the overall sizeand bill-of-materials (BOM) cost ofa typical TMA unit. GRF6011 samples and evaluation

boards are available now. Pricing is$1.45 each in 10,000-unit quantities. http://guerrilla-rf.com

At the electronica 2016 trade fair inMunich, RFbeam Microwave GmbHof St Gallen, Switzerland launchedlow-cost 24GHz Tx/Rx transceivermodules (K-LD2 and K-MD2) that,respectively, use the BGT24LTR11and BGT24MR2 24GHz industrial,scientific & medical (ISM)-bandmonolithic microwave integratedcircuit (MMIC) radar transceiverchips of Munich-based InfineonTechnologies AG, which offer a fullyintegrated low-phase-noise voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) andbuilt-in temperature-compensationcircuit for VCO stabilization, as well asfull ESD protection, B7HF200 200GHzbipolar SiGe: C process technology,and a single supply voltage of 3.3V. Using the BGT24LTR11 MMIC

radar transceiver chip (consisting ofone transmit channel and onereceive channel), the K-LD2 single-transceiver module is claimed to beone of the smallest (25mm x 25mm)and lowest-power-consuming radartransceivers available. Incorporatingintegrated signal processing and

80° x 34° antenna pattern, themodule can be used for applicationswhere indoor/outdoor motiondetection is required. Using the BGT24MR2 MMIC radar

transceiver chip (with two receivechannels), the K-MD2 module supports speed, range and anglemeasurement and delivers a digitaloutput. The integrated range-Dopplerprocessing is suitable for high-endtraffic applications. Each moduleoffers what is said to be a reliableand robust solution defined for specific applications with a precisemeasurement of object detection. The new modules hence provide a

plug-and-play-solution for originalequipment manufacturers needingeither motion detection for personsor speed/distance measurement. Possible applications include

advanced motion detection, speed,direction and distance measurement.Examples are movement and presence detection that can beintegrated in advertising panels, forinstance. In traffic applications, the

radar system can be used for redlight management for roadworks orspeed detection, as well as car clas-sification systems such as toll roadsor car park barriers. Combining thetechnical features of Infineon’s 24GHzindustrial MMIC with RFbeam’smodules reduces time to market,reckon the firms, adding that theeffort and cost of developing complexalgorithm can be minimized. RFbeam’s modules include antennas

either with or without integratedsignal processing, enabling manu-facturers of industrial radar systemsto optimize their system’s capability.If necessary, this allows the detectionof speed and direction of movement(approaching or retreating) in addi-tion to the easier detection of motiononly. RFbeam’s existing portfoliooffers three modules with variousantenna characteristics, for MCUsignal processing and differentoptions for Doppler, FMCW (frequencymodulated) or FSK (frequency shiftkeying) operation modes. www.rfbeam.ch

Guerrilla RF launches failsafe SPDT switch forcellular boosters, infrastructure and L-band satcoms

Infineon’s radar chips used by RFbeam in low-cost24GHz transceiver modules for motion detection andspeed/distance measurement

News: Wide-bandgap electronics


16

Richardson Electronics Ltd ofLaFox, IL, USA (a global channelpartner for electron devices, powerelectronics, and RF & microwavecomponents) has announced a newdistribution agreement with UnitedSilicon Carbide (USCi) of Mon-mouth Junction, NJ, USA. Theglobal agreement supports theexpansion of USCi’s products tonew customers. USCi specializes in developing

high-efficiency SiC devices and customized products, using processexpertise in Schottky barrier diodesand SiC switches. USCi says that itstechnology and products enableaffordable power efficiency in key

markets that will drive a greenereconomy.“USCi’s unique SiC cascodes offer

a rapid and easy way to upgradesilicon MOSFET-based designs tothe higher performance and greaterefficiency of SiC,” says Greg Peloquin,executive VP of Richardson Elec-tronics’ Power & Microwave Tech-nologies group. “This uniquetechnology and Richardson’s worldclass global capabilities of bringingnew products to market will accel-erate the introduction of USCi tothe global market and customerbase,” he reckons. Richardson Electronics is a

“design-in oriented and application-

focused distributor with a world-wide presence and, through theirhighly technical expertise, they cansupport customers throughout theentire design cycle, which canmake the difference between suc-cess and failure,” comments USCi’ssales director Christopher Rocneanu.“Furthermore, Richardson has anoutstanding reputation for launch-ing the newest products and latesttechnologies to the global market-place, which will help us reach newcustomers and take advantage ofincreased opportunities for SiCapplications.” www.rellpower.com www.unitedsic.com

At the electronica 2016 trade fair inMunich, Germany (8–11 November),Rohm Semiconductor of Kyoto,Japan presented its third generationof silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs,Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) andSiC modules. The new devicesaddress the needs of efficientpower delivery, offering solutions toreduce loss issues during powerconversion. Rohm claims that itwas first to mass produce SiC MOSFETs in 2010 and is developingproducts that target further powerloss reductions. Rohm is now mass producing

what it claims are the first trench-type SiC MOSFETs. Compared withplanar gate-type SiC MOSFETs, thenew generation of SiC MOSFETsreduces ON-resistance by 50%across the entire temperaturerange and input capacitance by35% in the same chip size. Optimum performance is achievedby combining low loss with high-speed switching performance.Increasing switching frequency alsomakes it possible to reduce the sizeof peripheral components such as

coils and capacitors. As a result,conversion efficiency is improved,contributing to miniaturization,weight reduction, and greaterenergy efficiencies. The newSCT3080KL 1200V SiC MOSFETseries in a TO-247 package servesas an example. In addition, Rohmwill offer Automotive ElectronicsCouncil AECQ-qualified SiC MOSFETbased on its second-generation planar series. The third-generation of SiC

Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs)realizes what are claimed to be thelowest forward voltage (VF) andlowest reverse leakage current (lR)over the entire temperature rangeamong all SiC SBDs currently onthe market. In addition, they fea-ture high surge current capability,which is suitable for power supplyapplications. Adding to theTO220ACP-packaged SCS3xxAPdevices (launched in mid-October)operating at 650V/6A, 8A and 10A,Rohm has introduced D2PAK(LPTL)-packaged SCS3xxAJ andTO220FM-packaged SCS3xxAMdevices while also adding lower-

current (2A and 4A) options to thefamily. Compared with silicon-based

devices, SiC diodes exhibit ultra-short reverse recovery time,making them suitable for high-speedswitching. Overall, these featurescontribute to the ongoing trend ofhigh efficiency, high power densityand highly robust designs, saysRohm. Rohm’s new full-SiC modules —

including chopper-type modules forconverters — integrate both mass-produced trench SiC MOSFETs andSiC SBDs. In addition to 1200V 2-in-1 (half-bridge)-type modules(the 80A BSM080D12P2C008, the120A BSM120D12P2C005, the180A BSM180D12P3C007, and the 300A BSM300D12P2E001),Rohm is preparing 1200V chopper-type modules (the 120ABSM120C12P2C201, the 180ABSM180C12P3C202, the 300ABSM300C12P3E201) for market. In addition, Rohm is working on anew power module with lower strayinductance. www.rohm.com

Rohm presents third-generation SiC MOSFETs,Schottky barrier diodes and modules

United Silicon Carbide agrees for Richardson to distributeits SiC products globally, to expand to new customers



18

The efficiency of power electronicsystems is not solely dependent onelectrical efficiency but also onweight (e.g. in mobile systems).When the weight of relevant com-ponents and devices in airplanes,for example, is reduced, fuel savingscan be achieved and correspondinglygreenhouse-gas emissions decreased.New materials and componentsbased on gallium nitride (GaN) canhelp to reduce weight and increasethe efficiency. Power electronicswitches can hence be operated athigher switching frequency, resultingin higher power density and lowermaterial costs. Researchers at theFraunhofer Institute for Solar EnergySystems ISE in Freiburg, Germany,together with partners, haveinvestigated how these materialscan be used to make power elec-tronic systems in aviation appli-cations more efficient. In the project ‘GaN-resonat –

Efficient, highly compact, high-fre-quency power electronics with GaNtransistors’, consortium partnersSUMIDA Components & ModulesGmbH, Liebherr Elektronik GmbHand Fraunhofer ISE complementeach other in the fields of inductivecomponents, aviation technology andpower electronics. The aim was todevelop a resonant DC/DC converterusing GaN transistors, with switch-ing frequencies significantly above1MHz and a nominal power of 3kW.The converter was designed espe-cially for applications in aviation,where compatibility between theeconomic and ecological challengesplays a major role. Compact design, high efficiency To achieve the project’s target, theresearchers and industry partnersused GaN power transistors togetherwith innovative inductive components.Typical switching frequencies forthese applications of currently up to350kHz for resonant converterscould hence be increased to 2.5MHz.

“With these higher frequencies, alarge part of the weight due to thepassive components and the volumeof the 3kW DC/DC converters couldbe appreciably reduced,” says Cornelius Armbruster, developingengineer in the team ‘Efficient andHigh Frequency Power Electronics’at Fraunhofer ISE. By making thepassive components smaller, lessmaterial (e.g. copper or ferrite) isrequired for manufacturing, savingscarce resources. The beneficialdynamic behavior of GaN transis-tors allows high efficiency despitethe high frequency. “The developedconverter has a power/weight ratioof 3.9kW/kg and a total efficiencyof over 90% for a wide operatingrange,“ says Armbruster. “The converter reaches a comparativelyhigh maximum efficiency of 94.5%at half its nominal power and aswitching frequency of 2MHz,” headds. However, at such high fre-quencies special care must betaken with the printed-circuit board(PCB) design, the measurementand control technology, and theelectromagnetic compatibility. Inconsideration of these aspects, aneight-layer PCB was produced forthe demonstrator and, in particular,control of the GaN transistors wasdeveloped and optimized.

GaN — material withperspective For years, FraunhoferISE has undertakenR&D on high-efficiency,high-frequency powerelectronics for renew-able energy systemsand applications usinggallium nitride and silicon carbide (SiC)components. In theGaN-resonant project,the researchers andtheir project partnershave developed a sce-nario for application in

the aviation industry, designing theresonant voltage converter to meetthe particular requirements of avia-tion electronics. The results from the project can be

transferred to other fields of appli-cation in the future, it is reckoned.One possible area of application isas a power supply for server farms,or for communication electronics ingeneral. The amount of energyconsumed worldwide to supply theexisting communications infrastruc-ture is immense, and all signs showthat this will continue to rise. In thiscase, the design of the new com-pact, high-frequency DC/DC con-verter (saving on materials andreducing power losses) shows clearadvantages, with not only higherefficiency but also lower coolingdemand, says Fraunhofer ISE. The GaN-resonant project was

launched in 2013 and ran for aperiod of three years. It was fundedwith about €1.2m from the GermanFederal Ministry for Education andResearch (BMBF) within the Hightech Strategy of the federalgovernment under the IKT2020Research & Development Programfor Projects on Power Electronics(‘Leistungselektronik zur Energieef-fizienzsteigerung’). www.ise.fraunhofer.de

Efficiency for different power outputs of the compactDC/DC converter (Vout = 28VDC, fsw = 1.8-2.5MHz).Maximum efficiency is 94.5%.

Fraunhofer ISE develops highly compact, high-frequencyDC/DC converter for aviation applications Three-year GaN-resonat project yields transistors enable switchingfrequencies in MHz range with power/weight ratio of 3.9kW/kg

0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750Output power P / W

100

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

Effic

ienc

y η

/ %

Vin = 260V

Vin = 270V

Wolfspeed exhibited and contributedto the technical program at the47th annual Defense ManufacturingConference (DMC 2016) in Denver(28 November– 1 December). “The theme for DMC 2016 is

‘Understand the challenges; seizethe opportunities,’ so both ourexhibition and conference presen-tation focus on the specific defenseindustry challenges that Wolfspeed’sadvanced wide-bandgap technologycan address,” says Dr Jeff Barner,Wolfspeed’s manager of foundryservices. Wolfspeed not only provides the defense communitywith design assistance, provenprocesses, testing and support but

does so with a track record offaster cycle times, higher first-passdesign successes, and greater reliability, he claims. At the exhibition, Wolfspeed pro-

moted its RF foundry (claimed tobe the world’s largest dedicated,commercial wide-bandgap produc-tion device facility) in addition toits latest RF product introductionsfor defense applications, includingthe highest-power 50V GaN high-electron-mobility transistordemonstrated to date. Launched inSeptember, the 900W CGHV14800GaN HEMT delivers at least 800Wof pulsed power at 1.2–1.4GHzand 50V operation with better than

65% drain efficiency, featureshigh-efficiency, high-gain andwide-bandwidth capabilities, and issuitable for L-band radar amplifierapplications including air trafficcontrol (ATC) radar, penetrationradar, anti-missile system radar,target-tracking radar and long-range surveillance radar. Also, in the DMC technical program,

director of business developmentDr Ty McNutt gave the presentation‘Enabling SiC Power Module Technology for Advanced DoD Systems’. http://dmcmeeting.com http://wolfspeed.com/RF/Foundry-Services

Wolfspeed presents at Defense Manufacturing Conference



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During the R&D 100 Conference on3 November, it was announced thatWolfspeed of Research Triangle Park,NC, USA had won a 2016 R&D 100Award for its high-temperature,wide-bandgap (WBG) underhoodinverter for electric vehicles. “Our SiC inverter is the first traction

drive optimized for wide-bandgapdevices that utilizes a commerciallyavailable SiC power module,” saysWolfspeed’s chief technology officerJohn Palmour. “By increasing powerin a smaller footprint, Wolfspeed isenabling hybrid and electric vehiclesto become more attractive to endconsumers, contributing further toa reduction in the domestic use offossil fuels and greenhouse-gasemissions,” he adds. “Additionally,through our partnerships with otherindustry leaders, Wolfspeed ensuresthat our technology is readilyadoptable in vehicle applications.” Wolfspeed’s high-temperature WBG

underhood inverter was developedin response to the need for smaller,lighter and more efficient systemswith higher power density in theelectric vehicle market, and in col-laboration with the Toyota ResearchInstitute of North America, the USNational Renewable Energy Labora-

tory (NREL), University of ArkansasNational Center for Reliable ElectricPower Transmission, and theDepartment of Energy (DoE) Vehicle Technologies Office. Underhood inverters convert the

DC power stored in hybrid, plug-inhybrid or all-electric vehicle batterypacks to three-phase AC power thatcan be used to energize one or moreelectrical loads, and traditionallyemploy industry-standard silicon.Using Wolfspeed’s WBG devices andpackaging techniques in an under-hood inverter allowed engineers toachieve faster switching with reducedsystem-level losses during high-ambient-temperature operation(140°C). Wolfspeed says that thisWBG-based system significantlyoutperforms silicon technology andextends the possibilities for vehicleinverters, for which it has beennamed one of the top technical break-through products released in 2015. The core of Wolfspeed’s WBG

underhood inverter consists ofthree commercial CAS325M12HM2SiC half-bridge power modules,which are rated for 1200V and325A of continuous RMS current athigh temperatures. The inverteralso includes: a liquid-cooled cold

plate (which provides the thermalconduction path for energy losses);low-inductance power bussing(minimizing parasitic losses andmaximizing switching efficiencies);snubber and filter components(which dampen over-voltage andover-current spiking and dampensresonances); control and drive cir-cuitry (which performs the dynamicswitching and provides users withfeedback, control signals, and high-current gate drive signals); and anenclosure (providing the unit withEMI shielding, electrical cabling, andliquid cooling inlet/outlet connections). Wolfspeed says that, using WBG

materials, it has eliminated theneed for the secondary radiator andthermal management system inthe vehicle. This inverter allows theonboard power electronics to becooled by the same coolant loop asthe primary radiator and combus-tion engine, significantly decreasingthe overall mass and volume of thesystem. In addition to reducing thesystem footprint within the car,Wolfspeed’s WBG technology alsoincreases the peak power delivery ofthe unit by 2–3x what is currentlyachievable, while operating at over-all higher ambient temperatures.

Wolfspeed wins 2016 R&D 100 Award for SiC-based underhood inverter for electric vehicles



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Transphorm Inc of Goleta, nearSanta Barbara, CA, USA — whichdesigns and manufactures JEDEC-qualified 650V gallium nitride (GaN)-based devices for high-voltagepower conversion applications —says its new TPH3212PS device(available in a TO-220 package)has an on-resistance of 72mΩ andtargets AC-to-DC and DC-to-ACpower supplies. When used in theformer, the TPH3212PS — along withits fellow family members — enablesthe implementation of bridgelesstotem-pole power factor correction(PFC) designs. The firm’s product portfolio con-

sists of 600V and 650V discretefield-effect transistors (FETs) span-ning TO-220, TO-247 and PQFN88packages for power levels up to4.5kW. The TPH3212PS fills apower level gap in its second-generation product line, specificallybetween the 52mΩ and 110mΩFETs, offering greater design flexi-bility to battery charger, PV inverter,server and servo motor manufac-turers.

Launch of the TPH3212PS remainsin step with Transphorm’s aim toenable design engineers to effec-tively implement GaN technologyinto designs. The firm develops itsGaN in well-understood TO-XXXand PQFN88 packages. Further, ituses the high-reliability cascodeconfiguration, which eliminates theneed for custom drivers and —most importantly — considerablyincreases the GaN FET’s gate safetymargin. “Transphorm aims to enable the

market by delivering GaN in thehighest-quality, highest-reliabilityformat,” says chief technology officerUmesh Mishra. “We recognize GaNis not just a drop-in replacementfor silicon MOSFETs used today,” he adds. “Board re-design and system modifications are requiredto capitalize on GaN’s complete setof benefits, from performancethrough to system cost. If we canminimize that learning curve byworking with well-known packagesand a configuration that behavessimilarly to a MOSFET, we believe

the industry will move furtherfaster.” Benefits of the TPH3212PS are

said to include: a 30–40% increase in system-level power density; 2–4x faster switching comparedwith silicon; lowering crossoverlosses to increase system efficiency; compatible with off-the-shelf gate drivers, increasing gate safetymargin to an unmatched ± maxi-mum 18V gate drive; and for designs moving from standardPFC to bridgeless totem-pole, elimination of the use of a bridgerectifier, parallel FETs and additionalpassives as the power levelincreases, reducing overall systemcost. Fully qualified and in production,

the TPH3212PS is priced at $8.94 in1000-unit quantities. It is currentlysupported by a SPICE program andapplication notes. A full evaluation kitfor 2.5kW hard-switched half-bridge,buck or boost designs is availablefor pre-order, priced at $250. www.transphormusa.com

In a keynote speech ‘Speed DrivesPerformance’ at the IEEE PowerElectronics Society 4th IEEE Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications(WiPDA) in Fayetteville, AR, USA(7–9 November), Gene Sheridan,CEO of Navitas Semiconductor Incof El Segundo, CA, USA, presentedthe advantages of what it claimsare the first gallium nitride (GaN)power ICs, which use the firm’sproprietary ‘AllGaN’ technology. A technical paper ‘650V AllGaNPower IC for Power Supply Appli-cations’ was also presented by VPof IC design Marco Giandalia. “Power systems can achieve a

dramatic improvement in charging

speed, power densities and costreduction if high switching speedscan be combined with high energyefficiencies,” says Sheridan. “Navitas is leading a high-speedrevolution in power electronics withthe invention of the industry’s firstGaN power ICs, which enable up toa 100x increase in switching speedsand a 3x increase in energy savings,”he claims. Navitas’ AllGaN 650V platform

monolithically integrates GaNpower field-effect transistors (FETs)with GaN logic and drive circuitsand enables 10–100x higherswitching frequency than existingsilicon circuits, it is reckoned, making power electronics smaller,

lighter and lower cost. A new generation of high-frequency,energy-efficient converters is beingenabled for smartphone and laptopchargers, OLED TVs, LED lighting,solar inverters, wireless chargingdevices and data centers. “The IEEE has a long history of

identifying and nurturing new generations of technology,” saysprofessor Alan Mantooth, who wasgeneral chair of WiPDA 2016. “GaN is clearly demonstrating efficiency and performance advantages over traditional powersemiconductors,” Mantooth concludes. www.wipda2016.org/ www.navitassemi.com

Transphorm expands second-generation portfoliowith lower on-resistance TO-220 650V GaN FET

Navitas’ CEO presents AllGaN Power IC key advantages ofhigh-frequency, high-density and energy savings at WiPDA



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Japan’s Panasonic Corp has startedmass production of the AN34092Bhigh-speed gate driver, optimized fordriving its X-GaN power transistor,as well as two types of X-GaN (the70mΩ PGA26E07BA and 190mΩPGA26E19BA), providing solutionsin combination with gate drivers. GaN is one of the next generation

semiconductor compounds that canachieve space and energy savingswhen applied to transistors used invarious power units. A gate driveris required to drive a transistor, butgeneral gate drivers for conventionalsilicon transistors cannot exploitthe potential of GaN transistors due

to their different gate structures. Panasonic says that the new

AN34092B high-speed gate driverhelps the X-GaN to safely achievehigh-speed switching performance.It can drive transistors at frequen-cies of up to 4MHz and integratesthe active Miller clamp function thatprevents malfunction during high-speed switching. Using proprietarytechnology, the X-GaN achieves a600V breakdown enhancementmode and features high-speedswitching and low on-resistance. Panasonic reckons that the

combination of X-GaN and dedicatedgate drivers can contribute to sig-

nificant space and energy savingsin various power conversion unitsfor industrial and consumer use. X-GaN and dedicated high-speed

gate drivers are suitable for variousapplications such as 100W to 5kWpower supply units, inverters, data centers, mobile base-stations,consumer electronics, audio-visualequipment, industrial and medicaldevices. Both X-GaN and the dedicated

high-speed gate drivers wereexhibited at electronica 2016 inMunich, Germany (8–11 November). www.semicon.panasonic.co.jp/en/products/powerics/ganpower

Panasonic starting mass production of high-speedgate driver for X-GaN power transistor

MACOM Technology Solutions Hold-ings Inc of Lowell, MA, USA (whichmakes semiconductors, componentsand subassemblies for analog RF,microwave, millimeter-wave andphotonic applications) says the USDistrict Court for the Central Districtof California in Los Angeles hasgranted its request for a preliminaryinjunction in its lawsuit against Infineon Technologies Americas Corpover gallium nitride on silicon(GaN-on-Si) technology. The court’s decision on 31 October

(i) confirmed MACOM’s continuingexclusive rights in certain GaN-on-SiRF fields under a 2010 license dealbetween Nitronex LLC of Durham,NC (acquired by MACOM for $26min 2014) and International Rectifier(acquired by Infineon in 2015); (ii) ruled that MACOM is likely tosucceed in its claim that Infineon’spurported termination of thatagreement was improper and without effect; and (iii) granted MACOM’s motion for apreliminary injunction prohibitingInfineon from engaging in activitiesinconsistent with the 2010 licensedeal pending the court’s final decision.

When MACOM initiated the legalaction in April, it alleged that Infineon had attempted to interferewith and usurp MACOM's rightsunder certain agreements betweenNitronex and International Rectifier.“Nitronex and IR, and later, MACOMand IR, successfully collaborated formany years. Problems developedonly after Infineon acquired IR andbegan to try to ‘renegotiate’ theNitronex–IR agreements to reduceMACOM's rights,” said MACOM’spresident & CEO John Croteau.“When MACOM declined to accedeto Infineon's demands, Infineonconcocted claims to interfere withour rights under the agreements,”he alleged. “Infineon’s behavior isclear validation that MACOM’s GaN technology — the product of 15 years and over $100m in invest-ment — is at the tipping point ofmarket adoption, threatening largeincumbents like Infineon,” contin-ued Croteau. “This has caused Infineon to engage in strong-armtactics designed to retard, ratherthan accelerate, innovation.” MACOM’s suit against Infineon

includes claims for breach of

contract, breach of the covenant ofgood faith and fair dealing, declara-tory judgment of contractual rights,and intentional interference withcontract. Among other relief,MACOM asked the court to grant itdeclaratory and injunctive reliefconfirming its rights under theNitronex–IR agreements and order-ing Infineon to assign to MACOMseveral Nitronex GaN patents. “We were forced to file this lawsuit

to stand up to Infineon’s bullyingand anticompetitive behavior,” statesCroteau now. “We are gratified bythe court’s preliminary decisionconfirming that the GaN-on-Si rightsgranted to us under the 2010 licenseagreement remain in full force andeffect and that Infineon actedimproperly in trying to operate inour exclusive field of use,” he adds.“We are firmly committed to vigor-ously litigating this case to its rightfulconclusion. We continue on the pathto providing GaN-on-Si technologythat promises to improve networkdata service and cell coverage of4G/LTE and 5G base-stations.” www.infineon.comwww.irf.com

US District Court grants MACOM preliminary injunctionagainst Infineon on GaN-on-Si rights

GaN Systems Inc of Ottawa,Ontario, Canada — a fabless devel-oper of gallium nitride (GaN)-basedpower switching semiconductorsfor power conversion and controlapplications — has launched adaughterboard-style evaluation kitto help power design engineers toevaluate GaN enhancement-modeHEMT (E-HEMT) performance inany system design, along with auniversal motherboard (GS665MB-EVB). Ranging from 750W to 2500W,the family of four daughterboardsconsists of two GaN Systems’ 650VGaN E-HEMTs and all necessary circuits, including half-bridge gate drivers, isolated power suppliesand an optional heat-sink to form ahigh-performance half-bridgepower stage. GaN Systems says that several

features maximize the evaluationplatform’s utility: The platform serves as a refer-ence design and evaluation tool aswell as a deployment-ready solu-tion for easy in-system evaluation. The vertical mount style has a35mm height, which fits the major-ity of 1U design and allows evalua-tion of GaN E-HEMT in a traditionalthrough-hole-type power supplyboard.

A currentshunt positionis provided foreasy switch-ing energycharacteriza-tion testing. A universalform factorand footprintare used toallow users to compare variouspower levels for optimal cost/per-formance decisions. The evaluation platform family of

boards includes the following evalu-ation boards: GS66504B-EVBDB (using theGS66504B 650V/15A, 100mΩ GaNE-HEMT); GS66508B-EVBDB (using theGS66508B 650V/30A, 50mΩ GaNE-HEMT);

GS66508T-EVBDB (using theGS66508T 650V/30A, 50mΩ, top-side-cooled GaN E-HEMT); GS66516T-EVBDB (using theGS66516T 650V/60A, 25mΩ, top-side-cooled GaN E-HEMT); and GS665MB-EVB (universal 650Vmotherboard using all the aboveGaN HEMTs). GaN Systems is also launching the

GS61008P-EVBBK, a highly efficient48V to 12V synchronous buck con-verter based on the GS61008P100V, 90A GaN E-HEMT. The firmsays that this system demonstratesvery high efficiency at frequenciesup to 2MHz, commonly desired in48V systems. “By developing this family of GaN

E-HEMT evaluation boards, we areproviding power design engineerswith the tools to easily evaluateand optimize GaN transistor per-formance in their systems,” says VP sales & marketing Larry Spaziani.“Our evaluation kits facilitate devel-opment of AC/DC, energy storage,DC/DC and other power systems.The kits benefit developers acrossthe consumer, data-center, indus-trial, transportation, and energymarkets.” www.gansystems.com/eval-boards.php



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GaN Systems launches evaluation platform forgallium nitride transistors

GaN Systems’ co-founder & chieftechnology officer John Robertsdelivered the keynote address atthe 4th IEEE Power ElectronicsSociety Workshop on WideBandgap Power Devices and Applications (WiPDA 2016) at The Chancellor Hotel in Fayetteville,AR, USA (7–9 November). The presentation ‘GaN Power

Transistors – Powering Up’ (to anaudience of device scientists, circuit designers, and applicationengineers) will focus on the existingstate of high-current GaN power

transistors andwill discuss howGaN Systems’100V and 650VGaN transistorsare positionedto meet auto-motive powersystemsrequirements.

Roberts has been a champion ofgallium nitride technology for overa decade. Over that period, he hasspearheaded the research, devel-opment, manufacturing and large-

scale production of GaN devicesthat are now being designed intopower systems across the consumer,data-center, industrial, transporta-tion and energy markets. Robertswill share his perspective on wherepower design engineers are usingGaN transistors to solve powermanagement challenges. He willalso present examples where GaNtransistors have been used tomake systems more efficient,smaller, lighter and less costly. www.wipda2016.org www.gansystems.com

GaN Systems co-founder & CTO delivers WiPDA 2016 keynote address showcasing GaN’s value to automotive market

GaN Systems’ GS66508B-EVBDB half-bridge evaluation board

John Roberts.

Our evaluationkits facilitatedevelopment of AC/DC,energy storage, DC/DC andother powersystems



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To address the Taiwan wirelesspower standards organization’sannouncement of adopting AirFuel Alliance’s resonant wirelesscharging standard, Taiwan-basedJJPlus Corp (which designs andmanufactures industrial-grade andhigh-power WIFI solutions) andEfficient Power Conversion Corp(EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA —which makes enhancement-modegallium nitride on silicon (eGaN)power field-effect transistors (FETs)for power management applications— are collaborating to design andimplement GaN-based wirelesspower solutions. In addition to theTaiwan initiative, the designs willhave application for wireless charg-ing systems worldwide. The AirFuel Alliance, a global

consortium focused on enabling

and accelerating the adoption ofwireless power technology, recentlysigned a Letter of Intent with theTaiwan Association of Informationand Communication Standards(TAICS) to establish a wirelesscharging ecosystem in Taiwanthrough the introduction of AirFuel’s resonant technology standard. “Our collaboration is in direct

support of TAICS/AirFuel’s initiativein their launch of public wirelesscharging spots at coffee shops, airports or hotels,” says JJPlus’ general manager Jeff Shu. “We lookforward to employing EPC’s leadinggallium nitride technology andworking with their expert teams,who work closely with Witricity, totake a leadership position in thisfast-growing market,” he adds.

“Our eGaN technology has beensupporting the wireless chargingmarket development with our business partners and customersworldwide for over three years,”notes EPC’s CEO & co-founder Alex Lidow. “JJPlus is an exceptionalteam with technical know-how,dedication and expertise whosecustomer design solutions serve asmarket-leading solutions,” he comments. “With the introductionof AirFuel’s resonant technology in Taiwan’s wireless chargingecosystem, the adoption of wireless charging applications willbe accelerated, further fueling theoverall expansion of the GaN powermarket.” www.airfuel.org www.jjplus.com www.epc-co.com

On 10 November at the WirelessPower Summit 2016 in Seattle,WA, USA (10–11 November), EPC’s vice president of applicationsengineering Dr Michael de Rooijpresented a multi-mode wirelesspower charging solution thatworks with either of the two wireless charging standards — Qi or Airfuel. “The 8th annual Wireless Power

Summit focuses on businessstrategies and technology devel-opments in this rapidly changingfield, with a focus on how wirelesspower has evolved to higher-powerapplications including laptops, toolsand vehicles,” say the conferenceorganizers. Also giving presentationswere leaders from major companiesengaged in the development ofwireless power products, such asDell, Hewlett-Packard, Bosch andWitricity.

The presentation by de Rooij,‘Bridging the Differences Betweenthe Wireless Power Standards to

Improve the User Experience’focused on a multi-mode solutionthat provides a single system thataccommodates both leading wire-less power standards. This demon-strates the use of eGaN technologyto aid ease of use regardless of thestandard used in the receivingdevice. This multi-mode solutionshifts the planning of wirelesspower to more pragmatic issues,such as how to reduce cost,improve efficiency and increasepower, says EPC. The presentation was based on the

GaN applications R&D for wirelesspower that de Rooij has detailed inhis Wireless Power Handbook,which is available via Amazon.comor Digi-Key Electronics. http://epc-co.com/epc/Products/Publications/WirelessPowerHandbook www.wirelesspowersummit.com/2016-agenda

EPC presents user-friendly GaN-based multi-mode wirelesscharging solution at Wireless Power Summit

Taiwan’s JJPlus and EPC partner on GaN-based wireless charging designs Collaboration prompted by Taiwan wireless power standardsorganization’s adoption of AirFuel Alliance standard



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AKHAN Semiconductor Inc ofGurnee, IL, USA, which specializesin the fabrication and application ofnanocrystalline (NCD)-based mat-erials & devices for semiconductorand electronic applications, hasannounced a partnership with BlueWave Semiconductors Inc of Balti-more, MD, USA (which providesprocessing tools and thin-film tech-nology components and materialsto R&D customers, Federal Govern-ment, and industrial partners) thatis reckoned to constitute a key stepforward for the R&D of both compa-nies, allowing both to expand thefunctionality and applications oftheir products and processes.

Blue Wave produces hot-filamentchemical vapor deposition (HFCVD)equipment, representing an impor-tant differentiator as AKHAN is pre-pares to fabricate its Miraj diamondmaterial from both microwave andhot-filament systems for a variety ofthin-film substrates such as silicon,silicon carbide (SiC), and glass. AKHAN is partnering with Blue Wave

for nanocrystalline diamond processdevelopment on HFCVD systems.The partnership should allow AKHANto optimize its diamond technologiesfor a variety of optical, mechanical &thermal/electronic product lines andis intended to also facilitate rapidand efficient commercial scaling.

“This partnership will greatlyenhance our operational and com-mercial diamond capability, whereour customers can benefit from anoptimized lab-to-fab deploymentschedule, while maintaining compli-ance with rigid electronics manu-facturing standards,” says AKHAN’spresident & chief operating officerCarl Shurboff. “This partnership strengthens our

HFCVD product line for realizingdiamond coatings applications tocommercial opto-mechanical com-ponents,” adds Blue Wave’s CEO &CTO Dr R.D. Vispute. www.akhantech.com www.bluewavesemi.com

Electronic hardware and softwaredesign and manufacturing solutionsprovider Mentor Graphics Corp ofWilsonville, OR, USA has joined theWide Band Gap integration (WBGi)power electronics consortium toparticipate in thermal managementand power cycling initiatives. Established in 2013 by professors

Katsuaki Suganuma and TsuyoshiFuaki of Osaka University in Japan,the WBGi Consortium assemblesacademics and industrialists world-wide to leverage the possibilities ofwide-bandgap semiconductorsmaterials such as silicon carbide(SiC) and gallium arsenide (GaN) —which enable devices to operate atmuch higher voltages, frequenciesand temperatures than conven-tional silicon materials — and theassociated challenges. Mentor Graphics is already an

active member of the US-basedCenter for Power Electronics Systems(CPES) and European Centre forPower Electronics Consortium (ECPE).

WBGi is hence the third power electronics consortium that Mentor Graphics has joined, offer-ing its expertise in the field andproven technologies to advance thepower and performance of semi-conductors, IGBTs, MOSFETs, andother devices. “One of the key issues for SiC-

and GaN-based power electronics is thermal dissipation,” says Katsuaki Suganuma, professor at theInstitute of Scientific and IndustrialResearch at Osaka University.“Mentor’s T3Ster transient thermaltester hardware is the mostadvanced technology in its field and can contribute to understand-ing what is going on in WBG semiconductors,” he comments.“There are standards for powerLEDs already, and we believe that MicReD technology in the Mentor Graphics Power Tester canhelp in developing power cyclingstandards for WBG power electron-ics.”

The WBGi Consortium is address-ing all aspects of packaging andreliability in the next generation ofpower electronics, with 34 industrialcompany members plus severalwork groups, workshops and meet-ings in place. The WBGi is alsoinvolved with the ECPE in Europe,USA and Asian partner organizationsto establish itself as a global consortium. “Being a member of the WBGi

Consortium in Japan is extremelyvaluable and important to us,” saysRoland Feldhinkel, general managerof Mentor Graphics’ MechanicalAnalysis Division. “Our proventechnologies and our team ofresearchers, educators and scientistsare eager to contribute to WBGi’sinitiatives and working groups,” he adds. “Our collaboration withthe WGBi and its members can help result in tremendous advance-ments for the power electronicssystems industry worldwide.” www.mentor.com

Mentor Graphics joins Wide Band Gap integrationpower electronics consortium in Japan Software provider to participate in thermal management and power cycling initiatives

AKHAN and Blue Wave partner to developnanocrystalline diamond processes on HFCVD systems

Keysight Technologies Inc of Santa Rosa, CA, USA (which pro-vides electronic measurementinstruments, systems and relatedsoftware used in the design, devel-opment, manufacture, installation,deployment and operation of elec-tronic equipment) has collaboratedwith Virginia Diodes Inc (VDI,which makes test & measurementequipment for millimeter-wave andterahertz applications) to create a1.5THz measurement solution forChalmers University of Technologyin Gothenburg, Sweden. Already upand running in Chalmers’ nationallaboratory for terahertz characteri-zation, the industry-first solutionprovides network and spectrumanalysis capabilities for research onnew materials, devices and circuits

for applications at micro-, millimeter-and sub-millimeter-wave frequencies. Chalmers’ researchers are work-

ing in the terahertz gap betweenradio waves and infrared light. The measurement equipment fromKeysight provides new capabilitiesthat are enhancing their work withfree-space, on-wafer and waveguidemeasurements in the terahertz gap.

The system is built around theKeysight’s PNA-X microwave networkanalyzer, which covers 10MHz to67GHz and reaches 1.5THz withexternal extension modules fromVDI. Achieving an insightful under-standing of device performance andbehavior requires network andspectrum measurements, saysKeysight, which claims that thePNA family is the first to provideintegrated spectrum analysis capa-bility that reaches into the terahertzrange. The ability to access bothcapabilities in a single test setup —and make multiple measurementsthrough one set of connections —saves time and enhances insight. www.keysight.com/find/1.5THZ www.chalmers.se/en www.vadiodes.com

Chalmers chooses Keysight and Virginia Diodes to createfirst system for network & spectrum analysis up to 1.5THz Capabilities enhance free-space, on-wafer & waveguide measurements ofmaterials, devices and circuits at terahertz frequencies

News: Materials and processing equipment


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A Keysight PNA network analyzer

Test, measurement and monitoringequipment supplier Tektronix Inc ofBeaverton, OR, USA has introducedthe Keithley S540 Power Semicon-ductor Test System, a fully auto-mated, 48-pin parametric test systemfor wafer-level testing of power semi-conductor devices and structuresup to 3kV. Optimized for compoundpower semiconductor materialsincluding silicon carbide (SiC) andgallium nitride (GaN), the S540 canperform all high-voltage, low-voltageand capacitance tests in a singleprobe touch-down. As demand for power semiconduc-

tor devices continues to increaseand as SiC and GaN become morecommercialized, manufacturers areadopting wafer-level testing in theirproduction processes to optimizeyields and improve profitability, saysTektronix. For these applications,the S540 lowers cost of ownershipby minimizing test time, test set-up

time and floor space while achiev-ing lab-grade high-voltage meas-urement performance, it adds. “Many fabs are using custom-built,

hybrid test systems for power semi-conductor testing that require manually changing test setups whenmoving from low-voltage to high-voltage tests,” says Keithley productline general manager Mike Flaherty.“As you might expect, this addsprocess steps and slows production,”he adds. “In contrast, the S540 is acomplete, fully integrated solutionwell suited for production environ-ments where numerous devicesmust be tested quickly.” To deliver production-level per-

formance, the S540 can performparametric measurements on up to48 pins without changing cables orprobe card infrastructure. It canalso perform transistor capacitancemeasurements such as Ciss, Coss,and Crss up to 3kV, again without

manual reconfiguration of test pins.Further boosting test output, theS540 offers sub-pA measurementperformance and can perform fullyautomated, high-voltage leakagecurrent tests in <1s. As a standard commercial product,

the S540 offers fully traceable system specifications, safety com-pliance, diagnostics, and worldwideservice and support, features thatare often missing in home-built orcustom systems. The S540 drawson Keithley’s 30+ years of semicon-ductor parametric testing expertise,and safely and seamlessly integratessemiconductor test instrumentationwith both low- and high-voltageswitching matrices, cabling, probe card adapters, prober driversand test software. The Keithley S540 is available to

order now, for delivery from March. www.tek.com/keithley-s540-parametric-test-system

Tektronix launches Keithley S540 power semiconductortest system targeting SiC and GaN devices up to 3kV



26

Cardiff City Council planners haveapproved the latest phase of CardiffUniversity’s £300m InnovationCampus, which will host a range of facilities geared to innovation,including the Institute for Compound Semiconductors (a UK-based translational research centrein compound semiconductors) andthe Cardiff Catalysis Institute (featuring a catalysis facility to support Cardiff’s research in chemical sciences). Two new buildings (each covering

12,000m2) will bring researchers,businesses, public sector backersand students together to forgeprocesses that aim to create tech-nological innovations, spin-outcompanies, partnerships and newproducts and services. The fully funded £135m project on

the city’s brownfield Maindy Park isthe third phase in Cardiff’s missionto embed innovation in universitylife. The campus vision, outlinedtwo years ago by Vice-Chancellorprofessor Colin Riordan, establishescentres of excellence that aim topush benefits back into the economyto create a self-sustaining cycle forgrowth. “Cutting-edge research,technology transfer, business devel-opment and student enterprise willput ideas to work,” says Riordan.“We are hiring internationallyrenowned academics who can buildworld-class teams of post-doctoralresearchers. We are equipping students with the skills they’ll need

to set up future ventures. And we’recontinuing to attract major UK andinternational funding across privateand public sectors,” he adds. Lettable office and lab space will be

available to ventures — from smallstart-ups through to major corpo-rates — who want to work directlywith one of the UK’s leading researchuniversities. Also, a bridge will linkto the Cardiff Business School. Architects Hawkins\Brown and

HOK worked on the project along-side site masterplanners BDP andtown planning consultancy DPP. “We’ve worked closely with the

university to develop new modelsfor space use and the integration ofindustrial partners and collaboratorsin an HE [high education] context,”says Hawkins/Brown partner Oliver Milton. This has resulted in a clear design with interactiveworking spaces organized around acentral ‘oculus’ that connects thesix storeys. Shared facilities includea Ted-ex auditorium and fabricationlab to trial new manufacturingtechnologies.”

“We look forward to creatingcutting-edge facilities that willreinforce the university’sinternational reputation as aleading catalysis researchcentre and build on itsstrengths in the developmentof semiconductor devices andmaterials,” says AdrianGainer, regional leader forHOK’s Science + Technology

group. “Both the Institute for Compound Semiconductors and the Cardiff Catalysis Institute havebeen designed to enable multi-disciplinary research to flourish,” he adds. “The campus fulfils a number of

aspirations for Cardiff Universityand aims to facilitate world-leadingscientific research, inter-disciplinarymixing and increase student oppor-tunities in an environment that’sbetter for business,” commentsBDP’s Martin Jones. “We worked very closely with the

university and Cardiff Council toensure that this exciting schemecould be delivered within an outlineplanning consent dating back to2010,” says DPP’s Gareth Hooper.“The result is the continuation of an exciting regeneration project,delivering physical change to thecity through world-leading science.” Cardiff University hopes to start

work on site early in 2017. www.cardiff.ac.uk/innovation/campus-investment/translational-research-facility

The Compound SemiconductorCentre (CSC) — a joint ventureformed in August 2015 betweenepiwafer foundry and substratemaker IQE plc of Cardiff, Wales,UK and Cardiff University — hasappointed Robert Harper asRF/Power program manager.

CSC says that Harper’s experi-ence in semiconductor R+D/product delivery includes 16 yearsof fab experience at InMOS/ST and14 years of epitaxy experience atIQE Silicon in technical and commercial roles. He joins CSCfrom his current role as global

sales director at a global semicon-ductor process equipmentprovider. In his new role, Harper’s challenge

will be to focus on delivering CSC’sRF/Power roadmap across all itsinitiatives. www.compoundsemiconductorcentre.com

RF/Power program manager for Compound Semiconductor Centre

Cardiff University’s £300m Innovation Campusapproved by city planners Campus to host Institute for Compound Semiconductors

Artist’s impression of Maindy Park building.

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BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which was spun offfrom the III-nitride department ofMacquarie University in 2005 todevelop a low-temperature processusing remote plasma chemicalvapor deposition (RPCVD) to growmaterials including gallium nitride(GaN) and indium gallium nitride(InGaN) on glass substrates — hasentered into an exclusive 15-monthcollaboration agreement with epi-wafer foundry and substrate makerIQE plc of Cardiff, Wales, UK. IQE’s products are used by major

global chip companies to producehigh-performance componentsenabling a wide range of applicationsincluding for the wireless industry(such as smartphone and wirelessinfrastructure, Wi-Fi, base-stations,GPS, and satellite communications)

as well as for optical communicationsand optical storage. The two firms will work together

to develop specific enabling tech-nology for nitride films deposited byRPCVD on both silicon wafers andon specially engineered substrates:cREO (rare earth oxide) on silicon. “BluGlass’ world-leading RPCVD

technology is highly complementaryto IQE’s existing technology portfolio,and the collaboration is a key stepin overcoming challenges inherentto epi-growth of cutting-edge mat-erials,” comments IQE Group’s vicepresident Dr Rodney Pelzel. “This arrangement comes on the

heels of our announcement earlierthis year of successful transfer ofcREO epi capability [from TranslucentInc of Palo Alto, CA, USA] to IQE’sNorth Carolina manufacturing site.

This collaborative arrangement is akey step in furthering this technol-ogy,” Pelzel adds. “We are delighted to have formed

a strategic partnership with IQE,one of the world’s leading com-pound semiconductor foundries,supplying many of today’s leadingsemiconductor manufacturers,”says BluGlass’ managing directorGiles Bourne. “We have chosen towork with IQE, based on the enor-mous market potential and impactthat the applications that we will beco-developing could have on thesemiconductor industry in thefuture,” he adds. “Their diverseproduct portfolio makes them avery compelling partner to beworking with.” www.iqep.com www.bluglass.com.au

II-VI Inc’s EpiWorks Division, whichmanufactures epitaxial wafers foroptical components, wireless devicesand high-speed communicationapplications, is breaking ground ona new production facility in Champaign, Illinois. Due for completion by mid-2017,

the expansion will enable a quadru-pling of its capacity in Champaignover the next three years. In addi-tion to substantial epiwafer produc-tion space, the new cleanroom willhouse a wafer characterization andtest laboratory. To operate the new facility, EpiWorks

is recruiting experienced managers,engineers and technicians. Theexpansion supports the perform-ance and volume requirements forseveral key components enablingmultiple growing markets. Theseinclude indium phosphide (InP)-and gallium arsenide (GaAs)-basedoptoelectronic communication com-ponents for cloud computing and

data-centers, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs)for 3D sensing and next-generationwide-bandgap devices for 5G wire-less infrastructure. “High-performance compound

semiconductors are required to meetthe performance needs of moderncommunication networks, sensors,smartphones, wireless communica-tions networks, and datacenters.Our technology is being adopted inmany applications, and we areensuring that our capacity continuesto meet customer demand now and in the future,” says GiovanniBarbarossa, chief technology officerand president of the Laser SolutionsSegment. “New capacity will supportour RF and photonics businesses,and we will have more resources toresearch and develop new mater-ials and products,” he adds. “Immediately after merging with

II-VI in February, we ordered threenew MOCVD production tools and

filled our current cleanroom space,”say EpiWorks’ co-founders QuesnellHartmann and David Ahmari.“These systems have already beeninstalled, and we have now movedinto the next phase of growth byexpanding our cleanroom space,launching an aggressive hiringplan, and working to build theindustry’s most technologicallyadvanced and efficient manufac-turing line,” they add. “This company has a strong Illi-

nois history, having been foundedby University of Illinois alumni,”says Illinois governor Bruce Rauner.“EpiWorks’ success in Illinois is atestament to our state’s researchuniversities, the ingenuity of ourworkforce, and the innovative com-munity in Champaign Urbana,” headds. “We hope to continue to be apartner with them to help growtheir business within our bordersand build upon this success.”www.epiworks.com

BluGlass and IQE collaborate Nitride films for electronic devices to be co-developed on both siliconand IQE’s cREO technology using BluGlass’ low-temperature RPCVD

EpiWorks breaks ground on production expansion Capacity to quadruple over next three years



30

For third-quarter 2016, AXT Inc ofFremont, CA, USA — which makesgallium arsenide (GaAs), indiumphosphide (InP) and germanium(Ge) substrates and raw materials— has reported revenue of $21.9m(above the expected $20.5–21.5m).This is up 7% on $20.5m last quarterand up 19% on $18.4m a year ago,driven by stronger-than-expecteddemand for GaAs.Of total revenue, 66% came from

Asia Pacific, 23% from Europe, and11% from North America. Only onecustomer generated over 10% ofrevenue, and the top five generated38% (down from 42% last quarter),reflecting the ongoing diversificationof both products and customers. “The global build out of fiber-

optical connections continue to bethe leading driver of our InP sales,”says CEO Morris Young. “Fiber-optictechnology is helping to enable thefruition of applications such as cloudcomputing, the Internet-of-Thingsand video streaming. Worldwidefiber deployment has 100 millionconnections in 2015 and is expected tocontinue to grow for the long term.”However, GPON and EPON marketsin China are taking a pause torebalance following two years ofstrong growth, notes Young. “Thissoftness caused a modest decline inindium phosphide sales in Q3.” “Our raw material business remain

under pricing pressure,” says Young.Revenue from AXT’s seven consoli-dated joint ventures was down$581,000. “But we are seeing pricestart to stabilize and in some casesimprove,” he notes. “Gallium priceduring the quarter seems to havestabilized and has ticked up a littlebit, as has germanium pricing. Thiscould lead to a more favorable pricingenvironment in quarters to come.” Gross margin has risen further, from

25.1% a year ago and 29.4% lastquarter to 34.6% (the highest sinceQ1/2012), due to higher productionvolume, a favorable product mix

(including InP substrate and othermaterials with high-end applications)and good progress in manufacturingefficiencies and yield improvements(especially in crystal growth). Operating expenses have been cut

further, from $5.3m a year ago and$5.1m last quarter to $4.9m.“Through the implementation of anumber of programs, we areachieving improved deals for bothingots and wafer processing,” saysYoung. “The benefit of these in-progress and other cost-reductionmeasures are becoming increasinglyvisible in our financial results.” Net income has recovered further,

from breakeven a year ago and$1.2m ($0.03 per diluted share)last quarter to $2.2m ($0.07 perdiluted share, above the expected$0.03-0.05 per diluted share).Depreciation and amortization were

steady at $1.2m. Capital expenditure(CapEx) was $0.5m (halved from$1m last quarter). After generatingpositive cash flow during Q3, cash,cash equivalents and investmentsrose by $2.4m from $45m to $47.3m. For Q4/2016, revenue is expected

to fall to $18.5–19.5m. InP revenuewill rebound slightly, as increasinggrowth for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH)deployment and data-center con-nectivity will offset the continuingGPON- and EPON-related inventoryadjustment in China. However, thiswill be outweighed by declines of$0.15m in germanium, $1m in GaAs(due mainly to temporary inventoryadjustments by two major customersfor semi-insulating GaAs followingan unusually strong Q3, plus aslight $100,000–150,000 decline insemiconducting GaAs), and $1.5min raw materials (following a strongQ3, which had included a sizabledelivery to Japan of about 10 tonsof gallium). Net income should be$0.02–0.04 per diluted share. “In spite of these near-term factors

that are expected in a down quarterin Q4, we do not see any fundamen-

tal changes in our key markets,” noteschief financial officer Gary Fischer. “Sales of semi-insulating GaAs has

reached a relative stable level thatprovides a healthy base of profitablerevenue,” says Young. “Also, we areworking with customers on certaininvestigations of new applicationsfor the material that could providefuture upside potential,” he adds.“In the semiconducting GaAs market,we continue to participate selectivelyin high-end LED applications suchas backlighting, signage and auto-motive,” continues Young. “Whilethe LED market remains highlycompetitive and fragmented, we areseeing relative stable demand thatwe expect to continue into 2017.” “Long term, we are closely watching

the continued market developmentof VCSELs for 3D sensing applications,such as gaming, mobile phones,smart TVs, high-speed communica-tions and high-power material pro-cessing. 3D sensing requires deviceswith relative high-precision func-tionality and consistent reliability,”Young notes. This translates into theneed for very low defect densities,i.e. very low etch-pit density (EPD).“Our VGF technology and propri-etary processes allow us to offerindustry-leading specifications thatcreates a significant competitiveadvantage for high-end VCSELapplications. This application couldprovide an attractive opportunityfor our business if it is adopted intohigh-end smartphones, which couldtotal 500–600 million units per year.” “We are focusing our resources on

strategic product applications inInP, GaAs and Ge substrates that areshowing promising market trends,”Young says. “InP is a growth driverfor our business in fiscal year 2017and beyond, and we expect that GaAswill continue to provide a stablerevenue base with upside potentialfrom VCSELs and other investiga-tional applications,” adds Fischer. www.axt.com

AXT’s revenue grows 7% in third-quarter 2016, driven by stronger-than-expected demand for GaAs InP inventory corrections in China suppress growth



31

LayTec AG of Berlin, Germany saysthat it has delivered its 2000th in-situ metrology system since thefirm’s foundation in 1999. An EpiTT(with the figure 2000 in its serialnumber) has been shipped to Compound Semiconductor Centre(CSC) of Cardiff, Wales, UK — ajoint venture formed in August 2015between Cardiff-based epiwaferfoundry and substrate maker IQE plcand Cardiff University. CSC works on providing a com-

plete capability value chain, fromhigh-end R&D through product andprocess innovation to high value,large-scale manufacturing. “ThisEpiTT and other LayTec systemsalready installed in our labs provideunrivalled precision and sophisti-cated analysis algorithms, which iscrucial for process optimization insemiconductor manufacturingenvironment,” comments CSC

director Dr Wyn Meredith. “It is significant that our 2000th

in-situ tool is delivered to aresearch institution with a strongconnection to industry,” saysLayTec’s founder & CEO Dr ThomasZettler. “LayTec has always set agreat value on cooperating withboth industry and R&D,” he adds.“We have equipped hundreds ofcustomers worldwide with state-of-the-art metrology, mainly in thefield of LED and laser production. Inthe last few years we also enteredthe PV, display and advanced siliconmarkets. Meanwhile, our productportfolio covers all areas of processmonitoring: in-situ, in-line, lab-lineand map-line metrology.” Due tothis market diversification, Zettlerbelieves that LayTec can deliver thenext thousand tools more quickly. www.compoundsemiconductorcentre.com www.laytec.de

LayTec’s 2000th tool delivered toCompound Semiconductor Centre LayTec adds staff to

sales and customersupport teams LayTec is strengthening its teamwith the addition of DennisDachkovski as a sales manager,working closely with customersand distribution partners in Asia.Dachkovski has a scientific back-ground as a graduate in physicsas well as experience in processintegration and thin-film charac-terization which he gained atInfineon Technologies. Also, Benjamin Klessen has

joined LayTec as a customer sup-port engineer to provide service,training and installation of LayTecsystems at customer sites world-wide. Klessen graduated in pho-tonics (with a focus on optics andelectronics) and has experiencein the service and installation ofoptical inspection tools.

IN BRIEF



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For third-quarter 2016,epitaxial deposition andprocess equipment makerVeeco Instruments Inc ofPlainview, NY, USA hasreported revenue of$85.5m, down 39% on$140.7m a year ago butup 13% on $75.3m lastquarter and slightly abovethe $70–85m guidance. By region, the Americas

comprised 22% of totalrevenue and Europe, Middle East & Africa(EMEA) 23%, while Chinafell from 44% last quarterto 25% as the rest of theworld (including South-east Asia and Japan) roseto 30%, driven by strongsales of metal-organic chemicalvapor deposition (MOCVD) systems. The Lighting, Display & Power

Electronics segment — primarilyMOCVD — has rebounded further,from 33% of total revenue lastquarter to 58%, with revenue dou-bling quarter-on-quarter. “We areseeing a clear improvement in LEDindustry conditions and solid demandfor our MOCVD products,” sayschairman & CEO John R. Peeler.“We continue to win LED lightingand display opportunities with ourTurboDisc EPIK700 MOCVD systemand expand our positions in [ROY]red, orange and yellow LEDs with ourTurboDisc K475i As/Parsenic phosphide system,” he adds. “Wewere able to supportcustomers’ acceleratedshipment requests for acouple of MOCVD systemsby effectively utilizingexisting inventory,” sayschief financial officerSam Maheshwari. The Advanced Packaging,

MEMS & RF segmentcomprised 14% of revenue, falling further

from 23% last quarter. However,although sales in Advanced Packagingare down on last quarter, year-to-datesales already exceeded those offull-year 2015. “We have broadenedour Precision Surface Processing[PSP] customer engagements inAdvanced Packaging, and are nowworking with multiple OSATs [outsourced semiconductor assembly & test providers] and IDMs[integrated device manufacturers]to further penetrate this market,”notes Maheshwari.Veeco’s Foundational Businesses fell

from $34m (44% of revenue) lastquarter to $24m (28% of revenue),

with the Scientific & Industrial seg-ment falling from 26% last quarterto 16% and the Data Storage seg-ment falling from 18% to 12%.On a non-GAAP basis (excluding

charges of $57.8m, mostly anintangible non-cash ALD assetimpairment of $56m plus restruc-turing charges of $1.8m requiringcash), gross margin was 40.3%,down on 42.4% last quarter butslightly above the midpoint of the39–41% guidance range. Operating expenses have been cut

by $3.5m from last quarter’s $38.1mto a lower-than-forecasted $34.6m.“We executed well against our cost-

Veeco’s MOCVD sales double as display backlightingdemand stabilizes and LED industry recovers Adjusted EBITDA turns positive; breakeven revenue lowered to $75m



33

reduction plans and acceleratedOpEx savings by one quarter,”notes Maheshwari. Due to the higher sales volume

and accelerated OpEx-related costreductions, net loss was cut from$7.6m ($0.19 per diluted share)last quarter to $1.8m ($0.05 perdiluted share, much better than theexpected $0.26–0.10). Adjustedearnings before interest, taxes,depreciation and amortization(EBITDA) was $2.9m, an improve-ment from last quarter’s loss of$2.8m and well above the guidancerange of a loss of $6m to breakeven. Veeco generated $7m in cash

from operations, supported by anincrease in customer deposits. Consistent with expectations forcash to stabilize in second-half 2016,cash and short-term investmentsrose by $6m to $337m. Order bookings were $118m, up

73% on $68m last quarter. Growthwas driven almost entirely by asharp recovery in demand for Lighting, Display & Power Electronicsbusiness (MOCVD products). “Utilization rates have remainedstable to slightly higher and westarted to see customers makinginvestments in MOCVD capacity,”says Peeler. “We received multipletool orders from both Epistar andHC SemiTek in support of their LEDproduction plans,” notes Maheshwari.“We successfully won new EPIKbusiness by demonstrating the

performance and cost of ownershipadvantages of EPIK versus a lower-cost competitor platform,” he adds.“We secured follow-on orders for ourrecently launched K475i product, andwe are seeing positive indicationsfor additional MOCVD investment tooccur in the near term.” Quarter-endbacklog rose by $32m to $177m. For Q4/2016, Veeco expects

revenue to rise to $85–100m.Gross margin is expected to fallslightly to 38–40%, including theimpact of temporary inefficienciesdue to duplicative labor and facilitycosts associated with manufacturingconsolidation activities (movingmanufacturing from three sites intothe New Jersey facility; Veecoexpects to begin seeing benefitsfrom it by late Q1/2017, i.e. March).Operating expenses should remainrelatively flat (savings from ALDcost reduction activities are expectedto materialize from Q1/2017). Thenet result is expected to be betweena loss of –$3m ($0.07 per share) anda profit of +$3m ($0.07 per share).Adjusted EBITDA is expected to bebetween breakeven and $6m. “We remain focused on improving

the company’s through-cycle profitability,” says Peeler. “We areexecuting against our cost-reductioninitiatives [announced in earlyAugust], including our [more]recently announced plans to significantly reduce investments inatomic layer deposition (ALD)

technology development,” he adds.“We weighed the investments necessary to establish and grow aposition in ALD with the potentialand expected timing for returnsand, although we continue to makeprogress in our development effortsfor advanced semiconductor appli-cations, the timing for potentialrevenue realization was delayed.” “In total, we now expect to lower

the company’s cost structure by$30m on an annualized basis[adding $10m cuts for ALD to theexisting $20m from consolidation].These actions are expected to lowerour quarterly adjusted EBITDAbreakeven level [from $75–80m] toapproximately $75m in revenue,starting in the first quarter of2017,” Peeler concludes. “Historically, Veeco’s first quarter

revenues have been seasonallylower than the fourth quarter[impacted by Chinese year, largely anMOCVD effect],” notes Maheshwari.“However, based on current visibil-ity and outlook, first-quarter 2017revenues are trending in the samerange as Q4, largely on the back ofthe strength of the MOCVD indus-try,” he adds. “The weaknesses andother seasonal declines from otherbusinesses would be offset by theimproved situation in MOCVD,” continues Maheshwari. “We remainfocused on achieving non-GAAPgross margin at or above 40%.” www.veeco.com

Riber S.A. of Bezons, France, whichmanufactures molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) systems as well asevaporation sources and effusioncells, has received an order for aproduction system for delivery in2017 to Almae Technologies, whichwas spun off in October 2015 fromIII-V Lab of Palaiseau, France (thejoint laboratory between Nokia,Thales and France’s Atomic EnergyAgency CEA). Almae is increasing its manufac-

turing capacity for advanced pho-tonic components that are enablingthe rapid increase of traffic in opti-cal fiber networks for deployingfiber-to-the-home (FTTH), for con-sumer high-speed Internet access,and for 4G mobile networks. “Almae has the ambition to

become a world leader in advancedphotonic solutions for the high-speedfiber optical networks which are atthe heart of tomorrow’s economyand society,” says Almae’s CEO

Jean Louis Gentner. “Almae Tech-nologies has developed an innovativeprocess using gas-source MBEallowing our product performance tobenefit from a differentiated compet-itive advantage and increasing ourproductivity in a very challengingmarket,” he adds. “This acquisitionis a very important step in thedevelopment of the industrial platform for our young company.” www.3-5lab.fr www.riber.com

Almae orders Riber production MBE system toexpand photonic component manufacturing capacity



34

For third-quarter 2016, depositionequipment maker Aixtron SE ofHerzogenrath, near Aachen, Germanyhas reported revenue of €51.2m,down 6.2% on €54.6m a year agobut up 50% on €34.1m last quarter(due to a scheduled increase insystems supplied). Equipment sales were hence

€40.6m (79% of revenue), downjust 1.7% on €41.3m a year agoand up 64% on €24.7m (just 73%of revenue) last quarter. Sales ofspare parts & services were €10.6m(21% of revenue), down on €13.3ma year ago but up from €9.3m lastquarter. On a regional basis, 72% of revenue

came from Asia (up from just 44%last quarter), just 7% from Europe(down from 33%), and 21% fromthe USA (down from 23%). The majority of AIX R6 MOCVD

system inventory (for GaN LEDs) —which amounted to €19.3m at theend of September — was sold in Q3(and will be shipped in the comingmonths). Also, throughout Q3 therewere strong shipments of Planetaryreactor systems particularly for red, orange, yellow (ROY) LED opto-electronics and power electronics.“We continue to be in a solid positionin MOCVD outside GaN LEDs,” notespresident & CEO Martin Goetzeler.Also, Aixtron has completed onecustomer’s qualification program foratomic layer deposition (ALD) toolsfor high-k oxide films; in Q3/2016such silicon applications (includingspares) were 25% of total revenue. Gross margin has recovered further,

from 20% last quarter to 33%(level with a year ago), due to abetter product mix and higher salesvolumes allowing for better utilizationin production. Operating expenses have risen

from €18m last quarter to €20.4m,due mainly to currency impacts aswell as increased R&D spending. Earnings before interest, tax,

depreciation and amortization

(EBITDA) has improved from–€8.2m last quarter to –€0.4m(though still down on +€4.1m ayear ago). The net result improvedfrom –€11.1m (–€0.09 per dilutedshare) last quarter to –€3.8m(–€0.04 per diluted share). Capital expenditure (CapEx) has

rebounded from a low of €0.8m lastquarter to €1.3m. Compared with–€20.7m last quarter (adjusted foracquisition effects), the positivefree cash flow of €3m was duemainly to reduced operating lossesand higher advance payments fromcustomers (which rose from €24mat the end of 2015 to €41.3m at theend of this September, reflectinghigher order backlog). Cash & cash equivalents (including

cash deposits with a maturity ofmore than 90 days) were €163.5mat the end of September, downfrom €209.4m at the end of 2015,due mainly to anegative net resultof –€30.4m for thefirst nine monthsof 2016, paymentof the secondinstalment of theagreed return ofadvance paymentsto China’s largestLED maker San’an

Optoelectronics Co Ltd, and anagreed milestone payment made inQ1/2016 for the purchase in April2015 of PlasmaSi Inc of Fremont,CA, USA, which provides low-tem-perature silicon nitride plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition(PECVD) systems for the encapsu-lation of organic thin-films. However,cash and cash equivalents were upslightly from €161.3m at the end ofJune, due to Q3’s lower operatinglosses and the higher advance pay-ments received from customers.Aixtron has no financial debt. Increased demand for production

systems for LED, telecom and opto-electronics applications (includinglow-margin sales of the AIX R6inventory), as well as for the siliconindustry, has driven growth in notonly revenue but also orders. Totalorder intake in Q3/2016 was €69m,up 35% on €51.1m last quarterand doubling from €34.4m a yearago. Equipment order backlog hasrisen further, up by 21% from€86.2m last quarter to €104m.Total order intake as well as therespective equipment order backlogsupport management’s expectationof revenue growth in Q4/2016. “Despite a comparatively weak

development in revenues in thefirst nine months of 2016, we have

Aixtron returns to positive free cash flow in Q3,boosted by sales of AIX R6 system inventory Full-year order intake guidance raised from €180–200m to €200–220m

Aixtron’s 24-monthbusiness development

The majorityof AIX R6MOCVDsysteminventory(for GaNLEDs) wassold in Q3



35

reiterated our 2016 full-year revenueguidance given in February, withslight adjustments for order intakeand revenue,” says Goetzeler. “This is due to solid order situationwithin recent months,” he adds. Based on €106.6m revenue accrued

in the first nine months of 2016, plusexpected spares & service revenueof about €10m in Q4/2016 andassuming that €63–83m of the€104m equipment order backlogwill be converted into revenue inQ4/2016 (based on an internalbudget rate of $/€1.10), for full-year2016 Aixtron has narrowed its previous revenue guidance from€170–200m to €180–200m (compared with €197.8m in 2015).Order intake guidance for full-year2016 has been raised from€180–200m to €200-220m (up from€167.1m in 2015), due mainly tothe sale of AIX R6 equipment withsurplus-level margins. Depending on the successful com-

pletion of qualification processes,market entry efforts, as well as theachievement of revenue at the high end of the guidance range,management also expects another

improvement in results for full-year2016. Before transaction-relatedimpacts, the firm’s EBITDA, EBIT,net result and free cash flow shouldimprove slightly from 2015 butremain negative, as expected rev-enue volumes continue to be toolow to fully finance all of the prod-ucts in the development pipeline. Aixtron’s management notes that,

due to uncertainties in terms ofinvestment requirements for certain

product groups, potential restruc-turing costs or consequences fromtransactions (e.g. the takeover ofAixtron by China’s Fujian Grand ChipInvestment, for which the clearancecertificate issued on 8 Septemberby the German Federal Ministry ofEconomics and Energy was subse-quently withdrawn in October), it isreviewing its 2017 EBITDA devel-opment. www.aixtron.com

Aixtron says that the investigationperiod for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to reviewthe tender offer by Grand ChipInvestment GmbH (GCI) from aUS national security perspectivelapsed on 18 November. CFIUS did not issue a close-out

letter, but informed GCI and Aixtron that there are unresolvedUS national security concernsregarding the proposed transaction.It plans to recommend to the USPresident that the transaction beprohibited, based on its conclusionthat there would be no reasonableway to mitigate the US national

security risks perceived by CFIUSon the basis of the mitigation proposals submitted by the partiesto date. As a consequence, CFIUShas recommended that the partiesrequest withdrawal of their noticeand abandon the entire transaction. Both GCI and Aixtron have decided

not to follow such recommendation,as a result of which the matter hasbeen referred to the US Presidentfor decision in line with CFIUSstatutes, under which the Presidentmust render his decision to blockor allow the proposed transactionwithin 15 calendar days. GCI and Aixtron say that they plan

to continue to engage in further

discussions to explore means ofmitigation that may be amenableto CFIUS or the US President toresolve outstanding US nationalsecurity concerns or to take alter-native measures that could allowthe parties to proceed with thetransaction. GCI and Aixtron notethat there are no assurances thatCFIUS or the US President willentertain further dialogue with the parties or that they will be ableto identify and agree to any mitigation or to take alternativemeasures that will allow the parties to proceed with the transaction. www.aixtron.com

CFIUS advises US President to prohibit Grand Chip’s takeover of Aixtron Grand Chip and Aixtron refuse request to abandon takeover, but aim to resolve US national security concerns

Aixtron’s guidance for full-year 2016(based on internalbudget rate of $/€1.10)



36

SPTS Technologies Ltd of Newport,Wales, UK (an Orbotech companythat manufactures etch, PVD andCVD wafer processing solutions forthe MEMS, advanced packaging,LED, high-speed RF on GaAs, andpower management device markets)has recently won four businessawards. At this year’s Best Factory Awards

organized by Cranfield School ofManagement, SPTS was presentedwith the Innovation Award and theExport Award. Having met thequalification criteria set by thejudging panel as well as a comprehensive factory audit, the Innovation Award recognizesSPTS for its level of innovationthroughout the company. TheExport Award notes the firm’s proportion of export sales of 95%.The judges noted the multi-dimen-sional aspects of innovation atSPTS, which enables the firm toremain at the forefront of technicaladvances in semiconductor process

technologies and to bring industry-leading products to its global markets. The judges also pointedto SPTS’ lean manufacturingprocesses and commitment to continuous improvement whichprovides improved operational efficiencies and annual cost savingsto the business. Also, at the ceremony for the

Insider 2016 Made in Wales Awardsat Cardiff City Hall (which celebratethe best in manufacturing, designand product development fromacross Wales), SPTS received theApprenticeship Scheme of the YearAward and was crowned the Large Manufacturer of the Year. The Made in Wales Awards also recognized SPTS Technologies’export salesby short list-ing it in theExporter ofthe YearAward category.

“It’s the commitment to continuousimprovement across the entireorganization that has allowed us togrow our business, both operationallyand profitably, year on year,” saysKevin Crofton, president of SPTSand corporate VP at Orbotech. “The Best Factory Awards judgingprocess was on par with some ofour most demanding customeraudits, and we are extremely proudto be recognized for manufacturingexcellence by the team of assessorsfrom Cranfield School of Manage-ment, the IEE and other independ-ent institutions,” he adds. The Insider Made in Wales

Apprenticeship Scheme of the YearAward “recognizes our commitmentto identifying and attracting youngpeople to our industry and company,”Crofton continues. “Our apprentice-ship program is one element ofmany programs that helps SPTSensure our future with a skilled talent pool.” www.spts.com

UK-based Oxford Instruments hasheld its 2016 technical workshopsin India (22–23 November). Now intheir fifth year (following previousworkshops in Bangalore, Mumbai,Chennai, Kolkata and Mohali), thisyear’s event ‘Bringing the NanoworldTogether 2016’ returned to theIndian Institute of Science (IISc)Bangalore, the location of the firstworkshop. Showcasing nanotechnology tools

and their use in multiple applications,the two-day seminar comprisedover 24 talks from Indian and international speakers, as well asOxford Instruments scientists.There were also technical postersessions, providing participantswith the chance to discuss research in detail, as well as net-

working opportunities. The event was organized in two

parallel sessions: Sessions on Nanoscale PlasmaProcessing cover multiple areasincluding the latest advances inetch and deposition technologies,graphene and 2D materials andtheir applications, ion beam technologies, and emerging applications including atomic-scaleprocessing, quantum and BioMEMS. Sessions on NanoScience Cryofreeresearch tools comprise an introduction to nanotechnology,innovationsin ultra-low-temperatureresearch,sensingindividual

photons with atomic membranes,the latest developments in cryogen-free high-magnetic-field and low-temperature sample environmentsfor neutron scattering, the appli-cation relevance of key Cryofreetool innovations, and more. “We intend these educational

seminars to improve participants’knowledge, and to keep themabreast of the latest technologicaladvances in these research areas,”says Frazer Anderson, strategicmarketing & development directorfor Oxford Instruments PlasmaTechnology (OIPT). “The workshopsprovide ample opportunities fornetworking, debate and discussionaround the rapidly evolving nanotechnology world.” www.oxford-instruments.com/btnt

Oxford Instruments’ 2016 technical workshopsreturn to IISc Bangalore

SPTS wins two Best Factory Awards and two Insider Made in Wales Awards

The ExportAward notes thefirm’s proportionof export sales of 95%

The two-dayseminarcomprised over24 talks

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38

Plasma etch and deposition equip-ment maker CORIAL S.A.S. ofBernin, France has announcedatomic layer etching (ALE) capabilityon its ICP-RIE systems intended foradvanced IC development. “CORIAL has demonstrated

atomic-scale precision etching ofsilicon with a rate of 1.675nm/min,”says R&D manager Dr AndreiUvarov. “It was enabled by COSMAPulse, our unique software capableto control and pulse any processparameter (such as gas flow rate,RF and ICP power, working pressure, etc), with a minimumpulsation period of 50ms. COSMAPulse can be easily installed on Cor-ial 210IL 200mm etch systemsallowing for ALE capability on our

conventional ICP-RIE tools”. Conventional continuous etch

processes no longer have the levelof control that is needed when CDsapproach the single-digit nm scale.To continue technology scaling inlogic circuits and memory devices,atomic-level precision manufacturingis now required by chip makers andacademics to provide control ofsurface structure at nanometerscale, ultra-high etch selectivity andlow damage. In the past few years,ALE has emerged as a promisingtechnology to address these manu-facturing challenges. “Corial 210IL etch system equipped

with COSMA Pulse provides a levelof precision required to patternstructures at the atomic scale,”

says Uvarov. “We expect fast adop-tion of COSMA Pulse by academicsfor research aiming at advanceddevices manufacturing as CORIALis the first company to offer largerfunctionalities — from continuousto pulsed processing — in one tool,and for a reasonable budget”. Key features for silicon atomic-

scale etching are: reduced byproduct deposition onreactor walls to allow faster switch-ing of process conditions; advanced tuning of RF pulsationto control ion energy; independent and fast pulsing ofchlorine and argon flows duringadsorption and desorption steps; and real-time process adjustment. www.corial.net

CORIAL introduces atomic-scale etching capability

BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which was spun offfrom the III-nitride department ofMacquarie University in 2005 todevelop a low-temperature processusing remote plasma chemical vapordeposition (RPCVD) to grow mater-ials including gallium nitride (GaN)and indium gallium nitride (InGaN)on glass substrates — has receivedwhat it describes as a significantorder commitment from a new

customer for about $600,000 ofspecialist epitaxy foundry develop-ment, to be delivered over the next12 months. The UK-based customer is develop-

ing gallium nitride (GaN) technologytargeting LED and other applications.BluGlass recently fulfilled a smallorder for this customer, and has nowsecured this $600,000 order, whichwill be developing an innovativenew project, says the firm.

“This single order from a new customer is the largest foundryorder that the company hasreceived to date,” says BluGlass’managing director Giles Bourne.“The BluGlass foundry businesscontinues to attract select cus-tomers and we are excited to beworking with the innovators thatwill be leading the nitrides industryinto the future,” he adds. www.bluglass.com.au

BluGlass has received commitmentsfrom both existing investors andnew institutional investors for aplacement of new fully paid ordinary shares to raise AUS$5m. BluGlass is issuing 15.625 million

shares at AUS$0.32 per share afterthe placement is settled. The issueprice of AUS$0.32 per share repre-sents a discount of 18.36% to the5 day VWAP (volume weightedaverage price) share price to 27October of AUS$0.392 per share. Shareholders on BluGlass’ register

on 27 October with registeredaddresses in Australia and

New Zealand will also be given theopportunity to apply for up toAUS$15,000 worth of shares (subject to any scale-back deter-mined by BluGlass’ directors) atAUS$0.32 per share (the sameprice as under the placement)without incurring brokerage ortransaction costs, via a share-holder share purchase plan (SPP).BluGlass aims to raise AUS$2munder the SPP. The purpose of the placement

and SPP is to provide funds for; continuation of existing industrycollaboration and evaluation

agreements with Lumileds, HCSemiTek, and Veeco; capital expenditure for newequipment and resources to accel-erate work with the existing indus-try partners as well as enablingthe RPCVD technology to beapplied to other applications; identification and engagementwith potential future collaborationpartners; and general working capital purposes. Further details in relation to the

proposed SPP are provided in theSPP Offer Booklet and ApplicationForm sent to eligible shareholders.

BluGlass institutional placement & shareholder share purchase plan

BluGlass receives foundry order from new UK customer



39

Cambridge Nanotherm Ltd ofHaverhill, Suffolk, UK, producer ofnanoceramic thermal managementtechnology, says that it has builtsignificant additional capability andcapacity into its metal core printed-circuit board (MCPCB) manufac-turing base to meet rising demandfor its thermal management solu-tions. The firm has establishedpartnerships with a wide network ofPCB and thin-film manufacturers tooffer a broad range of options interms of circuitization, quality, vol-ume and standards.Cambridge Nanotherm’s manufac-

turing capabilities span fast-turn-around prototyping, high-definitionthin-film circuitization, specialitymanufacturing, and high-volumemass production. Key industry andregulatory standards such as auto-motive standard ISO/TS 16949:2009as well as industry-specific SGSstandards can be applied. The firm says that, from LED chip

packaging to high-brightness modules, thermal management isbecoming a limiting factor as cus-tomers demand ever brighter LED

devices in ever smaller footprints.To meet these requirements, LEDmakers are being pushed into usingmore thermally effective substratesto ensure that LEDs stay cool enoughto meet their advertised lifespan.Historically, that meant switchingfrom cost-effective MCPCBs toexpensive and difficult-to-work-withceramics such as alumina and aluminium nitride. Cambridge Nanotherm offers an alternative. For high-power LED applications,

Nanotherm LC and Nanotherm DMtechnologies are enabling a newgeneration of products that rely oneffective thermal management tooperate successfully, says the firm.Its proprietary LC and DM technolo-gies are available exclusively viathis manufacturing process. “Cambridge Nanotherm’s MCPCBs

offer designers a distinct thermaladvantage,” claims chief operatingofficer Andy Matthews. “Demandfor our solutions has therefore beenstrong, and we’re currentlyengaged with most of the top-tenLED manufacturers. As a resultwe’ve expanded our manufacturing

routes to cater to a much broadervariety of requirements,” he adds.“We’re working with some of thebest PCB and thin-film circuitizationcompanies so we can offer anexceptional range of options... Wewill continue to develop our manu-facturing capabilities.” Nanotherm’s patented ECO process

involves converting the surface ofthe aluminium core of the MCPCB,which acts as a heat spreader, into anelectrically insulating but thermallyconductive Nanoceramic that offersoutstanding thermal performance.Depending on the circuitizationroute that is chosen, compositethermal performance of the resultingMCPBC ranges from 115W/mK to152W/mK. Standard LC products are covered

by UL recognition, speeding time tomarket for luminaires and modules.Nanotherm manages the entireprocess, from thermal design guidance and material choice todelivering the finished circuits, simplifying the manufacturing routefor customers. www.camnano.com

Cambridge Nanotherm expands manufacturingcapability for high-power LED designs

Evatec Ltd of Trübbach, Switzerland,which makes thin-film depositionand etch processing equipment forsemiconductor, MEMS, optical andoptoelectronic applications, saysthat, to support the expected strongbusiness growth in South East Asiaand provide better direct support tocustomers in this region, it hasestablished a ‘South East Asia hub’with offices in both Singapore andMalaysia. The SEA region (including Singa-

pore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand,Indonesia, and Vietnam) has apopulation of about 620 million peo-ple with a gross domestic product(GDP) of $2.65 trillion expected in2016. Regional growth is projectedto average 5.2% over 2016–2020,

led by growth in Philippines andVietnam, according to the OECDEconomic Outlook 2016. Theregion’s economy depends heavilyon agriculture but manufacturingand services are becoming moreimportant, notably manufacturingof textiles, electronic high-techgoods such as microprocessors andheavy industrial products such asautomobiles.Evatec’s SEA activities will be led

by Kevin Chen. Born in Taiwan,Chen joined Evatec in August asmanaging director of Evatec SouthEast Asia. He has more than 15years experience holding seniormanagement positions in the capi-tal equipment & materials industryfor semiconductors, LED and solar

manufacturing, with a proven salestrack record in growing businessand managing multi-cultural globalorganizations. He leads the team inthe sales & marketing, field andapplication engineering, and back-office support functions.“I am glad to have chance to build

up the Evatec SEA team and worktogether with lots of local talents,”says Chen. “Most of them havemore than 20 years’ experiences inhigh-tech or the semiconductorindustry,” he adds. “With the strongcommitment from the Evatec SEAteam and support from the team inSwitzerland, we feel confident thatwe will grow our business here asexpected”. www.evatecnet.com

Evatec establishes South East Asia operation



40

For third-quarter 2016, RubiconTechnology Inc of Bensenville, IL,USA (which makes monocrystallinesapphire substrates and productsfor the LED, semiconductor andoptical industries) has reportedrevenue of $7.1m, more than dou-bling from $3.5m last quarter andup 34% on $5.3m a year ago. Revenue for wafer sales rebounded

to $5.5m, tripling from $1.8m lastquarter (and $2.1m a year ago).This was due mainly to increasedorders from a key patterned wafercustomer, which drew down allwafers in consignment inventory.Revenue from patterned sapphiresubstrates (PSS) was hence $4.5m,more than tripling from $1.35mboth last quarter and a year ago.Polished wafer revenue was $0.99m,doubling from $0.49m last quarterand up 30% on $0.76m a year ago. Revenue from sapphire core sales

fell back from $0.69m last quarterto $0.42m (down from $1.82m ayear ago), almost entirely from 4”cores. Revenue from 2” cores wasjust $3000, compared with $0.55ma year ago. Like last quarter, therewas again no revenue 6” cores,compared with $40,000 a year ago. R&D revenue fell again, from

$0.27m a year ago and $0.11mlast quarter to $0.08m. Optical revenue rebounded slightly

from $0.9m last quarter to $1.1m(roughly level on a year ago). Results were impacted by the

decision on 12 September for thefirm’s plant in Penang, Malaysia tocease PSS production in September,followed (after a transition period forthe firm’s key customer) by polishedwafers at the end of November, andto shutter the facility by end-2016.Patterning equipment has been soldand buyers are sought for the realestate and remaining equipment.The plant was designed and equippedto produce primarily polished andpatterned sapphire substrates for theLED market, and the decision to exit

the LED market for the foreseeablefuture was made to focus on theoptical and industrial sapphire marketfor the foreseeable future. Rubicon hence has excess crystal

growth capacity in the USA. So, it isconsolidating operations into itsleased space in Bensenville andFranklin Park, IL, involving vacating(by end-December) its largest plantin Batavia, IL (which it owns and maysell). Batavia is a special-purposefacility with enhancements to powerand water cooling systems requiredfor crystal growth production. “Ourinitial focus would be to seek abuyer that is interested in both thebuilding and infrastructure,” saysRubicon. It also seeks buyers forsome of its crystal growth furnaces. “We had been trying to stay in the

LED substrate market by limiting ourproduct offering to 6” wafers andworking hard to reduce cost to makethat product profitable,” says thefirm. “While we made significantprogress on that front, the contin-ual decline of prices has made theprospects of becoming profitable inthe LED substrate market unlikelyfor the foreseeable future,” it adds. “There remains good margin

opportunity in the optical andindustrial segments,” says CEO BillWeissman. “The actions we are tak-ing will improve our operating results,strengthen our cash position andallow us to grow in strategic marketsthat are better aligned with ourstrengths while offering strongermargin potential,” he believes. One-time charges in the quarter

(related to exiting the LED market)included a $10.2m asset impairmentfor writing the Malaysia assets downto liquidation value, a write-down of$4m in excess raw material inventory,and $900,000 in accrued severance.The firm also recorded a write-downof $2.3m of excess 2” core inventory(which is sold primarily into themobile device market) and severanceof $180,000 for US staff reductions.

Although better than $48.2m($1.84 per share) a year ago, net loss per share worsened againfrom $8.2m ($0.31 per share) lastquarter to $24.8m ($0.94 per share).However, net cash used in operatingactivities has been cut, from $6.6mlast quarter to just $0.5m. Duringthe quarter, cash and short-terminvestments fell further, from $18mlast quarter to $16.6m. Once the Malaysia facility ceases

production activities, wafer revenuewill fall significantly, beginning inQ4/2016, notes Rubicon. Opticalrevenue over the past three yearshas been $4.5–7.1m annually. Rubicon expects a “meaningful”

improvement in cash flow once thechanges are fully implemented.Crystal growth will be very limitedin the near-term as Rubicon plansto use its existing crystal inventoryto support optical orders. It also aimsto outsource certain finishing stepsto third parties in order to reducestaffing, equipment and footprint.Under this new operating model,staffing will fall to about 40 enter-ing 2017, limiting fixed costs whileretaining the knowledge base builtup over the past 15 years. “The optical and industrial sapphire

markets are growing with newapplications for sapphire emergingand, given our capabilities, webelieve we are well positioned,”says Weissman. “In the near term,our scaled-down operations and useof crystal inventory should allow usto significantly improve cash flow.”The sale of assets should generatecash to provide more strategicopportunities to build stockholdervalue in, perhaps even outside of,the sapphire market, the firmbelieves. “We will continue toclosely monitor the development ofthe optical and industrial sapphiremarkets and our new technologies,as well as the broader sapphiremarket,” Weissman concludes. www.rubicon-es2.com

Rubicon’s revenue doubles after patterned wafercustomer draws down consignment inventory Malaysia wafer plant and Batavia, IL crystal growth plant to be sold



41

At SEMICON Japan 2016 at TokyoBig Sight (14-16 December),Tokyo-based semiconductor manufacturing equipment makerDisco Corp is exhibiting the newDFP8141, a fully automatic single-spindle polisher that supportschemical mechanical polishing (CMP)of difficult-to-process materialsincluding sapphire, silicon carbide(SiC), lithium tantalate (LiTaO3),and lithium niobate (LiNbO3). Disco says the high-brightness

LED market requires a polishingprocess for device performanceimprovement after backside grindingof the sapphire substrate on whichthe device has been formed. Due tothe increased focus on energy saving,there has been increasing need topolish SiC for power devices (forwhich demand is growing) andlithium tantalate (LT) for surfaceacoustic wave (SAW) filters, as well

as lithium niobate (LN). In response,Disco has developed the DFP8141,which offers processing solutionsthat were not available in the firm’sproduct line-up until now. The fully automatic specification

allows the DFP8141 to complete CMPprocessing cassette-to-cassette.The systems also comes equippedwith a cleaning station and per-forms wafer cleaning and dryingafter processing automatically. The DFP814’s design also allows

for various specifications, includingsemi-automatic (with no transfersection) and in-line (for seamlessprocessing with the DFG8830grinder for difficult-to-process materials). In addition, the transfersystem accepts three types ofworkpiece configurations: singlewafer transfer, substrate transfer,and frame transfer. With a singlespindle with two chuck tables (single-wafer processing), theDFP814 supports wafer diametersup to 8-inches. Sales of the DFP8141 will begin in

first-half 2017. www.disco.co.jp

Monocrystal Inc of Stavropol, Russia(which makes large-diameter sap-phire substrates and cores for LEDs,optical products and RFIC use) hasshipped its 5 millionth 4-inch equiv-alent (FIE) sapphire wafer. Large-diameter wafers have

recently become a mainstreamproduct, driven by LED makersbenefitting from a 30% increase inmetal-organic chemical vaporphase deposition (MOCVD) reactorthroughput and higher binningyields. At the same time, says thefirm, sapphire wafer shape and

cleanness are crucial in achievinghigh epitaxial yields and getting thebenefits of using large diameters. Monocrystal’s large-diameter sub-

strates are used for high-brightnessgallium nitride (GaN) LEDs. As wellas having a crystal structure thatbenefits from low-stress ultra-largecrystals, Monocrystal says that lowthermal bow during the epitaxialprocess provides tight wavelengthuniformity, leading to yieldsincreasing by 2–3%, it is reckoned.Low internal stress results in zerobreakage rates during nitride

growth, improving equipmentuptime, the firm adds. An ultra-clean wafer surface eliminates theneed for a pre-cleaning step, sav-ing $1 per wafer, it is claimed. Also,a low etch-pit density contributesto longer LED lifetime. “Our landmark of 5 million FIE is

the best testimonial that our large-diameter wafers help our customersreduce costs and strengthen theircompetiveness in the highly com-petitive LED market,” says CEOOleg Kachalov. www.monocrystal.com

SUSS MicroTec AG of Garching,Germany, which makes photomaskaligners, laser processing systemsand wafer bonders, has announceda strategic reseller partnership forKanematsu PWS Ltd of Yokohama,Japan (a subsidiary of Tokyo-based

Kanematsu Corp) to become theexclusive distributor of the entireSUSS product portfolio in Japan. Effective 1 January, Kanematsu

PWS Ltd will be responsible for allSUSS MicroTec related sales andservice activities, supported by the

SUSS Japan Business Development& Technical Sales Support team onsite. The new partnership is aimedat enabling SUSS MicroTec to furtherexpand its activities in Japan. www.pwsj.co.jp/eng www.suss.com

Disco launches fully automatic polisher for CMP ofdifficult-to-process materials including sapphire

Monocrystal ships 5 millionth 4”-equivalent wafer

Kanematsu to distribute for SUSS MicroTec in Japan

Disco’s new DFP8141 fully automaticpolisher system.

News: LEDs


42

UK-based lighting and sensingproduct and component makerPlessey has extended its range ofultra-slim Orion LED modulesbased on its Stellar beam formingtechnology, with new beam anglesopening the technology to a widerrange of applications in industrialand architectural lighting design.Plessey showcased the new modulesat LuxLive event in London, UK(23–24 November). The Orion LED beam-forming

modules deliver a compact 3000lmbeam from a module that can be aslittle as 5.6mm thick (less thanone-tenth the thickness of standardalternatives). The recentlylaunched PLWS3000 25° FWHM(full width half maximum) beam-angle module has now been joinedby modules with 15° and 50° beamangles. All modules in the familyshare a common 82mm diameter,allowing lighting designers to simplysubstitute modules to create a family of compact luminaires suit-able for a wide range of lightingapplications. At the same time, Plessey has

unveiled plans to launch Orion-Mini,a new 45mm-diameter versionoffering a 10° sub-1000lm beam inSpring 2017. The Orion-Mini willshare the slim profile of the full-sizemodule, but will be offered in a format suitable for design intosmall-form-factor downlights, spot-

lights and architectural lights as areplacement for GU10, MR16 andsimilar lights. With its slim line form, range of

colour temperatures and improvedthermal characteristics, Orion modules are designed to be used in a variety of directional lightingapplications such as retail, trackand architectural. Integrating thelatest LED technology in conjunc-tion with its Stellar beam-formingtechnology to provide an efficient,slim-line module provides a newdesign freedom not accessible with alternative chip-on-board(COB)-style modules, it is claimed.The thermal characteristics allowthe heat-sink, and hence the overall luminaire, to be reduced insize. “Plessey now offers Orion

modules in a range of formatsoffering designers greater freedom,”

says Paul Drosihn, head of Modular Products. “Orion modulesare revolutionizing the lightingmarket, giving scope for a radicalrethinking of the way in which lighting from industrial high-bay to architectural luminaires isdesigned,” he claims. “The Orionfamily with Stellar beam-formingtechnology provides an innovativeapproach to directional lightingapplications, opening new opportu-nities for creativity in industrial andarchitectural design.” The Orion family is offered in

three colour temperatures: warmwhite, neutral white and cool white.The modules have a luminous efficiency of more than 100 lm/W,feature improved light uniformityand thermal performance. http://luxlive.co.ukwww.plesseysemiconductors.com/led-plessey-semiconductors.php

At the electronica 2016 trade fair inMunich, Germany (8–11 November),UK-based lighting and sensingproduct and component makerPlessey exhibited the first standardLED lighting module based on itsStellar beam-forming technology. The Orion PLWS3000 series mod-

ule delivers over 3000 lumensfrom a unit just 5.6mm thick and82mm in diameter.

“The Orion module based on Stellar beam-forming technologyrepresents the next phase in LEDlighting with low cost, high efficiencyand greater control of light,” saysPaul Drosihn, Plessey’s head ofModular Products. “The greatlyreduced form factor eliminatesdesign constraints, providing light-ing designers with a new level ofdesign freedom.”

The Orion module uses Plessey’sStellar beam-forming technology toprovide a slim-line module that canbe used in a variety of directionallighting applications. It is availablein three colour temperatures:warm white, neutral white and cool white, with a luminous efficiencyof more than 100lm/W. Key featuresinclude improved light uniformityand thermal performance.

Plessey exhibits standard LED lighting module based on Stellar beam-forming technology

Plessey extends beam-forming Orion LED module familywith new beam widths

The extended range of Orion LED modules from Plessey offer newbeam widths, enabling furthercreative opportunities fordirectional lighting applications

E: [email protected]: +44(0)1389 875444WWW.LOGITECH.UK.COM DISCOVER PROGRESS

THE NEW PM6: PRECISION LAPPING & POLISHING SYSTEM

*Compared to Logitech PM5 System

PRODUCE SUPERIOR SPECIMENS EVERY PROCESS WITH

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News: LEDs


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Using first-principles calculations,University of California, Santa Bar-bara (UCSB) has demonstrated themechanism by which transition-metal impurities — iron in particular— can act as non-radiative recom-bination centers in nitride semicon-ductors (Wickramaratne et al, ‘Iron as a source of efficient Shockley–Read–Hall recombinationin GaN’, Appl. Phys. Lett. 109,162107 (2016)). The work, whichwas funded by the US Department ofEnergy (DOE) Office of Science andby Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actionof the European Union (EU), high-lights that such impurities can have adetrimental impact on the efficiencyof LEDs based on gallium nitride (GaN)or indium gallium nitride (InGaN). For LEDs, high-purity material is

essential to lighting technology,such as residential and commercialsolid-state lighting, adaptive lightingfor automobiles, and displays formobile devices. Imperfections atthe atomic scale can limit the performance of LEDs throughShockley–Read–Hall recombination.An LED’s operation relies on theradiative recombination of electronsand holes, resulting in the emissionof photons. Defects or impuritiescan act as a source of non-radiativerecombination and prevent theemission of light, lowering LED efficiency. UCSB, in collaboration with Rutgers

University, the University of Vienna,the KTH Royal Institute of Technologyin Sweden and the Center for Physical Sciences and Technologyin Lithuania, has identified thatiron, even at concentrations lessthan parts-per-million, can behighly detrimental. Transition-metal impurities such as

iron have long been known to act as‘killer centers’, severely impactingdevices based on traditional semi-conductors such as silicon and

gallium arsenide (GaAs). It is there-fore surprising that little attentionhas been devoted to understandingthe role of transition metals inrecombination dynamics in GaN. “A naïve application of

Shockley–Read–Hall theory, basedon an inspection of defect levelswithin the bandgap, would lead oneto conclude that iron in GaN wouldbe harmless,” says lead author DrDarshana Wickramaratne. “How-ever, our work shows that excitedstates of the impurity play a keyrole in turning it into a killer center.” The UCSB researchers identified a

recombination pathway by which ironcan lead to severe efficiency loss.Sophisticated first-principles calcu-lations were essential to identify andunderstand the role of the excitedstates in the recombination process. “Taking these excited states into

account completely changes thepicture,” emphasizes team member

Dr Audrius Alkauskas. “We stronglysuspect that such excited states playa key role in other recombinationphenomena, opening up newavenues for research.” The results highlight that strict

control over growth and processing isneeded to prevent the unintentionalintroduction of transition-metalimpurities. Sources of iron contami-nation include the stainless-steelreactors used in some growth tech-niques for nitride semiconductors. “Increasing the efficiency of light

emission is a key goal for the solid-state lighting industry,” says UCSBMaterials professor Chris Van deWalle, who led the research team.“Our work focuses attention on thedetrimental impact of transitionmetals and the importance of sup-pressing their incorporation.” http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/apl/109/16/10.1063/1.4964831 www.mrl.ucsb.edu/~vandewalle

Trace amounts of transition-metal impurities in GaN kill LED efficiency UCSB-led team finds that iron act as Shockley–Read–Hall non-radiative recombination centers in nitrides

Shockley–Read–Hall recombination due to iron in GaN. Iron is a deep acceptorwith a defect level (black line) close to the GaN conduction band (green). Thecharge density corresponding to this localized level is shown in the middle ofthe figure. Conventional SRH recombination (left) proceeds via electron capturefrom the conduction band into the defect level, but the overall rate would belimited by slow hole capture since the defect level is far from the valence band(blue). The presence of excited states enhances the hole capture rate (right)such that the overall SRH recombination process becomes very efficient.

Take trimethylgallium for instance, key to making the light-emitting semiconductor material found in an LED. Umicore produces it at low waste, high efficiency.

Our high purity metalorganics are taking sustainability a step further; we think out of the box and beyond electronics. Thinking greener isn‘t just a state of mind, it‘s part of our culture. Check out our product list for more hits.

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16-35-059 Semiconductor 282x213 LED.indd 1 05.08.16 11:04

News: LEDs


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On 10 October and 28 October,Japan-based LED maker Nichia Corpfiled a request for three preliminaryinjunctions in Germany at the Düsseldorf District Court allegingthat the white LED products 334-15/X1C5-1QSA, 334-15/T2C2-1TVBand XI3535-KT577J1-03201-000Pmanufactured by Taiwan’s EverlightElectronics Co Ltd and distributed

in Germany infringe Nichia’s YAGpatent EP 936 682 (DE 697 02 929). The Düsseldorf District Court has

since (on 24 October and 7 Novem-ber, respectively) admitted Nichia’sarguments that the Everlight prod-ucts infringe claim 1 of Nichia’s YAGpatent and granted the preliminaryinjunctions (File Nos. 4a O 104/16,4a O 112/16 and 4a O 113/16).

Due to the particular urgency, thepreliminary injunctions weregranted ex parte (without the priorhearing of Everlight). On 10 November, the preliminary

injunctions were served onEverlight. Nichia notes that theseare preliminary measures that canstill be remedied by Everlight. www.nichia.co.jp

Nichia granted preliminary injunctions in Germanyagainst Everlight white LED products

At the electronica 2016 trade fair inMunich, Germany (8–11 November),Taiwan-based Everlight ElectronicsCo Ltd showcased its newestinfrared, automotive and lightingproducts (involving six half-hourproduct introductions daily). A focus is Everlight’s infrared port-

folio of ambient light sensors (ALS),color sensors, infrared LEDs, photo-diodes, photo-transistors, infraredreceiver modules (IRM), photo-couplers, phototriacs, solid-staterelays (SSR), photo interrupters(ITR) and optical switches. In particular, the development of

ambient light sensors for wearableshas created new opportunitiesregarding mobile data tracking aswell as rapid detection for healthanalysis. The new ALS-PD50-42Coperates at a green wavelength of550nm with a sensing area of8.1mm2, and has a very low signalcalculation failure rate and highcurrent efficiency. A suitable appli-cation is heart rate signal detectionin wearable electronics for thehealth and fitness industry. Regarding increasing safety con-

cerns worldwide, surveillance andsecurity applications are becomingincreasingly important. Light sensorssuch as the ALS-PDIC243-3C tellyou if the light in the environmentis sufficient. If it is not, IR LEDs likethe HIR-C19D or HIR333C provideadditional illumination to boost the

capability of a camera to see atnight or in dark surroundings. Everlight is also showcasing new

solutions for color binning for interiorand exterior automotive lightingapplications along with other keyautomotive products. One exampleis white color binning for dashboardapplications like switches, instrumentclusters and displays. Everlight saysthat it follows binning standardsand offer different binning methodsto make it easy to apply LEDs inautomotive applications. Also, inresponse to the design trend forpersonal in-car ambient lighting,Everlight provides multi-color solu-tions like RGBW and RGBY LEDs. Regarding lighting LEDs, Everlight

is putting special emphasis on itsfull-color LED portfolio, includingmultiple wavelengths to boost agri-culture. The easiest way to achieveeffective agricultural lighting is toprovide either a spectrum of lightthat best replicates sunlight or therequired spectrums/color combi-nations for specific functions. Colorcombinations vary depending on

region, time, temperature, plant,plant cycle, production targets etc.Everlight says it has all the basiccolors needed for replicating sunlightand activating specific functions foragricultural lighting. For any part ofthe spectrum where additional colorsneed to be added or additional lightfunctions are needed, different colorLEDs are available for customerselection and tuning. Other marketsfor full color LEDs (in addition toagricultural lighting) include architectural, stage and landscapelighting. The latest product fromEverlight for these industries is anRGBW in one high-power LED. Everlight is also showcasing UVA

and UVC series LEDs, both featuringmany applications ranging fromcuring of glues applied on industrialPCBs, light sources for exposureequipment, ink drying for printingsystems, disinfection and steriliza-tion, biological analysis and testing,water and air purification, moneydetector pens, cosmetic curing, totanning machines. www.everlight.com

Everlight highlights lighting and automotive LEDsand IR sensors at electronica

Everlight’s range of different color LEDs.

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LED chip, lamp and lighting fixturemaker Cree Inc of Durham, NC,USA has filed a complaint with theUS District Court for the District ofMassachusetts alleging theinfringement of its patented LEDtechnology in the flashlights (e.g.Bell+Howell Taclight) of E. Mishan& Sons Inc (Emson). As part of the complaint, Cree is

seeking an award of enhanced

damages, attorneys’ fees and aninjunction to prevent Emson fromoffering for sale and selling anyproducts using “knock-off” LEDs. “Cree will not tolerate and will

aggressively defend against suchblatant disregard of its intellectualproperty rights,” says Dave Emerson,senior VP & general manager forCree LEDs. “We have an obligationto our customers to ensure that the

market offers products that includethe high-quality LED componentsthat customers have come to expect,”he adds. “We are committed toprotecting Cree’s investment inresearch and development onbehalf of our customers, sharehold-ers and our licensing partners.”Emerson notes. www.emsoninc.com www.cree.com

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LED epitaxial wafer and chip makerArima Optoelectronics Corp (AOC)of Taoyuan, Taiwan has ceased production of nitride-based blue LEDchips and shifted production to aluminum gallium indium phosphide(AlGaInP) LEDs in order to avoidprice-price competition in the blueLED segment, reports Digitimes. Arima has shut down 40 MOCVD

systems used to produce blue LEDepiwafers and chips, while 18 havebeen transferred to produce

AlGaInP LED wafers and chips, thefirm says. Due to the high technological

entry barrier, there are relativelyfew manufacturers of AlGaInP LEDchips. The main competitors areGermany-based Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH, China-based San’an Optoelectronics andTaiwan-based Epistar, Arima notes. Arima is now focusing on infrared

(IR)-emitting AlGaInP chips forapplications such as iris recogni-

tion, automotive dashboards, brakelamps and direction indicators,plant-growth lighting, LED lightingand security surveillance. The firmhas developed IR LED chips withemission wavelengths of 810nm,850nm and 940nm. Currently, China accounts for

56.6% of revenue from IR LEDchips, Taiwan 19.2%, and SouthKorea 16.3%, Arima reckons. www.digitimes.com/news/a20161117PD201.html

Arima Optoelectronics shifting from nitride blue LEDsto AlGaInP infrared LED chips18 out of 40 MOCVD systems to be transferred to AlGaInP

Cree files patent lawsuit against Emson’s TacLight

Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA hasextended its range of IG SeriesLED parking structure luminaires toinclude a warmer color temperatureand standard 0–10V dimming tooffer better light with enhancedaesthetics and performance. The result is more choices to meetdemand for warm lighting. FeaturingCree’s WaveMax Technology, theIG Series is said to deliver low-glarecomfort and defeat shadows toprovide enhanced safety and visibility while delivering highenergy efficiency and fast payback. “Parking structure operators are

under constant pressure to loweroperating costs while providingsafe and visually appealing light-ing,” says David Elien, Cree’s senior VP & general manager,

commercial lighting. “With thesenew standard features, the high-performance IG LED parkingstructure luminaires not only out-perform existing LED and metalhalide solutions, but also offer alower total cost of ownership.” The series offers enhanced

performance and flexibility to meet code requirements with new,standard 0–10V dimming for IGparking structure luminaires thatdo not include a factory installedsensor, enabling easy integrationwith advanced control systems tomaximize energy savings, saysCree. The increased functionalityallows parking structure owners tointegrate wireless or wired controlsystems for daylight harvesting,remote monitoring and occupancy

sensor capabilities, further reducingenergy usage and total cost ofownership. Available in color temperatures

of 3000K, 4000K and 5700K, theparking garage luminaires candeliver more than 80% energysavings and payback of less than two years compared withmetal halide lighting, says Cree.Programmable motion controlsfurther increase these savings andenable a simple way to customizesettings for high- or low-occupancyapplications. The IG Series is backed by Cree’s

10-year warranty and is availablethrough Cree lighting sales channelsthroughout the USA and Canada. http://lighting.cree.com/ig-series www.cree.com/wavemax

Cree extends IG parking luminaire series

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Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA hasexpanded its Essentia by Creeproduct portfolio with the new LED Surface Wrap, which deliversluminous efficacy of 115 lumensper watt (LPW). “The new Essentia by Cree LED

Surface Wrap is ideal for diversecommercial applications where customers are replacing traditionalfluorescent fixtures in hallways,utility rooms and low ceiling areas,”says David Elien, senior VP, lighting. Traditional surface wrap fixtures

with 2-foot and 4-foot fluorescent

tubes are ubiquitous in both institu-tional and residential buildings,casting harsh, buzzing illuminationthat is familiar in corridors, stair-wells and work areas, says the firm.The Essentia by Cree LED SurfaceWrap provides clean white lightwith a low-profile arc lens designthat mounts easily on ceilings orwalls. The product comes standardwith 0–10V dimming to 5% and isavailable with an emergencybackup option. A field-installedoccupancy sensor is also availableto further enhance energy savings.

The Essentia by Cree LED Wrap’sperformance meets the DLC 3.1Premium certification standard andqualifies for rebate incentives thatcan improve payback. The newwrap also meets California Title 24and other stringent electrical codesrequiring dimming control andemergency backup. The Essentia by Cree lighting port-

folio comes with a five-year limitedwarranty. The LED Surface Wrap issold through Cree lighting saleschannels throughout the USA. http://lighting.cree.com/essentia-

News: LEDs


50

Essentia by Cree range gains 115lm/W LED Surface Wrap

Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbHof Regensburg, Germany haslaunched the Oslon Black Flat Sseries, which is claimed to be thefirst surface mountable LEDs withup to five individually controllablechips. Due also to the contrast ratio (of

1:65) provided by the package,they are predestined for use in ADB(adaptive driving beam) headlights,says the firm. Switchable light seg-ments enable oncoming traffic andtraffic further ahead on the road tobe masked out, making drivingmore comfortable and safer. Withimproved thermal properties, thenew high-power LEDs offer systembenefits and are suitable as anentry-level ADB solution even forvehicles in the compact class, addsthe firm. The 3.75mm x 5.7mm x0.43mm 3-chip version in the Oslon Black Flat S series has beenavailable since October, and theversions with four chips (in a3.75mm x 6.9mm x 0.43mm package) and five chips (in a3.75mm x 7.9mm x 0.43mm package) will be available from January 2017. Osram Opto says that the Oslon

Black Flat S series represents a sig-nificant expansion of its LED portfo-lio in this area of application. For

the first time the light-emitting sur-face of the powerful new chips doesnot require a recess for contactwith the bond wire and produceshighly uniform light across itssquare format, making it easier toadapt the optics. The chips are indi-vidually controllable and offer veryhigh contrast between neighboringchips which is 100% verifiable.These features enable oncomingtraffic and traffic further ahead tobe actively masked out with a highdegree of contrast, says the firm.Drivers benefit from the optimumdistribution of light on the road atall times. “The Oslon Black Flat S series

enables the benefits of adaptivematrix light to be offered not juston flagship models but also on carsin the entry-level and compactclasses,” says product managerThomas Christl. In addition to

glare-free high beam, other adap-tive LED front lighting functionssuch as cornering light and citylight can be implemented, withoutthe need for any mechanical ele-ments. ADB solutions for the entry-level segment Up to now, only the Osram OstarHeadlamp Pro had individually controllable chips. The Oslon Black Flat S series now adds thisfeature to the portfolio. In addition,the chips are surface mountableand are compatible with standardprocesses. In contrast to the OslonBlack Flat, the Oslon Black Flat SLEDs have an optimized and symmetrical contact surface designwhich further improves heatremoval and cycle stability. Thiscombination of thermal manage-ment and standard processingreduces system costs, says Osram.The higher possible current load ofup to 1.5A provides sufficient lighton the road from only three segments, and produces as muchas 2000 lumen from the 5-chip version. The new multi-chip LEDs were

presented for the first time at electronica 2016 (8–11 November)in the Munich Exhibition Center. www.osram.com/os/products

Osram adds surface-mountable Oslon Black Flat Smulti-chip LEDs for ADB and matrix headlights

Osram Opto’s 5-chip Oslon Black Flat S LED

Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbHof Regensburg, Germany is usingconverter technology for infraredemitters for the first time, resultingin what it claims is the first broad-band emitting infrared LED. Emitting broadband infrared light

in a wavelength range of650–1050nm, the new SFH 4735 ismainly suitable as a light source fornear-IR spectroscopy. Among thevarious applications nowadays isassessing the quality of food.Osram says that the new LED(which is 3.75mm x 3.75mm x 0.7mmand has spectral output of 60µW at750nm and 30µW at 980nm)enables such sensor technology tomove into the consumer sector,e.g. as an add-on for smartphones.The first mini spectrometers havealready been showcased, and thenew LED means that a compactlight source is now available. Measuring freshness with asmartphoneIR spectroscopy uses the charac-teristic absorption behavior of cer-tain molecular compounds. If adefined spectrum is directed at asample it is possible to determinethe presence and quantity of cer-tain ingredients from the wave-length distribution of the reflectedlight. This method is used in thefood industry and in agriculture,among other sectors. For example,it is possible to measure the water,

fat, carbohydrate, sugar or proteincontent of foodstuffs. This dataprovides an indication of freshness,quality or calorie content. The new infrared LED opens this

measurement technique up also tothe consumer market. One optionwould be a compact sensor — like aUSB stick — which would be usedwith an appropriate smartphoneapp to measure calories, freshnessor nutritional content. First converter for infraredemitters The basis of the SFH 4735 is a bluechip (with a surface area of 1mm2)fabricated in Osram Opto’s UX:3technology. Its light is convertedinto IR radiation with the aid of aphosphor converter developedspecifically for this application. A residual blue component in thelight helps users target the areathey want to investigate. The emission spectrum of the SFH 4735

has a homogeneous spectral distri-bution in the infrared range. Thechip is mounted in the proven andcompact Oslon Black Flat package,which is characterized in particularby good thermal resistance. Food analytics supplements biomonitoringCompact units for spectroscopicchemical analyses open up a newrange of applications in consumerelectronics, notes the firm. Expertsexpect that it will be possible in thenear future to integrate spectro-meters directly in mobile devices.The new technology is a naturalextension of bio monitoring, i.e. thetrend for measuring various vitalsigns such as pulse rate and calorieconsumption. A smartphone spec-trometer will enable users to moni-tor the food they eat in a similarmanner. Medicines can also bechecked in the same way. “Future applications are also of

particular interest,” says Udo Jansen,product marketing manager forInfrared. “It is conceivable that theemission range can be extended toinclude wavelengths up to 2000nm,in other words into the middleinfrared spectral range. This willallow more precise and detailedmeasurements and will open upnew options for everyday analysesof certain environmental parame-ters such as air quality.” www.osram.com

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51

Osram presents first broadband infrared LED, paving wayfor smartphone-based food analytics by consumers

Osram Opto’s SFH 4735 LED.

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At the electronica 2016 trade fair inMunich, Germany (8–11 November),Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbHof Regensburg, Germany show-cased a prototype four-channellaser that is said to take LIDAR(light detection and ranging) systemsfor autonomous or semi-autonomousdriving a step closer. With an extremely short pulse

length and four parallel outputchannels, the prototype laser offersnew options for detecting objectsand a unique vertical detection zone,says Osram. This can be used for thefirst time in scanning LIDAR sensorsbased on micro-electro-mechanicalsystems (MEMS). Such solutions donot need a mechanism to re-directthe laser beam, so they are lesssusceptible to wear and tear.Together with Innoluce (an InfineonTechnologies AG company and specialist in laser scanner technol-ogy) Osram says that it is showcas-ing what the future of LIDARsystems may look like. LIDAR sensors are an essential

element in future fully autonomousor semi-autonomous self-drivingcars. Operating on the principle oftime-of-flight measurement, a veryshort laser pulse is transmitted,hits an object, is reflected anddetected by a sensor. From thetime-of-flight of the laser beam it ispossible to calculate the distance tothe object. Scanning LIDAR systemsscan the surroundings of the carhorizontally with a laser beam acrossa certain angular segment and produce a high-resolution 3D mapof the environment. In most cases,the laser beams in existing scan-ning LIDAR systems are deflectedvia mechanical moving mirrors.Some solutions make use of severallaser diodes mounted one on top ofthe other to extend the verticalfield of view.Four-channel laser bar simplifiesadjustmentOsram’s four-channel LIDAR laserconsists of a laser bar with four

individually controllable laser diodesand a control circuit integrated inthe module. The entire module issurface-mountable, which reducesassembly costs and the timeneeded for fine adjustment at thecustomer. To create the laser bar, four laser

diodes are produced next to eachother in a single production step sothey are precisely aligned to eachother and can be individually con-trolled. “The new laser is a bar con-sisting of four laser diodes that areseparated in the production processbut are not individual diodes,” saysproduct manager Sebastian Bauer.“The result is a laser that emits fourperfectly parallel beams,” he adds.“Our customers no longer have tospend time laboriously adjustingthe individual light sources.” Greater optical output,extremely short pulse length For the new laser Osram has boostedthe maximum optical output of its905nm-wavelengthnanostackpulse laserdiodes byabout 10Wto 85W at30A perchannel. Also, the

pulse length

has been short-ened from 20nsto less than 5ns.The short pulselength and thesmall duty cycleof 0.01% ensurethat, even atsuch high out-puts, the require-ments of therelevant eye-safety standardsare met. With anoperating voltageof 24V the laseralso meets the

requirements for use in vehicles. First laser for use with MEMS Due to the short pulse lengths, thefour-channel LIDAR laser for thefirst time enables a scanning LIDARsystem to be produced in which thelight beam is deflected via MEMS.The 2.7mm x 2.3mm MEMS chip isoperated at up to 2kHz and hasbeen developed by Innoluce B.V. ofNijmegen, The Netherlands (acquiredby Germany’s Infineon in October).The overall system covers a field of view of 120° horizontal and20° vertical (with a resolution of0.1° horizontal and 0.5° vertical).In daylight the range for detectingvehicles is at least 200m and forpedestrians 70m. The demonstratorpresented at electronica will haveslightly different properties. Pulse laser diodes from Osram

have been in use in cars for over 10 years, e.g. for time-of-flight(TOF) measurements in adaptivecruise control (ACC) systems and foremergency brake assist systems.This latest addition to the productportfolio aims to support the manynew developments in sensors forself-driving cars. Samples of thenew four-channel LIDAR laser willbe available from early summer2017, with market launch plannedfor 2018. www.innoluce.com www.osram.com

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The new laser isa bar consistingof four laserdiodes that areseparated in theproductionprocess but arenot individualdiodes

Osram presents prototype multi-channel laser forscanning LIDAR in self-driving cars

Osram Opto’s four-channel LIDAR laser.

News: Optoelectronics


53

Analog Devices Inc (ADI) of Norwood, MA, USA (which designsand manufactures ICs for analogand digital signal processing appli-cations) has acquired solid-statelaser beam-steering technologyfrom privately held company Vescent Photonics Inc of Golden,CO, USA (which was founded in2002 to develop and manufacturetechnologies in waveguide, electro-optics, tunable lasers, and electron-ics for precision laser control). Vescent’s non-mechanical beam

steering technology enables morerobust integrated LIDAR (lightimaging, detection and ranging)systems that overcome many ofthe major drawbacks associatedwith existing bulky mechanicalofferings (such as reliability, size,and cost). ADI reckons that theacquisition strengthens its positionas a major automotive safety systemtechnology partner for next-gener-ation (Advanced Driver AssistanceSystems) and autonomous drivingapplications. “From inertial MEMS sensors used

in airbag and electronic stabilitycontrol applications to 24GHz and77GHz automotive radar, ADI solutions have helped save lives for over two decades,” says ChrisJacobs, general manager of Auto-motive Safety at Analog Devices.“Now, this innovative technologywill play an important role in makingLIDAR systems more compact, morerobust, and an affordable feature inevery new car worldwide.” Existing ADAS systems must rely

on a suite of sensor technologiesthat include cameras, radar andLIDAR to effectively provideadvanced safety features such asforward collision warning, blind-spotdetection, pedestrian detection,and autonomous driving functions.Cameras are used widely for objectrecognition while radar uses radio-frequency electromagnetic waves

to measure distance. LIDAR useslaser beams to measure the dis-tance and can also recognizeobjects. Scanning LIDAR systemscan be used to detect objects on or

near the roadway and fill the blindspots known to exist when usingradar and cameras. www.analog.com www.vescent.com

Analog Devices acquires laser beam-steering technologyfrom Vescent Photonics Non-mechanical technology enables robust integrated LIDAR forautomotive safety applications

News: Optical communications


54

Philips Photonics of Ulm, Germany(a wholly owned business of RoyalPhilips of Eindhoven, The Nether-lands) is doubling capacity at itslaser diode facility to provide thekey components for some of thelatest developments in data com-munication, consumer sensing, andindustrial thermal processing. Since its establishment in 2000 as

ULM Photonics GmbH and its acqui-sition by Philips in 2006, the facilityin Ulm has grown significantly, withstaffing rising from 50 in 2012 to200 in 2016. The latest expansion,with a new production line featuringautomation, reflects the potentialof vertical-cavity surface-emittinglasers (VCSELs) in many applications,says the firm. Completion isplanned for the end of 2017. VCSEL diodes are key components

in a growing number of consumer

and industrial applications, includingsensing of 3D objects in autonomousvehicles; PC ‘mice’; industrial sensorsand control functions; driver assistsystems; ultra-fast data transmissionin data centers and servers; andproviding distance and gesturerecognition in mobile phones. “Over the past few years, we have

invested steadily in research, productdevelopmentand efficientmanufac-turingprocesses,”says generalmanager Dr JosephPankert.“Today, ourproducts arewidely used

in data centers, smartphones and anumber of industrial applications,”he adds. “The sharp rise in demandfor VCSELs is a key factor in ourcapacity expansion at Ulm, and willenable us to respond to the needsof these rapidly growing markets.” Semiconductor lasers have been

developed and manufactured at thefacility in Ulm since 2000. The firmhas pioneered innovations such asVCSEL arrays (now widely used fortime-of-flight and 3D depth imag-ing). In 2014, the company madethe significant step to highly auto-mated manufacturing with thelaunch of its existing 4” productionfacility, within the framework of the‘VIDAP’ project, jointly sponsoredby the German Federal Ministry ofEducation and Research (BMBF)and the European Union (EU). www.photonics.philips.com

Philips Photonics to double VCSEL capacity in Ulm Expansion to be completed by end 2017

MACOM Technology Solutions Hold-ings Inc of Lowell, MA, USA (whichmakes semiconductors, compo-nents and subassemblies for analogRF, microwave, millimeter-waveand photonic applications) hasannounced volume production of itsfamily of 25Gbps lasers for data-center, mobile infrastructure andfiber to the home (FTTH) applications. Cloud data-center infrastructure is

proliferating rapidly, driven byexponential data traffic growth andthe hyperscale elasticity needed toaccommodate surging cloud com-pute workloads and long-termcapacity plans, says MACOM. Globaldemand for online multimedia andmobile data created almost 5 trilliongigabytes of data center traffic in2015 alone. To meet this burgeoningdemand, hyperscale data centershave leveraged inexpensive computing power connected byoptical fiber and extremely high-speed, power-efficient lasers.

Leveraging etched facet technol-ogy (EFT) and its commercial-scalemanufacturing capability, MACOMexpects to capitalize on the 100Gtechnology opportunity in Clouddata centers by replicating the sig-nificant cost structure reductionsfor lasers that it has previouslyachieved in passive optical net-works (PON). The 127/129/131/133D-25G-LCT11

and 1295/1300/1304/1309-25B-LCT11-S families of 25Gbps lasersserve CWDM and LAN-WDM data-center applications, respectively.The 131D-25I-LT5TC family of TO-packaged 25Gbps laser productsservice 5G-LTE and 100G PONapplications. MACOM says that itsTO package is a robust, high-speeddesign that enables the full utilizationof laser bandwidth with efficientheat dissipation. These families of products leverage

MACOM’s patented EFT technologywhich, when combined with its in-

house wafer-scale indium phosphide(InP) manufacturing, is expected toprovide a cost and capacity advan-tage previously unachievable byincumbent laser suppliers. Coupledwith MACOM’s driver MAOM-2304,the new laser family can offer acomplete solution enabling data-center, mobile and FTTH needs tobe addressed. “In markets where EFT can bring

disruptive economics to bear, webelieve it will play a pivotal role inachieving the cost thresholds toenable mainstream deployment,”says Dr Alex Behfar, senior VP &chief scientist, Photonic Solutionsat MACOM. “We have alreadyproven our ability to service high-volume cost-competitive marketssuch as PON, and with our 25Gbpslaser family we believe we are wellpositioned to become a pre-emi-nent supplier of lasers into thesehigh-volume markets.” www.macom.com/25GLasers

MACOM launches 25Gbps laser family for high-volume,cost-sensitive 100G optical markets

Since itsestablishment in2000 as ULMPhotonics GmbH,the facility in Ulm has grownsignificantly, withstaffing risingfrom 50 in 2012to 200 in 2016



55

The project COSMICC — funded bythe European Union (EU) under itsHorizon 2020 program H2020-ICT-2015 — has been launched toenable mass commercialization ofsilicon photonics-based transceiversto meet future data-transmissionrequirements in data centers andsuper computing systems. COSMICC will combine CMOS

electronics and silicon photonicswith innovative high-throughput,fiber-attachment techniques. Thesescalable solutions aim to provideperformance improvement an orderof magnitude better than existingvertical-cavity surface-emitting laser(VCSEL) transceivers, and theCOSMICC-developed technologywill address future data-transmis-sion needs with a target cost per bitthat traditional wavelength-divisionmultiplexing (WDM) transceiverscannot meet. For example, the project partners

are focusing on developing mid-board optical transceivers with datarates up to 2.4Tb/s with 200Gb/sper fiber using 12 fibers. Thedevices will consume less than2pJ/bit, and cost about €0.2/Gb/s. Coordinated by micro/nanotech-

nology R&D center CEA-Leti ofGrenoble, France, the 11 projectpartners (from five countries) also

include STMicroelectronics(France), STMicroelectronics(Italy), University Pavia (Italy), Finisar (Germany), Vario-Optics(Switzerland), Seagate (UK), University Paris-Sud (France), University of St. Andrews (UK),University Southampton (UK) andAyming (France). “By enhancing an R&D photonic

integration platform from projectmember STMicroelectronics, thepartners in COSMICC aim todemonstrate the transceivers by2019,” says project leaderSégolène Olivier of Leti. “We alsoplan to establish a new value chainthat will facilitate rapid adoption ofthe technologies developed by ourmembers.” Several technological develop-

ments will be used to boost the

photonic integration platform’shigh-data-rate performance, whilealso reducing power consumption. A first improvement will be the

introduction of a silicon nitride(SiN) layer that will allow the devel-opment of temperature-insensitivemultiplex/demultiplex (mux/demux)devices for coarse WDM operation.In addition, the SiN layer will serveas an intermediate wave-guidinglayer for optical input/output to andfrom the photonic chip. Additional steps will enhance

modulator performance to 50Gb/s,while making the transceivers morecompact and reducing energy consumption. The partners will alsoevaluate capacitive modulators,slow-wave depletion modulatorswith 1D periodicity, and moreadvanced approaches. Theseinclude germanium-silicon (GeSi)electro-absorption modulators with tunable Si composition andphotonic crystal electro-refractionmodulators to make micron-scaledevices. In addition, a hybrid III-V on Si laser will be integratedin the SOI/SiN platform in the moreadvanced transmitter circuits. Project demonstrators will be

tested in both laboratory and fieldenvironments. www.h2020-cosmicc.com

EC project COSMICC to develop silicon photonics-basedtransceivers for low-cost, high-speed datacoms Leti-led Horizon 2020 project combines CMOS electronics and silicon photonics with high-throughput, fiber-attachment techniquesfor beyond 1Tb/s



Schematic of COSMICC on-boardoptical transceiver at 2.4Tb/s(50Gbps/wavelength, 4 CWDM wavelengths per fiber, 12 fibers for Tx, 12 fibers for Rx).



56

For third-quarter 2016, NeoPhotonicsCorp of San Jose, CA, USA (a vertically integrated designer andmanufacturer of hybrid photonicintegrated optoelectronic modulesand subsystems for high-speedcommunications networks) hasagain reported record revenue, of$103.3m, up 4.2% on $99.1m lastquarter and up 23.6% on $83.6m ayear ago. High Speed Products (100G-and-

above) again rose to a new record,from 66% of total revenue lastquarter to 67%, with “unprece-dented” mid-term demand continu-ing to increase across all 100Gproduct families (including coher-ent line-side products, client-sidecomponents and modules andmulti-cast switches), according topresident & CEO Tim Jenks. Correspondingly, Network Prod-

ucts and Solutions (lower-speedtransceivers, <100Gb/s) fellslightly again, from 34% of totalrevenue last quarter to 33%. In particular, passive optical net-

work (PON) revenue declined fur-ther, to $6.7m (although exceedingthe expected $4m). Of total revenue (compared with

last quarter), 61% came fromChina (up from 60%) and 19%from the Americas (down from20%), while Japan was 5% and therest of the world was 15% (bothlevel with quarter). There were two 10%-or-greater

customers, with Huawei Technolo-gies (including Huawei affiliate Hi-Silicon Technologies) at 48% (upfrom 45% last quarter) and Cienaat 15% of total revenue (downfrom 16%). There were also fourcustomers representing 5% ormore of revenue, demonstratingthe continued strength across all ofthe firm’s largest customers. However, at the end of the quarter

(on 30 September), a distributionpartner serving parts of the Chinamarket unexpectedly filed for bank-

ruptcy reorganization in HongKong. As a result of the associateduncertainty with recent paymentsand receivables, NeoPhotonicsreduced revenue in Q3 by $2.25m(mostly impacting high-margin,high-speed 100G products). Impacted by the distributor reor-

ganization charge of $2.25m inaddition to the absorption of somemid-year higher volume-relatedprice adjustments, PON under-recoveries and additional ramp-upcosts, non-GAAP gross margin hasfallen from 29.8% a year ago and29.3% last quarter to 27.6% (wellbelow the 29–31% guidance), inaccord with the product mix of thegreater-than-expected low-marginPON sales and $2.25m-lower high-margin high-speed sales (due tothe distributor bankruptcy). Operating expenses have risen

from $21.8m last quarter to$24.7m (24% of sales), towardsthe upper end of the $23–25mguidance range due to new productR&D, principally for advancedcoherent developments (raisingR&D spending to 14% of sales). Net income has fallen back from

$4.6m ($0.11 per diluted share) ayear ago and $6.9m ($0.15 perdiluted share) last quarter to $2.9m($0.06 per diluted share, below theguidance of $0.09–0.17). Never-theless, this is still the firm’s ninthconsecutive non-GAAP profitablequarter. Adjusted EBITDA (earningsbefore interest, taxes, depreciationand amortization) has fallen backfrom $10.2m a year ago and $12m(12.1% of revenue) last quarter to$8.3m (8% of revenue). Cash flow from operations was

$4m, impacted by an increase inaccounts receivable from ship-ments accelerating in the secondhalf of the quarter. Also, as part ofits production capacity expansionplan, capital expenditure (CapEx)was about $15m (making $30myear-to-date, in line with cash flow

from operations of about $29m andEBITDA of $33m, and on track tobe halfway through the 2-yearexpansion-related spending plan byyear end). During the quarter, cash and cash

equivalents, short-term investmentsand restricted cash collectivelyhence fell by $10.6m, from$113.5m to $102.9m. However,total debt was cut by $0.9m to$44.5m. Excluding the impact of the

distribution partner’s bankruptcy,Q3 revenue would have been$105.6m (near the top end of the$100–106m guidance range),including High Speed 100G-and-beyond product growth of 10%quarter-on-quarter and 53% year-on-year. Gross margin wouldhave been 1.6 percentage pointshigher at 29.2% (just within the29–31% guidance range) andearnings per share (EPS) wouldhave been $0.05 higher at $0.11per share (within the $0.09–0.17guidance range). “Since the processis a reorganization, there may beopportunities for recovering a portion of this amount as the courtmakes decisions on creditors andthe terms of the restructuring,”notes chief financial officer Ray Wallin. “We have already madeadjustments to our sales structurefor the distributor situation suchthat our business will not see anyadditional impact from this,” comments Jenks. Reflecting markets and capital

expansion plans, for fourth-quarter2016 (including PON products)NeoPhotonics expects revenue of$109–115m, up 5.5–11% sequen-tially. Excluding PON, revenueshould be $105–111m, up 8–15%from $97m in Q3. “Demand forleading-edge high-speed productsplays directly into our core compe-tencies, making us optimistic about our growth prospects goingforward,” says Jenks.

NeoPhotonics reports record revenue of $103.3m in Q3,up 24% year on year High-speed 100G-and-above revenue year-to-date up 38% year-on-year



57

Due to the drop in low-marginPON revenue, gross margin shouldrebound to 30–33%. Operatingexpenses are expected to rise to$26–28m (including R&D spendingremaining 14% of revenue). Never-theless, earnings per share shouldrebound to $0.13–0.21. CapEx willrise sharply to $23m. “To ensure NeoPhotonics has the

capacity to serve the ever growingdemand for our high-performance100G products into 2017 andbeyond, we are pursuing a 2-yearcapacity expansion program, theinitial fruits of which helped driveour record shipment volumes in thethird quarter,” says Jenks. “Wehave been adding capacity for100G-and-beyond productssteadily through the year and wehave made progress to eliminatebottlenecks in our supply chain. Asa result, we are starting to see thebenefits of the increasing output forultra-narrow line-width tunablelasers as well as coherent receivers,EML lasers, 100G client modulesand multicast switches,” he adds.

“Capacity constraints continue toexist throughout the overall industrysupply chain, which has an effect onour growth rate,” Jenks continues.“As incremental industry bottlenecksare addressed, we expect theunderlying market demand for100G-and-beyond products will drivesignificant growth into 2017 andbeyond. This will happen as 100Gdeployments continue to expandglobally for both telecom and data-center applications and as the bulkof our new capacity comes online.” NeoPhotonics hence expects full-

year revenue growth for 2016 to beabout 22% (versus 10.9% in 2015),despite annual PON product revenuefalling from nearly $45m to about$30m. “Our capacity additions provide volume increases of 50%or more in coherent products andEML lasers and more than doublingof volume in switches and 100Gmodules next year,” says Jenks.Hence, 2017 should see a highergrowth rate (most likely over 25%),despite the planned end-of-life forcertain PON products by mid-2017.

“When our PON changes are com-plete, our results will no longerhave to overcome headwinds fromdeclining revenues from lower-speed products,” says Jenks.“Rather, our full product portfoliowill be focused on the highest-per-formance and highest-speedrequirements, which are in thehighest-growth market segments.” “We have also taken steps to

accelerate some of our key R&Ddevelopments to intersect newmarket demand requirements forhigher-speed 400G-and-beyondapplications and for certain prod-ucts used in coherent modules,”notes Jenks. “We are continuing tolaunch products and capabilities insupport of the industry need forspeed at 200G, 400G and even600G data rates.” NeoPhotonicshence expects its R&D investmentto exceed prior plans by 1–2% ofrevenue as it supports these additional programs, due to accel-erating some programs “rather dramatically”. www.neophotonics.com

For its fiscal first-quarter 2017(ended 1 October 2016), Oclaro Incof San Jose, CA, USA (which provides components, modules andsubsystems for optical communica-tions) has reported a fifth consecu-tive quarter of 7%-or-greatersequential revenue growth, toanother record of $135.5m (abovethe $126–134m guidance). This isup 8% on $125.2m last quarter (a 14-week quarter) and up 55%on $87.6m a year ago. Growth was driven by 100G-and-

beyond sales growing by about 20%for the fifth consecutive quarter, to $97.8m (72% of total revenue),up 23% on $79.7m (64% of revenue)last quarter and up 140% on $40.8m(47% of revenue) a year ago. For 40G-and-lower speeds,

revenue fell further, from $46.8m(53% of total revenue) a year agoand $45.5m (36% of revenue) lastquarter to $37.7m (28% of rev-enue), driven mainly by the taper-ing down of $3m of 40G end-of-lifeproducts and the loss of the extraweek of 10G sales compared withthe 14-week fiscal Q4. Client-side (datacom) sales were

$68.4m, up 5% on $65.5m lastquarter and up 44% on $47.5m ayear ago. Line-side (telecom) saleswere $67.1m, up 12% on $59.7mlast quarter and up 68% on $40m ayear ago. In particular, 100G rev-enue was approximately evenlysplit between the client-side andline-side markets. By region, China comprised 43%

of total revenue (roughly level withlast quarter), Southeast Asia 23%(up from 16% last quarter, afterrevenue growth of 46%), theAmericas 19% (down from 23%),and Europe 13% (down from16%). However, demand in South-east Asia is coming from contractmanufacturers serving North Amer-ican and European customers.

“The September quarter againdemonstrated the continued strongperformance of the company andthe vitality of the global 100G market,” says CEO Greg Dougherty.“We exceeded our guidance in allareas,” he adds. On a non-GAAP basis, gross margin

has grown from 26.4% a year agoand 32.4% last quarter to a record34.4% (above the forecasted30–33%), due mainly to the 100Gsales mix, economies of scalerelated to manufacturing overheads,and inventory management. Operating expenses (OpEx) were

$25.8m, level with last quarter but,due to the above-expected revenue,cut from20.6% ofsales to just19%(beyond thetargeted20–21%),comprising9.4% in R&Dand 9.7% inSG&A (sales,general &administra-tive).

Operating income has grown from$0.4m a year ago and $14.9m last quarter to a record $20.9m(operating margin of 15.4% of sales),above the forecasted $12–16m. Net income was $20m ($0.14 per

diluted share), up from $14.4m($0.11 per diluted share) last quarter,and the fourth consecutive quarterof positive earnings per share compared with a net loss of $1.6m($0.01 per diluted share) a year ago.Adjusted EBITDA has grown from$4.2m a year ago and $19.2m last quarter to $25.6m. Early in the quarter, Oclaro retired

$65m of convertible debt, followed inSeptember by raising a net $128.6min capital through a stock offering.Overall, after capital expenditure(CapEx) of $14.2m and workingcapital in prepaid of $6.8m, total cash, cash equivalents andrestricted cash rose by $132.7mfrom $96.6m to $229.3m. “Based on the projected growth

prospects for the data-center, Chinaand metro markets, we expect customer demand for our highlydifferentiated 100G-and-beyondportfolio to remain strong in fiscal2017,” says chief financial officer



58

Oclaro revenue grows for fifth consecutive quarter,up 55% year-on-year, driven by 100G Operating margin ahead of target, despite continuing capacityconstraints for 100G and tunable products and tail-off in 40G

(a 14-weekquarter)

Growth wasdriven by 100G-and-beyond salesgrowing byabout 20% for the fifthconsecutivequarter, to$97.8m (72% oftotal revenue)



59

Pete Mangan. For fiscal second-quarter 2017

(to end-December 2016), Oclaroexpects revenue of $146–154m (up 8–14% quarter-to-quarter andnearly 60% year-to-year), drivenmainly by continued growth in 100G.“We again expect to continue to seestrong growth across all of our100G products serving both theclient- and the line-side markets,”says Dougherty. “We continue tosee very robust demand and weremain capacity constrained foressentially all 100G and tunableproduct line,” he adds. Growth willbe gated by capacity and not market demand. Oclaro expects40G-and-below sales to decline further to about $35m, then toabout $30m per quarter in fiscal

second-half2017 as 40Gbusinesswinds down. In fiscal

Q2/2017,gross marginshould be33–36%,and operat-ing income$22–26m(with oper-ating marginrising toabout 16%of sales).However,Oclaro’s tar-gets remain35% gross

margin and 15% operating margin.“We want to show that we can sustain that, and then move fromthere,” notes Mangan.As Oclaro invests in R&D but

continues to leverage SG&A, itexpects OpEx to now remain19–20% of sales, despite R&D rising to 10–11%, as SG&A is cut to9% or less.Regarding CapEx for fiscal 2017,

Oclaro previously projected$55–65m, and now believes it willrun to the high end of this range asit invests in additional capacity togrow revenue. This CapEx invest-ment will result in a correspondingsequential increase in depreciationof $800,000–900,000 per quarterfor the remainder of fiscal 2017. www.oclaro.com

Optical and photonic product makerLumentum Holdings Inc of Milpitas,CA, USA has launched the T13Series of 980nm pump laser modules, based on what is claimedto be an industry-first uncooled distributed feedback (DFB) 980nmpump laser chip. The T13 family ofproducts combines a high-powerDFB diode laser with additionalcomponents into an ultra-smallform-factor coaxial package. Sample quantities are availablenow, with volume production inDecember. “The T13 Series leverages the

same TO-package demonstrated innumerous high-volume consumerapplications and establishes theDFB’s future role in compact, reliable980nm pump lasers for opticalamplification applications,” says Jay Skidmore, VP R&D, High PowerLasers. “The DFB laser eliminatesthe external grating needed forconventional pump laser designsthat opens a path towards muchhigher levels of integration,” headds. “Additional benefits includefiber length reduction, a decreasein the device’s footprint, plus lower

power requirements.” Operating up to 200mW, the

T13 Series meets the telecomsindustry’s stringent requirements,including Telcordia GR-468-COREfor hermetic 980nm pump modules.The pumpmodules target single-channel andnarrow-bandamplifier appli-cations forhigh-bit-ratetransmissionmodules andCFPx trans-ceivers. “Introduction

of the T13

Series pump is another example ofLumentum developing superiorhigh-power laser technologiesacross our broad product portfolioto deliver best-in-class solutions,”claims Doug Alteen, VP, productline management, Telecom. “Thesmall pump laser package lever-ages the design and manufacturingof our high-volume 3D sensinglasers, which have proven to behighly reliable, with tens of millionsof devices deployed.” Amongst Lumentum’s portfolio of

pump lasers for optical amplification,the 980nm Series of products sup-ports erbium-doped fiber amplifiers(EDFAs) operating at power levelsof 100–900mW. The 14xx nm and15xx nm Series products (deployedin Raman amplification) offer operating powers up to 600mW inwavelengths covering the C-bandand L-band. The new uncooled T13 Series pumps are derived froma 980nm pump platform and signif-icantly reduce power consumptionand enable operation in extremephysical environments, saysLumentum.www.lumentum.com

Lumentum launches module based on firstuncooled 980nm DFB pump laser chip

Lumentum’s new T13 Series 980nmpump laser.

We again expectto continue to seestrong growthacross all of our100G productsserving both theclient- and line-side markets. Weremain capacityconstrained foressentially all100G and tunableproduct line.Growth will begated by capacityand not marketdemand

The DFB lasereliminates theexternal grating neededfor conventionalpump laserdesigns thatopens a pathtowards muchhigher levels ofintegration

Researchers at the FraunhoferInstitute for Solar Energy Systems(ISE) in Freiburg, Germany togetherwith EV Group of St Florian, Austria— a supplier of wafer bonding andlithography equipment for semicon-ductor, micro-electro-mechanicalsystems (MEMS), compound semi-conductors, power devices andnanotechnology applications —have fabricated a silicon-basedmulti-junction solar cell with twocontacts and a solar energy conver-sion efficiency exceeding the theo-retical limit of silicon solar cells. The researchers used a direct

wafer bonding process to transfer afew microns of III-V semiconductormaterial to silicon. After plasmaactivation, the subcell surfaces arebonded together in vacuum byapplying pressure. The atoms onthe surface of the III-V subcell formbonds with the silicon atoms, creat-ing a monolithic device. The researchers say that the effi-

ciency achieved presents a first-timeresult for this type of fully integratedSi-based multi-junction solar cell.The complexity of its inner structureis not evident from its outerappearance: the cell has a simplefront and rear contact — just like aconventional silicon solar cell — andtherefore can be integrated intophotovoltaic modules in the samemanner. “We are working on methods to

surpass the theoretical limits of silicon solar cells,” says Dr FrankDimroth, head of Fraunhofer ISE’sIII-V Epitaxy and Solar Cells depart-ment. “It is our long-standing experience with silicon and III-Vtechnologies that has enabled us toreach this milestone.” A conversionefficiency of 30.2% for the III-V/Simulti-junction solar cell of 4cm2

was measured at Fraunhofer ISE’scalibration laboratory. In comparison,the highest efficiency measured to

date for a pure silicon solar cell is26.3%, and the theoretical effi-ciency limit is 29.4%. The III-V/Si multi-junction solar cell

consists of a sequence of subcellsstacked on top of each other. Such tunnel diodes internally connect the three subcells made ofgallium indium phosphide (GaInP),gallium arsenide (GaAs) and silicon(Si), which span the absorptionrange of the sun’s spectrum. TheGaInP top cell absorbs radiationbetween 300 and 670nm. The mid-dle GaAs subcell absorbs radiationbetween 500 and 890nm and thebottom Si subcell between 650 and1180nm, respectively. The III-Vlayers are first epitaxially depositedon a GaAs substrate and thenbonded to a silicon solar cell struc-ture. Subsequently, the GaAs sub-strate is removed, and a front andrear contact as well as an anti-reflection coating are applied. “Key to the success was to find a

manufacturing process for siliconsolar cells that produces a smoothand highly doped surface which issuitable for wafer bonding as well asaccounts for the different needs ofsilicon and the applied III-V semi-conductors,” says Dr Jan Benick,team leader at Fraunhofer ISE. “Indeveloping the process, we relied onour decades of research experiencein the development of highest-effi-ciency silicon solar cells,” he adds.

“With this achievement, we haveopened the door for further effi-ciency improvements for cellsbased on the long-proven siliconmaterial,” says ISE’s director pro-fessor Eicke Weber, regardingbreaking the “glass ceiling” of 30%efficiency with a fully integratedtwo-contact silicon-based solar cell. “The III-V/Si multi-junction solar

cell is an impressive demonstrationof the possibilities of our ComBondcluster for resistance-free bondingof different semiconductors withoutthe use of adhesives,” says MarkusWimplinger, corporate technologydevelopment & IP director at EVG.“Since 2012, we have been workingclosely with Fraunhofer ISE on thisdevelopment.” The direct wafer-bonding process is already used inthe microelectronics industry tomanufacture computer chips. On the way to the industrial

manufacturing of III-V/Si multi-junction solar cells, the costs of theIII-V epitaxy and the connectingtechnology with silicon must bereduced. There are still great chal-lenges to overcome in this area,which Fraunhofer ISE aims to solvethrough future investigations. Itsnew Center for High Efficiency SolarCells (currently being constructedin Freiburg) will provide facilities fordeveloping next-generation III-Vand silicon solar cell technologies.The ultimate objective is to makehigh-efficiency solar PV moduleswith efficiencies of over 30% possi-ble in the future. Dr Romain Cariou’s research on

this project at Fraunhofer ISE withthe support of a Marie Curie Post-doctoral Fellowship. Funding wasprovided by the European Unionproject HISTORIC. The work at EVG was supported by the AustrianMinistry for Technology. www.ise.fraunhofer.de www.evgroup.com

Fraunhofer ISE and EVG set 30.2% efficiencyrecord for silicon-based multi-junction solar cell Direct wafer bonding of III-V cells exceeds theoretical limit of 29.4% for pure silicon cell

News: Photovoltaics


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CV characteristic of GaInP/GaAs/Sisolar cell.

0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0Voltage [V]

50

40

30

20

10

0

Curr

ent [

mA

] C2926-SBC10_8-4FAM1.5g, IEC 90604-3, ed.2, 1000W/m2

A = 3.963cm2 (ap), T = 25ºC

Jsc = 11.9mA/cm2

VOC = 3.046V FF = 83.0%

η = 30.2% ± 1.1%

News: Photovoltaics


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Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab Inc ofSylmar, CA, USA (claimed to be theleading supplier of space solar cells)is to provide power aboard theCrew Space Transportation vehiclethat is being developed by Boeing’sStarliner program.The Starliner is in development

and is scheduled to begin crewtransportation services to and fromthe International Space Station(ISS) in 2018 as part of NASA’sCommercial Crew Program. “The Starliner program needed a

highly efficient, high-quality powersolution,” says John Mulholland, VP& program manager for Boeing’sCommercial Crew program. “This isa perfect example of the benefits of‘One Boeing’,” he adds. The Starliner will use Spectrolab’s

XTJ solar cells, which are made of

three distinct cell layers to capturedifferent portions of the energyspectrum. They will hence efficientlyconvert solar energy into usableelectricity aboard the Starliner,allowing astronauts to journey tothe space station and back.

“Spectrolab hasput its 60 yearsof history into thedesign of theseXTJ solar cells,”says presidentTony Mueller.The firm haspreviously pro-vided solar cellsto the ISS, theMars roversSpirit andOpportunity,NASA’s Juno

probe to Jupiter and over 700 otherspacecraft. “It will be a momentousoccasion when the Starliner launchesfor the first time,” he adds. www.spectrolab.com www.boeing.com/space/crew-space-transportation-100-vehicle

Alta Devices of Sunnyvale, CA, USA(a Hanergy company) says that itsrecord-setting solar technology isto be used to significantly extendthe endurance for the most sophis-ticated next-generation unmannedaerial vehicles (UAVs) of C-AstralAerospace of Ajdovscina, Slovenia. Alta designs and manufactures

what is claimed to be the most efficient, thinnest, flexible solartechnology in the world. In April, it announced another record of31.6% solar efficiency for itsnewest cells. Through the addition of Alta’s

solar technology, C-Astral’s latestBramor ppX-LRS (long-range solar)system can fly at least 2 hourslonger, enabling highly efficient andprecise global surveying and sensingcapabilities in remote and urbanareas. One example application is

mapping and surveying of longstretches of road from the sky —finishing the project in only a fewdays without disrupting traffic; if done

from the ground, this kind of workwould take 2–3 months of road closures. The beyond-line-of-sightcapability of the UAV, together withits advanced gas detection andshort-wave infrared (SWIR) sensorsis also suited to pipeline monitoring,replacing manned aircraft systemsand helicopters at a fraction of thecost. Alternatively, these aircraftcan dramatically accelerate andreduce the cost of surveying majorrailway lines and power line infra-structure. “From the time of our founding,

we have known that solar technologyis useful for extending flight timesand have continuously pursued it,”says C-Astral co-founder MarkoPeljhan. “Alta’s solar technology isthe only mature option on the market that allows us to achieveextended flight times without com-promising our high-performanceaircraft design,” he comments. “There are very few companies

with the deep expertise required todevelop this type of aircraft,” com-

ments Alta Devices’ chief marketingofficer Rich Kapusta about C-Astral. The new Bramor ppX airframe is

made of Kevlar/Carbon/Vectrancomposite materials that provide ahigh level of survivability. Com-pared with a standard Bramor, theAlta-enhanced LRS version addsless than two ounces of weight,while increasing flight time to about5.5 hours. This new system pro-vides an all-electric, high productiv-ity UAV for global surveying andremote sensing in remote areas(where access to fuel is an issue)and in urban areas (where pollutionand noise must be contained). The Bramor ppX has an operationalceiling of 14,000 feet and is capa-ble of operating in winds of up to25 knots. Embedded autonomousflight procedures include an arrayof fail-safe options based on man-rated standards. It isequipped with a high-rate GNSSreceiver and IMU precision data-logging electronics.www.altadevices.com

Alta to provide cells for C-Astral’s long-endurance UAVs

Spectrolab solar cells to power Boeing Starlinerspacecraft to the International Space Station

Spectrolab employees work to complete assembly of theStarliner solar panels in Sylmar.

News: Photovoltaics


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First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA— which makes thin-film photo-voltaic modules based on cadmiumtelluride (CdTe) as well as providingengineering, procurement & construction (EPC) services — hasannounced an acceleration of itsroadmap for Series 6 productioninto 2018, with about 3GW of production expected in 2019. Overthe course of 2017 and 2018, theexisting production facilities will beconverted to Series 6 productionand the current Series 4 productwill be phased out. As a result ofthe change in roadmap, the firmwill cancel its Series 5 product. “Following the completion of an

internal review process to evaluatethe best competitive response toaddress the current challengingmarket conditions, we have devel-oped plans that will enable us tomore quickly begin production ofour Series 6 module,” says CEOMark Widmar. “Although the decisionto accelerate our Series 6 roadmaprequires a restructuring of our current operations, we expect thetransition to Series 6 will enable usto maximize the intrinsic costadvantage of CdTe thin-film tech-nology versus crystalline silicon,”he adds. “Recent steep modulepricing declines require us to evalu-ate all components of our coststructure and streamline our busi-ness model to best position thecompany for long-term success.” As a result of the transition from

Series 4 to Series 6 production,First Solar will reduce its workforceat its manufacturing facilities bothdomestically and internationally.Additional reductions in administra-tive and other staff are also planned. Resulting from the transition to

Series 6 from Series 4 and othercompetitive factors, the firmexpects to incur restructuring andasset impairment charges of

$500–700m (including a cashimpact of $70–100m), primarily in2016, comprising the following: $475–585m, including assetimpairments related to Series 4,Series 5 and stored manufacturingequipment, and charges for cancel-lation of open purchase orders (thecash impact is expected to be$50–70m); up to $80m for a non-cashimpairment of goodwill; $10–15m in cash severancecharges (primarily in 2016); and $15–20m of other charges (primarily in 2017). These pre-tax restructuring and

asset impairment charges areexpected to have an offsetting taxbenefit of $50–100m. In addition, the firm expects to

incur $220–250m of tax expense in2016 associated with the distributionof $700–750m of cash to the USAfrom a foreign subsidiary. This distribution will provide liquidity forthe restructuring of US operationsand Series 6 investment. The cashtax impact related to this transfer isexpected to be $8-10m. Due to the restructuring and other

related charges, the firm has updatedits full-year 2016 GAAP guidance.Guidance is unchanged for net salesof $2.8–2.9bn and gross margin of25.5–26% (although previously, inearly November, net sales guidancewas slashed from $3.8–4.0bn andgross margin guidance was raisedfrom 18.5–19.0%). However, now,guidance foroperatingexpenses has beenraised from$480–500mto$965–1160m.Also, ratherthan operat-ing income of

$235–255m, First Solar now expectsan operating loss of $210–445m.Likewise, rather than earnings pershare of $3.75–3.90, it nowexpects a loss of $2.00–4.00. Guidance is unchanged for moduleshipments of 2.8–2.9GW (althoughthis was previously reduced in early November from 2.9–3.0GW),operating cash flow of between–$100m and zero (previouslyreduced from $500–650m), capital expenditure of $225–275m(previously cut from $275–325m),and net cash balance of $1.4–1.5bn(previously reduced from$1.9–2.2bn). In addition, 2016 non-GAAP guid-

ance (excluding the impact of thecurrent or previously announcedrestructuring actions) has beenupdated to reflect the sale of theentire remaining interest in theStateline project: non-GAAP earnings per share guidance hasnow been raised from $4.30–4.50to $4.60–4.80 (after already beenincreased in early November from$4.20–4.50). Also, First Solar has now provided

guidance for full-year 2017, includ-ing: net sales of just $2.5–2.6bn(70–75% solar power systems and25–30% third-party module salesfrom module shipments of just2.4–2.6GW), gross margin of12.5–14.5%, operating expensesof $290-305m GAAP ($280–300mnon-GAAP), operating income of$30–75m GAAP ($40–80m non-GAAP), earnings per share ofbetween –$0.10 and $0.45 GAAP(breakeven to $0.50 non-GAAP),operating cash flow of $550–650m,capital expenditure of $525–625m(higher than 2016 expected levelsdue to the investment in Series 6production equipment), and anending net cash balance of$1.4–1.6bn. www.firstsolar.com

First Solar accelerates Series 6 solar module productionto 2018, after converting from Series 4 to Series 6 over2017–2018 and cancelling Series 5 Drop in module pricing drives restructuring; 2016 guidance revised

Steep modulepricing declinesrequire us toevaluate allcomponents ofour coststructure andstreamline ourbusiness model

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For third-quarter 2016, First Solar Incof Tempe, AZ, USA — which makesthin-film photovoltaic modulesbased on cadmium telluride (CdTe)as well as providing engineering,procurement & construction (EPC)services — has reported net salesof $688m, down 26% on $934mlast quarter due to the completionof multiple systems projects duringthe quarter, offset partially byhigher module-only sales. However, on a non-GAAP basis,

earnings per share were $1.22, upfrom $0.87 last quarter due tolower restructuring charges and theforeign tax benefit. During the quarter, cash and mar-

ketable securities rose from $1.7bnto $2.1bn, primarily due to borrow-ing under the firm’s revolving creditfacility. The short-term borrowing isa result of the ongoing constructionof large-scale projects which havenot yet been sold. Cash flow usedin operations was $76m (roughlylevel with last quarter). “In the third quarter our opera-

tional and financial results were

solid,” says CEO Mark Widmar. “Our entire fleet module efficiencyfor the past quarter was 16.5% andour lead line efficiency exited thequarter at 16.9%, demonstratingcontinued execution on our tech-nology roadmap,” he adds. “Current market conditions are

extremelychallengingand require usto carefullyassess ourshort- andlong-termstrategicresponse,”notes Widmar.Based on Q3results andthe revisedsale timing forthe CaliforniaFlats andMoapa projects (nowexpected tobe sold in

2017), for full-year 2016 First Solarhas slashed its guidance for net sales from $3.8–4.0bn to$2.8–2.9bn. However, the forecastfor module shipments has beenreduced only slightly, from2.9–3.0GW to 2.8–2.9GW. Guidance for gross margin hastherefore been raised from18.5–19.0% to 25.5–26.0%. Guidance for non-GAAP operatingexpenses has been cut from$380–400m to $375–385m. Guidance has hence been increasedfor operating income from$310–370m to $340–370m, andfor earnings per share from$4.20–4.50 to $4.30–4.50. Expectations for operating cashflow have been reduced from$500–650m to between –$100m andzero. Planned capital expenditurehas been cut from $275–325m to$225–275m. Net cash balance(cash and marketable securitiesminus expected debt at the end of2016) is now expected to be just$1.4–1.5bn rather than $1.9–2.2bn. www.firstsolar.com

First Solar’s sales fall 26% in Q3, to $688m Revised project sale timing leads to reduction in full-year revenueguidance, but margin forecast raised due to modules forming greaterpart of revenue mix

Our entire fleet moduleefficiency forthe pastquarter was16.5% and ourlead lineefficiencyexited thequarter at16.9%,demonstratingcontinuedexecution onour technologyroadmap

First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA— which makes thin-film photovoltaic modules based oncadmium telluride (CdTe) as wellas providing engineering, procure-ment & construction (EPC) services— says that Californian community-based electricity provider MCE hasentered into a power purchaseagreement (PPA) for electricitygenerated from 40MWAC of First Solar’s Little Bear Solar Projectin Fresno County, CA. Designed tobe built out eventually to 160MWAC,the project should begin construc-tion in 2019, with commissioningexpected in 2020. As a not-for-profit community

choice aggregator (CCA) in Califor-nia, MCE offers their customerslocally controlled renewableenergy options. The Little Bear PPAis First Solar’s first with a CCA. “MCE is at the forefront of com-

munity-based power, a trend thatis growing not only in Californiabut across the United States,”comments Brian Kunz, First Solar'sVP of project development, whodescribes MCE as “an early leaderin this important energy segment…We look forward to expanding therelationship as MCE’s customerbase grows,” he adds. “MCE is dedicated to getting

more renewable energy on the

grid in California,” says MCE’s CEO Dawn Weisz. "By empoweringcommunities and customers with green energy choices likeLight Green 50% renewable andDeep Green 100% renewable,MCE is able to stimulate build-outof California solar projects, provid-ing a competitive new marketplacefor enterprising energy supplierslike First Solar.” MCE will initially purchase

electricity from Little Bear’s40MWAC first phase, with an optionto expand up to the project’s full160MWAC as its load increasesthrough potential expansion. www.mcecleanenergy.org

First Solar signs PPA with community choice aggregator MCE for40MWAC first phase of Little Bear Solar Project

Stion Corp of San Jose, CA, USAsays that its frameless CIGS (copper indium gallium selenium)photovoltaic module is being incor-porated into the design of the mostrecent project of Dutch firm NBA(NewBestArchitecten). Two five-storey residential apartment build-ings, each with 48 individual units,will all be carbon neutral, includingthe elevator and the commonroom. The houses are alsoequipped with high-efficiency waterheat pumps and a heat recoverysystem (all solar-powered). While most carbon-neutral homes

include solar modules, “what isunique about this project is that thesolar modules are integrated intothe building, so that you would notknow the buildings have solarunless we told you,” says NBAarchitect Harold van de Ven. According to Stion, building-integ-

rated photovoltaics (BIPV) hasbeen on the radar for many archi-tects but few have actually devel-

oped projects using an integratedsolar module. Many BIPV manufac-turers are trying to figure out howto deposit thin layers of photo-voltaic materials on glass that nev-ertheless still allows sunlightthrough, but this is still prohibi-tively expensive, says the firm.Instead, NBA installed the panelsvertically as a façade that willencase the entire building, exceptfor areas with traditional windowsthat allow for natural sunlight. While panels are typically installed

on a south-facing roof, increasedefficiencies are enabling east-westinstallations. Stion says that itsCIGS solar modules are suitable forinstallations that need to eke outevery watt of power, as they gener-ate increased energy comparedwith crystalline silicon due to: what is claimed to be an industry-best temperature coefficient of–0.26%/ºC that reduces energyproduction loss when temperaturesincrease;

increased energy generation over time due to CIGS having nolight-induced degradation (LID) orpotential-induced degradation(PID); and increased production in shadedenvironments. Stion notes that east-west facing

arrays also have the benefit ofextending the time period over theday during which energy is produced.“Rather than a large spike in pro-duction during the peak hours ofthe day, we smooth and extend theenergy generation profile byinstalling the modules in east–west,”comments Henrico van de Boomen,owner of EigenEnergie.net (thelargest CIGS distributor in Europe).Also, east–west installations mini-mize the amount of electricityneeded to be net-metered, whichcan be beneficial for policies thatreimburse less for net-meteredenergy. www.stion.com www.EigenEnergie.net

Stion’s frameless module chosen for BIPV carbon-neutralapartments in The Netherlands

Tokyo-based Solar Frontier hasprovided a total of 20kW of its CIS(copper indium selenium) thin-filmphotovoltaic (PV) solar panels forHonda Motor Company’s 70MPaSmart Hydrogen Station (SHS), forwhich demonstration testing beganon 24 October in Tokyo. This marksthe first time that Solar Frontierhas supplied its solar panels forfuel-cell-powered automobile projects. The demonstration test is being

performed by Honda under theJapanese Ministry of the Environ-ment’s Low Carbon TechnologyResearch and Development Pro-gram, with the aim of verifying theoperational effect of the 70MPa SHS,which produces solar power-derivedhydrogen. To examine the CO2

reduction effect under real-world cityconditions and its practical utility asa transplantable power-generatingfacility, the test is putting the70MPa SHS in operation with theClarity Fuel Cell (Honda’s new

fuel-cell-powered vehicle) and thePower Exporter 9000 (Honda’s V2L-compatible portable externalpower output device). The 70MPa Smart Hydrogen Station

uses Power Creator, a high-differential-pressure electrolyzer system devel-oped by Honda that generateshigh-pressure hydrogen gas withoutthe use of a mechanical compressor.Solar Frontier’s CIS thin-film solarpanels act as the source of power inthe Power Creator. “The ultimate in eco cars are

fuel-cell-powered automobiles thatemit zero CO2 or exhaust gas, insteadgenerating power through hydrogenand using that electricity to run,”comments Solar Frontier’s director& executive officer Shinji Kato. www.solar-frontier.com

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Solar Frontier provides CIS PV panels for demonstrationtest of Honda’s hydrogen production station

Solar Frontier’s CIS thin-film solarmodules installed on the 70MPaSmart Hydrogen Station.

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Solar cells made from inexpensiveperovskite material can more effi-ciently turn sunlight into electricityusing a new technique to sandwichtwo types of perovskite into a single photovoltaic cell. Perovskite solar cells are made of

a mix of organic molecules andinorganic elements that togethercapture light and convert it intoelectricity. However, perovskitephotovoltaic devices can be mademore easily and cheaply than siliconand on a flexible rather than rigidsubstrate. The first perovskite solarcells could go on the market nextyear, and some have been reportedto capture 20% of the sun’s energy.University of California, Berkeley

(UCB) and Lawrence BerkeleyNational Laboratory (LBNL) havereported a new design that alreadyachieves an average steady-stateefficiency of 18.4%, with a high of21.7% and a peak efficiency of 26%(Etgen et al, Nature Materials, DOI: 10.1038/nmat4795). “We have set the record now for

different parameters of perovskitesolar cells, including the efficiency,”says senior author Alex Zettl, a UCBerkeley professor of physics, sen-ior faculty member at Berkeley Laband member of the Kavli EnergyNanosciences Institute. “The effi-ciency is higher than any other per-ovskite cell — 21.7% — which is aphenomenal number, consideringwe are at the beginning of optimiz-ing this,” he adds. “This has a great potential to be

the cheapest photovoltaic on themarket, plugging into any homesolar system,” notes UC Berkeleyphysics graduate student OnurErgen (lead author of the paper). The efficiency is also better than

the 10-20% efficiency of polycrys-talline silicon solar cells used topower most electronic devices andhomes. Even the purest siliconsolar cells, which are extremelyexpensive to produce, peaked atabout 25% efficiency more than adecade ago.

The achievement is due to a newmethod for combining two perovskitephotovoltaic materials — each tunedto absorb a different wavelength ofsunlight — into one graded-bandgapsolar cell that absorbs almost theentire spectrum of visible light. Previous attempts to merge twoperovskite materials have failedbecause the materials degrade eachother’s electronic performance. “This is realizing a graded-bandgap

solar cell in a relatively easy-to-controland easy-to-manipulate system,” saysZettl. “It combines two very valuablefeatures — the graded bandgap, aknown approach, with perovskite, arelatively new but known materialwith surprisingly high efficiencies —to get the best of both worlds.” Full-spectrum solar cells As a semiconductor material likesilicon, perovskites conduct electricityonly if the electrons can absorbenough energy — e.g. from a photonof light — to raise them over theforbidden energy bandgap. Thesematerials preferentially absorb lightof specific wavelengths (correspon-ding to the bandgap energy) butinefficiently at other wavelengths. “In this case, we are swiping the

entire solar spectrum from infraredthrough the entire visible spectrum,”Ergen says. “Our theoretical effi-ciency calculations should be much,much higher and easier to reachthan for single-bandgap solar cellsbecause we can maximize coverageof the solar spectrum.” The key to mating the two materials

into a tandem solar cell is a single-atom-thick layer of hexagonalboron nitride, separating the perovskite layers from each other.In this case, the perovskite materialsare made of the organic moleculesmethyl and ammonia, but one contains the metals tin and iodinewhile the other contains lead andiodine doped with bromine. Theformer is tuned to preferentiallyabsorb light with an energy of 1eV(infrared) while the latter absorbsphotons of energy 2eV (amber color).

The monolayer of boron nitrideallows the two perovskite materialsto work together and make electric-ity from light across the whole rangeof colors between 1eV and 2eV. The perovskite/boron nitride

sandwich is placed atop a lightweightaerogel of graphene that promotesthe growth of finer-grained perovskitecrystals, serves as a moisture barrierand helps to stabilize charge trans-port though the solar cell, Zettl says.Moisture makes perovskite fall apart. The whole structure is capped at

the bottom with a gold electrode andat the top by a gallium nitride (GaN)layer that collects the electronsgenerated within the cell. Theactive layer of the thin-film solarcell is about 400nm thick. “Our architecture is a bit like build-

ing a quality automobile roadway,”Zettl says. “The graphene aerogelacts like the firm, crushed rock bot-tom layer or foundation, the twoperovskite layers are like finer graveland sand layers deposited on top ofthat, with the hexagonal boron nitridelayer acting like a thin-sheet mem-brane between the gravel and sandthat keeps the sand from diffusinginto or mixing too much with thefiner gravel. The gallium nitride layerserves as the top asphalt layer.” It is possible to add more layers of

perovskite separated by hexagonalboron nitride, although this maynot be necessary, given the broad-spectrum efficiency alreadyobtained, reckon the researchers. “People have had this idea of

easy-to-make, roll-to-roll photo-voltaics, where you pull plastic off aroll, spray on the solar material, androll it back up,” Zettl says. “With thisnew material, we are in the regimeof roll-to-roll mass production; it’sreally almost like spray painting.” The work was supported by the

US Department of Energy, theNational Science Foundation, andthe Office of Naval Research. www.nature.com/nmat/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nmat4795.html www.research.physics.berkeley.edu

Berkeley sets efficiency record for perovskite solar cell Two types of perovskite separated by boron nitride layer

Researchers based inUSA and Spain saythey have doubled

the AM1.5G conversion effi-ciency of ~2.0eV aluminiumindium gallium phosphide(AlGaInP) solar cells grownby molecular beam epitaxy(MBE) compared with previ-ous work [J. Faucher et al,Appl. Phys. Lett., vol109,p172105, 2016].The team from Yale

University in the USA, Universidad Rey Juan Carlosin Spain, and University ofIllinois at Urbana-Champaignin the USA see applicationsin multi-junction devices forhigh-efficiency space vehiclepower and concentratorphotovoltaics. Combined in5–6 junction structures it ishoped that conversion effi-ciencies greater than 50%could be achieved. Existing3–4 junction devices withmore than 44% efficiencyseem to be reaching thelimit for such designs.The team used three

approaches to improve per-formance: the introductionof AlGaInP-AlInP gradingnear the window and backsurface field (BSF) regions; optimization of the growthprocess and device design;and post-growth annealing.Aluminium-containing

solar cell layers suffer fromoxygen-related defects,

sapping performance. AlGaInP devices grown by MBEhave previously had poor performance compared withmaterial grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy(OMVPE). The researchers have managed to improvethe performance of MBE-grown structures to a levelcomparable to OMVPE.The MBE (Figure 1) was performed on gallium arsenide

(GaAs) to give cells responsive to photons of ~2.0eVenergy. The AlGaInP and AlInP layers were initiallygrown at 460°C. The AlInP had 50% Al content andthe AlGaInP 10% Al. Two structures were produced:one with sharp transitions between the different Alcomposition (comparison baseline), and the othergraded.

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Combined in 5–6junction structuresit is hoped thatconversionefficiencies greaterthan 50% could beachieved. Existing3–4 junction deviceswith more than 44%efficiency seem tobe reaching the limitfor such designs

Researchers claim double conversion efficiency over previous work, giving comparable performance to organometallic vapor phase epitaxy.

Three-prong attack toimprove quaternary solar cell MBE

Figure 1. Layer structures for (a) baseline AlGaInP solar cells with abruptheterojunctions denoted by black dashed lines and (b) cells with AlGaInPcompositionally graded heterojunctions.

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Compositional grading was achieved by varying the Al and Ga fluxes, seeking to provide a monotonic change in bandgap andminimal lattice mismatch. The researchersalso hoped that by avoiding pauses betweenAlGaInP and AlInP the incorporation of oxygenand other trap states in the transition regionwould be reduced. Transmission electronmicroscopy (TEM) did not show any disloca-tions in the transition region. However, high-angle annular dark field images did showslight phase separation of the cell ternary andquaternary materials. The team commentsthat this is common for such alloys grown byMBE.The internal quantum efficiency peak of the

graded structure was measured at 74%. Thebandgap-voltage offset — the differencebetween the bandgap-voltage and open-circuitvoltages (WOC = Eg/q – VOC) — was 616mV. The IQE of the baseline structure peakedaround 60%. The bandgap-voltage offset wasthe same as for the graded structure.Further optimization of the growth process

involved varying growth rates, V/III ratios, andsubstrate temperature with a view to increas-ing carrier diffusion lengths. With 490°C tem-perature the electron diffusion length wasdoubled to around 910nm, according to simu-lations. At the same time, peak IQE increasedto 80% and WOC was reduced to 602mV. Theperformance was relatively insensitive togrowth rate and V/III ratio variations.Short-circuit current (Jsc) was increased by

1.16x by reducing photon absorption in theupper layers through decreasing the combinedgrade and emitter thickness to 70nm. At thesame time, WOC was further reduced to573mV. The base layer was increased to1.5µm to reduce transmission losses.The researchers suggest that changing the

n-type silicon doping to selenium might furtherimprove performance. In OMVPE, such a changehas led to improvements in IQE, short-circuitcurrent, and open-circuit voltage.A final strategy to improve performance was

an anneal immediately after the MBE growth.A 670°C 5-minute thermal process reduceddark current by a factor of about 4 (Figure 2).The researchers estimate the electron diffusionlength to be more than 2000nm. The IQE peakincreased to 95%. Short-circuit current also increasedto 9.0mA/cm2. The bandgap-voltage offset was520mV.The team comments: “Most of the Jsc increase with

annealing arises from improvements in long-wave-

length IQE, implying significantly improved materialquality in the p-type base.”The fill-factor increased to ~0.85, giving a conversion

efficiency of 10.9%. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4965979Author: Mike Cooke

Figure 2. (a) Current–voltage characteristics under AM1.5Gillumination and (b) IQE showing improvements over previouslyreported MBE-grown AlGaInP cells (black) by incorporatingAlGaInP grades (red), growth window and device structureoptimization (green), and post-growth annealing (blue).

By using 2D technology comprising molybdenumdisulfide (MoS2) sandwiched in graphene, South Korea’s Institute for Basic Science (IBS)

Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics atSungkyunkwan University (SKKU) has developed whatis reckoned to be the world’s thinnest photodetector(Woo Jong Yu et al, ‘Unusually efficient photocurrentextraction in monolayer van der Waals heterostructureby tunneling through discretized barriers’, Nature Com-munications (2016); DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13278).With a thickness of just 1.3nm (10 times smaller than

existing standard silicon diodes) the device could beused in the Internet of Things, smart devices, wearableelectronics and photoelectronics. Graphene is conductive, thin (just one atom thick),

transparent and flexible. However, since it does notbehave as a semiconductor, its application in the elec-tronics industry is limited. So, to increase graphene’susability, IBS has sandwiched a layer of the 2D semi-conductor MoS2 between two graphene sheets and putit over a silicon base. They initially thought that theresulting device was too thin to generate an electric

Technology focus: Photodetectors 68

(top) Devices with one-layer and seven-layer MoS2 were built on top of a silicon base andcompared. Dielectric constantsresponsible for the difference in electrostatic potentials areshown in parenthesis. (bottom) The device with one-layer MoS2 (inside theviolet box) showed betterperformance in convertinglight to electric current than the seven-layer device (inside the pink box).


South Korea’s Institute forBasic Science developsthinnest photodetector MoS2 sandwiched by graphene enables 1.3nm-thick monolayer device toachieve higher photoresponsitivity than seven-layer device.

current but, unexpectedly, it did. “A device with one layer of MoS2 is toothin to generate a conventional p–njunction, where positive (p) chargesand negative (n) charges are separated and can create an internalelectric field. However, when we shinelight on it, we observed high photo-current,” says Yu Woo Jong, firstauthor of this study. “Since it cannotbe a classical p-n junction, wethought to investigate it further.” To understand what they found, the

researchers compared devices withone and seven layers of MoS2 andtested how well they behave as a photodetector, i.e. how they are ableto convert light into an electric current.They found that the device with one layer of MoS2

absorbs less light than the device with seven layers,but it has higher photoresponsitivity. “Usually the photocurrent is proportional to the photoabsorbance;that is, if the device absorbs more light, it should generate more electricity, but in this case, even if theone-layer MoS2 device has smaller absorbance thanthe seven-layer MoS2, it produces seven times morephotocurrent,” says Yu. The monolayer is thinner and therefore more sensitive

to the surrounding environment. The bottom SiO2 layerincreases the energy barrier, while the air on top reducesit, thus electrons in the monolayer device have a higherprobability of tunneling from the MoS2 layer to the topgraphene (GrT). The energy barrier at the GrT/MoS2

junction is lower than the one at the GrB/MoS2, so the

excited electrons transfer preferentially to the GrTlayer and create an electric current. Conversely, in themulti-layer MoS2 device, the energy barriers betweenGrT/MoS2 and GrB/MoS2 are symmetric, therefore theelectrons have the same probability to go either sideand thus reduce the generated current. For these reasons, up to 65% of photons absorbed by

the thinner device are used to generate a current.Instead, the same measurement (quantum efficiency)is only 7% for the seven-layer MoS2 apparatus. “This device is transparent, flexible and requires less

power than the current 3D silicon semiconductors. Iffuture research is successful, it will accelerate the devel-opment of 2D photoelectric devices,” Yu believes. www.nature.com/articles/ncomms13278 www.ibs.re.kr/en

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How the device with one-layer MoS2 generates more photocurrent than the seven-layer MoS2 one. In the one-layerdevice MoS2 (right), the electron (red circle) has a higher probability to tunnel from the MoS2 layer to the GrT becausethe energy barrier (white arch) is smaller in that junction. In the seven-layers MoS2 device (left) instead, the energybarrier between MoS2/GrT and MoS2/GrB is the same so electrons do not have a preferred direction flow. More energyis generated in the one-layer MoS2 device because more electrons flow in the same direction.

Device with MoS2 layer sandwiched between top (GrT) and bottom (GrB)graphene layers. Light (green ray) is absorbed and converted into electriccurrent. When light is absorbed by the device, electrons (blue) jump into ahigher energy state and holes (red) are generated in the MoS2 layer. Motion ofholes and electrons created by the difference in electronic potential betweenthe GrT-MoS2 and the GrB-MoS2 junctions generates the electric current.

Sophia University in Japan has developed a wafer bonding process that produces a thin layerof indium phosphide (InP) on silicon (Si) template

that was used for the production of ~1.2µm-wavelengthlaser diodes (LDs) by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy(MOVPE) [Keiichi Matsumoto et al, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.,vol55, p112201, 2016].The team comments: “Although the growth of active

materials on an InP/Si substrate was carried out byMorral et al in 2003, the optical property of the as-grownstructure was unsatisfactory, and the integration ofoptical devices has never been demonstrated to ourknowledge.”The researchers hope to overcome the limitations of

monolithic integration of III-V materials and hybridbonding of III-V devices onto silicon platforms.

Monolithic integration suffers from the generation ofanti-phase domains and large lattice mismatches(~8% for InP on Si) giving crystal dislocations andresidual strain. Hybrid integration needs high-precisionalignment, which is difficult to achieve at low cost.The Sophia team believes its integration technique

could provide the needed light source for optical inter-connections on silicon platforms. Silicon photonicswaveguides need light with wavelengths longer than1.1µm.The researchers prepared a 2-inch-diameter 1µm-thick

InP layer on a silicon wafer through hydrophilic bonding.The process (Figure 1) involved low-pressure MOVPEof gallium indium arsenide (GaInAs) and InP layers onan InP substrate. The buried GaInAs layer functioned asan etch-stop for removal of the original InP substrate.

Technology focus: III-Vs on silicon 70


Researchers use wafer bonding to create platform for 1.2µm-wavelength laser diode growth and fabrication.

Figure 1. Schematic of InP/Si fabrication process.

Indium phosphide on silicontemplate for optoelectronics

The team found that ramping the temperature over aperiod of 45 hours before the final anneal at 400°Cdecreased the void occupancy rate from more than 3.9%(15-minute ramp) to less than 0.1%. The long ramptime is thought to encourage gas diffusion from theSi/InP interface, avoiding the build up of high internalpressures that create voids. “Thus, we successfullyfabricated a void-free 2-inch InP/Si substrate withoutforming any outgassing channels,” the team writes.The annealing was found to provide an ohmic contact

between the InP and Si, compared with the Schottkycontact of unannealed samples. Annealing at a highertemperature of 630°C was found to reduce the inter-face resistance. The 630°C temperature is typical ofwhat is used in MOVPE growth of GaInAs.The specific resistance of the 630°C interface was

between 0.06Ω-cm2 and 0.28Ω-cm2, compared withthe range 0.06–0.38Ω-cm2 for 400°C. The currentdensity was 2A/cm2. The researchers claim that the630°C value is almost the same as for a silicon reference.Photoluminescence from multiple quantum wells of

low-pressure MOVPE GaInAs was almost the same onInP/Si and pure InP substrates in terms of intensity,peak position and full-width at half maximum. X-rayanalysis further suggested no degradation of crystalquality from using InP/Si, according to the team.Finally, the team produced double-heterostructure

laser diodes (LDs) with a Ga0.25In0.75As0.45P0.55 activeregion (Figure 2). The laser diode wafer was lappeddown to 100µm thickness and cleaved into Fabry–Perotbars. The electrodes were gold-zinc on the p-AlGaAscontact layer and gold-aluminium on the n-Si underside.

The cavity length was 340µm and the width was70µm.Under 10kHz 100ns pulses, the threshold current

density was 6.4–8.4kA/cm2 at room temperature (Figure 3). A similar device produced on pure InP hada much lower threshold of 3.7kA/cm2.The researchers comment: “This may be mainly due

to heating and less carrier injection owing to an unstable heterointerface. Thus, further investigation ofthe different characteristics between the laser diodeson the InP/Si substrate and that on an InP substrate is still required and we hope to report improved laser diode operation in the future.”

http://doi.org/10.7567/JJAP.55.112201Author: Mike Cooke

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Figure 2. Laser diode layer structure.

Figure 3. Comparison of laser diode spectra below (left) and above (right) threshold current density.

Technology focus: Lasers


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The US Naval Research Laboratory and SoteraDefense Solutions in the USA have increased thewavelength of interband cascade vertical-cavity

surface-emitting lasers (ICVCSELs) to 3.4µm, which“extends considerably the previous longest wavelengthof 3.0µm for an electrically pumped vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser operating at room temperature,”[W. W. Bewley et al, Appl. Phys. Lett., vol109,p151108, 2016]. The researchers add: “While threshold current densi-

ties as low as 390A/cm2 at 25°C are several timeshigher than those of the best ICL edge emitters, theyare nonetheless an order of magnitude lower than forthe longest-wavelength (λ ~ 3.0µm) GaSb-basedICVCSEL with type-I quantum wells demonstrated todate.” Existing mid-wave infrared (mid-IR) interband

cascade lasers use long-lived interband transitions intype-II antimonide quantum wells to generate photons.Electrons are regenerated between cascade stages, as in the more complex quantum cascade lasers thatuse intersubband transitions.

Edge-emitting interband cascade lasers haveachieved threshold currents of 100A/cm2 at an appliedvoltage of 4.5V in continuous-wave (cw) operation.Continuous-wave operation can be maintained up to118°C. Wall-plug efficiencies of 18% have beenreported for devices emitting in the 3µm to 6µm range.ICVCSELs have achieved 3µm wavelengths, but with

a high threshold of ~5kA/cm2 at 25°C in pulsed mode.The ~13µm epitaxial structure for the ICVCSEL

(Figure 1) was grown by molecular beam epitaxy(MBE) on n-type gallium antimonide (n-GaSb) (100)crystal orientation substrate.The bottom mirror consisted of 22.5 pairs of n-GaSb

and aluminium arsenide antimonide (n-AlAs0.08Sb0.92)quarter-wavelength layers, grown at 500°C. The n-typedoping was supplied by tellurium. The doping levels inthe mirror structure increased toward the layer interfacesto reduce voltage drops. Superlattices consisting of 20-period 1nm/1nm n-GaSb/n-AlAs were used fortransition between the quarter-wavelength layers. The growth was monitored with a custom near-IR laserinterferometer to ensure layer uniformity. The mirror

Electrically pumped device demonstrates pulsed threshold current density aslow as 390A/cm2.

Extending interband cascadeVCSEL wavelengths to 3.4μm

Figure 1. Schematic of ICVCSEL structure.

Technology focus: Lasers


73

was designed to have a reflectivity of99.5%.The mirror was separated from the active

region by an n–-GaSb spacer and 440°C20nm chirped InAs/AlSb superlattice. Theselayers reduced the conduction band offset toa suitable level for electron injection into theactive region.The active region consisted of three groups

containing five stages. The groups were separated by n–-GaSb spacers. The groupswere place approximately at antinodes ofthe resonant cavity.The semiconductor structuring was com-

pleted with a 90nm InAs/AlSb superlatticeand 100nm n+-InAs0.91Sb0.09 cap.Fabrication consisted of dry etching circular

mesas to a depth below all the activestages. plasma-enhanced chemical vapordeposition (PECVD) of 250nm silicon nitride,dry etch-back to expose the top contact windowof the device, silicon dioxide sputtered andlifted-off to fill pin holes in the silicon nitride,formation of annular titanium/platinum/goldtop contact on outer rim of mesa, deposition ofchromium/tin/platinium/gold bottom contacton the back-side of the n-GaSb substrate,and deposition of four quarter-wavelengthlayers of germanium and aluminium oxidefor the top mirror. The top mirror coating extended over the

mesa’s sidewall. The top mirror reflectivitywas estimated to be 99.3%. However, only0.05% of the incident light was transmittedto the outside world. The researchers saythat the source of parasitic absorption hasnot been definitively identified.Operation consisted of 150ns pulses at

100Hz repetition. Estimated threshold currents varied with mesa diameter. With60µm-diameter (D, 40µm-diameter emission aperture,d) devices the threshold was 390A/cm2. Smaller30µm-diameter (20µm aperture) mesas increased the threshold to 920A/cm2. “The former value is only2–3 times higher than the typical pulsed results forstate-of-the-art edge-emitting ICLs at RT,” the teamwrites. Smaller devices with mesa diameters of 20µmand 10µm did not lase at all.A 50µm-diameter (40µm aperture) ICVCSEL operated

up to 70°C. However, the maximum output power ofthe device was only 0.54mW. While the 50µm-diameter device shows peaks sepa-

rated by 1.5nm in wavelength, the smaller 30µmICVCSEL gives a single-mode emission. The slope efficiency at 25°C ranged between

49mW/A for 60µm mesa (40µm aperture) ICVCSELs to

36mW/A for 30µm mesa (20µm aperture) ICVCSELs.The efficiency declines at increasing temperature. The researchers plan to improve the slope efficiency byrefining their processing methodology. The teammainly blames high parasitic losses in the mirrors and,possibly, current spreading above threshold.They conclude: “While the thermal impedance of

the present structure is most likely too high to allowcontinuous-wave (cw) operation, it should be achievablewith improved heat dissipation, e.g. in an epitaxial-side-down geometry. Once uniform lasing can be obtainedwithin a smaller mesa diameter (e.g. D ~ 20µm),emission in a single spectral mode should be attainableat drive powers less than 10mW.” http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4964840Author: Mike Cooke

Figure 2. Threshold current densities (top) and slope efficiencies(bottom) versus operating temperature for three ICVCSELs.

There is a specter haunting world trade — thespecter of protectionism. The fear is that this willsolidify into trade war, such as devastated the

world economy following the 1929 Wall Street crash.And trade war can easily morph beyond metaphoricalaggression.With the US Electoral College win of president-elect

Donald Trump and the development of his transitionteam, the saber-rattling has already begun. At thecenter of the claims and counter-claims is the positionof trade with China. Three of Trump’s seven statedelection policies on trade mention China by name[www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/trade]:“5. Instruct the Treasury Secretary to label China acurrency manipulator. “6. Instruct the US Trade Representative to bring tradecases against China, both in this country and at theWorld Trade Organization. China’s unfair subsidy behav-ior is prohibited by the terms of its entrance to the WTO. “7. Use every lawful presidential power to remedytrade disputes if China does not stop its illegal activities,including its theft of American trade secrets — includ-ing the application of tariffs consistent with Section201 and 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Section 232of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.”In addition, according to Trump [Tweet, 6 November

2012, www.twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/265895292191248385], “The concept of global warmingwas created by and for the Chinese in order to makeUS manufacturing non-competitive.”In some ways, Trump’s rhetoric makes explicit the

concerns that have been simmering through Sino–USrelations for the past several years at various Houseand Senate committees and in the executive branch ofthe US federal government.Days after the US election, China promised ‘tit-for-tat’

responses to any moves to impose tariffs on its exportsto the USA. “A batch of Boeing orders will be replaced byAirbus,” suggested an ‘op-ed’ in China’s Global Times,owned by the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Daily.“US auto and iPhone sales in China will suffer a setback,and US soybean and maize imports will be halted. Chinacan also limit the number of Chinese students studyingin the US.” [www.globaltimes.cn/content/1017696.shtml]

On the other hand, Trump is expected to focus moreon deal-making and less on issues such as humanrights, in line with his ‘America First’ priority. Scrappingof the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal wouldprobably also be welcome in Beijing.What has this to do with the semiconductor business?

Recently, there has been a spate of merger and acqui-sition activities with Chinese investors seeking to takeover US and European companies. Along with concernsabout the loss of national control and pride in these enti-ties come considerations regarding defense and security,Trump’s “theft of American trade secrets” among them.Further, the dividing line between “Chinese investors”,as individuals and corporate entities, and the Chinesegovernment is unclear to say the least. Commercialsuccess often leads to and from close ties with nationalgovernments, in China, the USA, and elsewhere.As the preceding text shows, the US situation is

uppermost in many minds in the preparations for thenew presidency. But not all the moves have been alongthe US–China axis. The German Federal Ministry ofEconomics and Energy reopened review proceedings inOctober on a “cleared” deal regarding an offer made inMay by China's Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund LP(via German subsidiary Grand Chip Investment GmbH, GCI)to take over Germany’s Aixtron SE, a leading producerof metal-organic chemical vapor deposition systems.[www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2016/oct/aixtron_241016.shtml]The German federal government is concerned that

Aixtron’s security-related know-how, including technol-ogy used in defense industries, could be revealedthrough the takeover. By late October, GCI hadreceived tenders for about 65% of Aixtron shares,meeting the 50.1% threshold needed for the deal.It’s not just the German government that’s concerned.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States(CFIUS) has informed Aixtron–GCI that it has unresolvedUS national security concerns regarding the proposedtransaction. CFIUS is further recommending that USPresident Obama should prohibit the transaction andAixtron–GCI withdraw their notice, abandoning the deal.Aixtron–GCI have decided not to follow the CFIUS

recommendation and, at the time of writing, were

Business focus: China 74


China: the future of world trade and thesemiconductor industryMike Cooke looks at recent political developments in the light of frustratedChinese attempts to take over western semiconductor companies.

awaiting the President’s decision (due in early December).The companies comment: “GCI and Aixtron plan to

continue to actively engage in further discussions toexplore means of mitigation that may be amenable toCFIUS or the US President to resolve outstanding USnational security concerns or to take other alternativemeasures that could allow the parties to proceed withthe transaction. There are no assurances that CFIUS orthe US President will entertain further dialogue with theparties or that the parties will be able to identify andagree to any mitigation or to take alternative measuresthat will allow the parties to proceed with the transaction.”Another Chinese company with an interest in buying a

German company is San’an Optoelectronics Co Ltd,which has had preliminary discussions about acquisitionor partnership with laser and LED manufacturer Osram,although no agreements have been reached or proposed,let alone signed [www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/600703.SS/key-developments/article/3451194,www.ledinside.com/news/2016/10/sanan_opto_refutes_plans_of_acquiring_osram]. Reuters estimated thatsuch a deal would be worth about €7.2bn. However,San’an stressed in early October that only one jointmeeting had taken place on the issue. An acquisitioncould take place in stages, initially of the Osram Optobusiness, with automotive and specialty lighting beingreserved for subsequent deals.“Chinese investors have been approaching Osram for

some time regarding acquisition talks,” according toRoger Chu, director of research at market analystLEDinside. “If San’an Opto intends to acquire Osram,though, it will probably require funding from the Chi-nese government.”Fuelling the market

rumor mill has beenreports of dissatisfactionwith Osram by its largest17% shareholder, Siemens. In particular, Siemens isapparently unhappy with Osram’s €3bn investmentplans for the period up to 2020 that involve setting upa new €1bn 6-inch fab in Malaysia for general lightingand white LEDs, along with €2bn R&D funding targetedat work in areas such as smart city applications, wire-less lighting control, laser and organic LED technology. For its part, Siemens was rumored to be looking to

sell its Osram shares to China’s Go Scale Capital inSeptember [www.ledinside.com/news/2016/10/government_policy_undertones_in_chinese_investors_interests_in_acquiring_osram]. Previously, in January,Go Scale Capital was frustrated by CFIUS interventionin its attempts to acquire US-based LED maker Philips Lumileds for $3.3bn.San’an claims that it is the largest and earliest-estab-

lished industrial production base for top-quality full-colorultra-high-brightness LED epitaxial wafers and chips inChina. San’an also produces compound solar cells and

III-V compound semiconductor devices for microwaveintegrated circuits and power electronics based on 6-inchgallium nitride facilities. On the optoelectronics side,the company is promoting LED intelligent lighting com-munication (LiFi), car networking systems and opto-electronic intelligent monitoring products. Productioncleanrooms have ratings from level 100 to level 10,000.The company claims annual production of 24 millionepitaxial wafers and 300 billion chips, accounting formore than 58% of domestic production capacity, givingit the first place in the China market.San’an Opto subsidiary Xiamen San’an Integrated

Circuit was also reported in March as offering to acquireTaiwan-based power electronics & opto chip foundryGCS Holdings Inc, including its California-based subsidiary Global Communication Semiconductors LLC(GCS, www.gcsincorp.com) for $226m. This move wasrejected by CFIUS in early August.In response, GCS agreed to set up a China-based

joint-venture 6-inch facility for radio frequency, powerand fiber optic integrated circuits with Xiamen San’anIntegrated Circuit Co Ltd, to be named Xiamen GlobalAdvanced Semiconductor, according to Taipei Times.According to information on the Taiwan Stock ExchangeMarket Observation Post System (in Chinese, 10 November, translated by google), the expressedpurposes of the move are to expand operation scales,enhance profitability and strengthen competitivenessby combining production capacity and technical superi-ority of both companies. The joint venture alsoinvolves Xiamen City, Fujian Province. The registeredcapital is given as $4m with 49% ($1.96m) comingfrom GCS. Xiamen San’an Integrated Circuit Co Ltd isto make up the remaining $2.04m in cash (51%). GCS Holdings Inc, the Cayman Islands-registered andTaiwan-listed owner of GCS LLC, put its assets atTWD2.7bn (~ $80m) in its 31 March financial report.GCS produces photodetectors and vertical-cavity

surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) based on indium gallium arsenide technology. Wafer foundry servicesinclude gallium arsenide and gallium nitride radio fre-quency electronics, indium phosphide heterojunctionbipolar transistors, gallium nitride power devices, andoptoelectronics. Its production capacity is presentlybased on 4-inch wafers. One motivation for workingwith San’an was to expand into 6-inch production.As is usual in such cases, mergers and acquisition

activity strengthened share prices in the target compa-nies, which then fall as the deals met with governmentobstructions. An interesting connection between theSan’an group of manoeuvres and the attemptedGCI–Aixtron deal was San’an failing to qualify an Aixtron’sAIX R6 metal-organic chemical vapor deposition systemas part of a multi-system order in early 2016. In additionto truncating the order, Aixtron’s shares fell in value,putting the business under pressure.

GCI and Aixtron planto continue to activelyengage in furtherdiscussions

Business focus: China


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Technology focus: LEDs


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Researchers based in Germany and Russia haveused temperature-dependent measurements toexplore the source of the green gap in indium

gallium nitride (InGaN) light-emitting diode (LED) effi-ciency [Felix Nippert et al, Appl. Phys. Lett., vol109,p161103, 2016].The team from Technische Universität Berlin in Germany,

STR Group–Soft-Impact Ltd in Russia, and Osram OptoSemiconductors in Germany used ‘state-of-the-art’devices produced using metal-organic chemical vapordeposition (MOCVD) on c-plane sapphire and packagedusing Osram’s commercial Golden Dragon+ process. Two types of LED were studied with different emission

wavelengths: blue 445nm and green 530nm. “Our find-ings exclude inferior InGaN material quality from the listof potential causes for the green gap,” the team says.The active regions consisted of five and seven InGaN

multiple quantum wells (MQWs) for 445nm and 530nm,respectively. The barriers between the wells were GaN.The structure included an aluminium gallium nitride(AlGaN) electron-blocking layer before the magnesium-doped GaN p-contact.The recombination was categorized according to the

ABC model where the linear term in the carrier density

(A) is associated with the Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH)process through defect states, the quadratic term (B)with photon production, and the cubic term (C) withAuger three-particle interactions.The researchers used small-signal time-resolved photo-

luminescence (SSTRPL) to probe external quantumefficiency (EQE) and differential carrier lifetime (DLT)as a function of operating current. Determination of theDLT allowed extraction of the SRH A coefficient and ofthe sheet radiative, B2D, and Auger, C2D, coefficients.The team notes that its measurements below 150K

deviated from the ABC model with the internal quantumefficiency (IQE) being higher than predicted. It is foundthat below this temperature the recombination coeffi-cients are dependent on the injection level. Theytherefore restricted themselves to temperatures wherethe ABC model held with constant coefficients.DLTs were found to decrease with increasing current

injection (Figure 1). The IQE for the green devices wasmuch lower than that of the blue LEDs. Also, the greenIQE degraded faster with temperature.Despite the different IQE behaviors, extracted SRH

recombination was almost the same for the two devicetypes (Figure 2). The researchers comment: “Usually,

Findings exclude inferior InGaN material quality from the list of potential causes.

Seeking source of green gap inInGaN light-emitting diodes

Figure 1. (a) IQE as function of normalized optical output power (p = 1 at maximum EQE) for blue and greenMQW LEDs at different temperatures. Circles correspond to data points, while solid lines are fits based onABC model. (b) SSTRPL traces for green devices at 300K at various currents. Circles correspond to datapoints and solid lines show mono-exponential fits. (c) Example evaluation of SRH-RC A. Blue (green) pointsare measured DLTs of blue (green) MQW LED at 300K. Solid lines depict fits to data.

Technology focus: LEDs


77

the green gap is explained bya rise in the point/structuraldefect density in the InGaNQWs with high indium con-tent — an enhanced SRHrecombination — or by adecreased overlap betweenelectron and hole wavefunc-tions due to the [quantum-confined Stark effect] QCSE,lowering the radiativerecombination. Naturally, alsoa combination of both factorsseems plausible at first glance.In contrast, we have obtainedalmost identical SRH RCs Afor our blue (445nm) andgreen (530nm) LEDs overthe whole temperaturerange (see Fig. 2(a)).”The difference in perform-

ance was revealed by thereduced sheet radiative andAuger recombination of thegreen LEDs (Figures 2(b), (c)).There is some uncertaintydue to possible differences incontribution of the quantumwells. In general, InGaNquantum well structuresunder electroluminescencetend to have higher emissionfrom wells near the p-type hole-injection end asopposed to the n-contact layer. The researchers believe that the differences in B and C

recombination is attributable to reduced electron–holeoverlap for the green compared with the blue devices.The radiative and Auger recombination coefficients(RCs) were also seen to increase with temperature, T.The researchers comment: “While the rise of the AugerRCs with T does not conflict qualitatively with availablemodels considering phonon-assisted processes, a cor-responding rise of the radiative RCs (blue LED) or analmost constant behaviour (green LED) is anomalous,as either a proportionality to T–3/2 (bulk materials), toT–1 (QWs), or no temperature dependence (quantumdots) is expected in semiconductors (compare withdashed lines in Fig. 2(b)).”The researchers do not think the reduction in overlap

can be explained exclusively by the quantum-confinedStark effect that arises from electric fields betweenincreased polarization charges at quantum well inter-faces, enhanced by the higher indium content of InGaNalloys needed for longer-wavelength green light emission.Rather, they propose a model where the recombinationoccurs between delocalized electrons and localized holes.

Localization occurs because of the higher effective massof the holes. “We consider that a few neighboringindium atoms may provide effective carrier localizationin InGaN,” the researchers comment. The radiativerecombination was assumed to result from hydrogen-likehole wavefunctions. Increasing temperature increasesthe effective localization radius, which increases therecombination. The hole localization has a similar effecton Auger recombination involving two delocalized electrons and a localized hole.The team blames about half the decrease in IQE in green

quantum wells at the usual LED operating temperatureof 350K on decreased electron–hole overlap. Additionallosses come from the temperature dependence of theradiative and Auger processes. In particular, while theradiative process increases only weakly with temperature,non-radiative Auger recombination increases steeply,becoming a significant contributor to the green gap.The team writes: “Any rise in charge carrier localiza-

tion enhances the electron–phonon coupling, favoringphonon-assisted Auger processes and their impact onthe IQE reduction.” http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4965298Author: Mike Cooke

Figure 2. Temperature dependence of RCs corresponding to (a) SRH, (b) radiativeand (c) Auger recombination. Blue squares (green diamonds) refer to blue-emitting(green-emitting) MQW LEDs. Shaded areas: theoretical estimates made forcertain ranges of hole localization energy. (d) Temperature dependence of IQE.Open symbols: values derived assuming that B2D & C2D do not vary with temperatureabove 150K. Shaded areas: impact of several mechanisms to IQE reduction.Dashed lines in panel (a), (b): fits of activation energy EA of SRH recombination,and expected temperature dependence of B in bulk and QW material, respectively.

University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) inthe USA has used photo-electro-chemical (PEC) etch to lift-off c-plane free-standing

gallium nitride (GaN) from light-emitting diode (LED)structures as part of a thin-film flip-chip fabricationprocess [David Hwang et al, Optics Express, vol. 24,p22875, 2016].The team sees PEC lift-off as an alternative to laser-

based techniques. “PEC lift-off causes no damage tothe devices, is a batch process as all LEDs are undercutat the same time, is compatible with free-standingGaN substrates, and enables substrate reuse,” theresearchers write. By contrast, laser lift-off of sapphiregrowth substrates is a slow chip-by-chip process and hasthe potential to cause cracking of the LEDs, reducingyield. The laser technique cannot be used for LEDs onfree-standing GaN or silicon carbide growth substrates.

Flip-chip orientations for LED fabrication give highlight extraction, improved heat extraction, and decreasedcurrent crowding. LED performance degrades wherethere is increased temperature and/or current density. Using free-standing growth substrates can improve

performance by reducing dislocation densities in thelight-emitting material, increasing efficiency. However,free-standing GaN substrates are extremely expensive,and reuse should reduce potential production costs.For ultraviolet LEDs, GaN material absorbs the radiationgenerated and must be removed. The free-standing c-plane GaN used by UCSB was

supplied by Sciocs Company Ltd. The epitaxial structurewas grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition(Figure 1).The sacrificial layer consisted of a 6-period multiple

quantum well (MQW) of 2.5nm InGaN separated by

Technology focus: Nitride materials processing 78

Figure 1. Cross-sectional schematic of (a) as-grown epitaxial structure, (b) partially processed sample afterwafer-bonding and before PEC etching, and (c) completely processed sample with p-GaN down and N-face ofn-GaN up.


Batch process causes no damage and is compatible with growth substrate,enabling reuse and process cost reduction.

Photo-electro-chemical lift-off of free-standinggallium nitride

Technology focus: Nitride materials processing


79

7nm GaN barriers, grownon 1.5µm n-GaN. Thestructure had a 430nmwavelength photolumines-cence peak.The LED part of the

structure contained a 3µmn-GaN contact, another6x(2.5nm/7nm) MQW withemission at 440nm, a10nm p-AlGaN electron-blocking layer (EBL), a110nm p+-GaN contact,and a 20nm p++-GaN contact.Fabrication began with

plasma mesa etch down tothe n-GaN contact layerabove the sacrificial MQW.The sidewalls of the mesawere covered by plasma-enhanced chemical vapordeposition (PECVD) of silicon nitride that protectedthe LED structure duringthe photo-electro-chemicaletch. Palladium/gold met-als were electron-beamevaporated onto the p-GaNcontact. The top gold alsoprovided a bonding pad forthe flip-chip assemblyprocess.The sacrificial region was prepared by another plasma

etch to expose the sidewalls of the respective MQWstructure outside the area defined by the 0.1mm2 LEDmesa. A titanium/gold electrode was deposited on the1.5µm n-GaN as a cathode for the photo-electro-chemical etch.The structure was flipped and bonded onto sapphire

coated with titanium/gold. Then the photo-electro-chemical etch was carried out with backside illumina-tion and potassium hydroxide solution for five hours.The light source was an array of 405nm LEDs. Afterthe free-standing GaN substrate was removed, the n-electrode of titanium/gold was deposited.The PEC etch proceeds by the holes from electron-

hole photo-generation reacting with the potassiumhydroxide solution, oxidizing the sacrificial MQW. Thetitanium/gold electrode extracted the excess electronsinto the solution.Some of the resulting devices were further etched in

potassium hydroxide solution without illumination tofurther roughen the emission surface, improving lightextraction efficiency. Without the extra etch there was stillsome unintentional roughening from the PEC lift-off etch.

The devices were packaged by dicing, mounting onsilver headers, wire-bonding, and encapsulating in 1.4-refractive index silicone.An LED without extra surface roughening (LED 1) had

a 3.5V turn-on, while an LED with roughening (LED 2)had a higher turn-on. The researchers believe this wasdue to variations in growth across the wafer. The LED 2,however, had much improved light output — 14.6mWoutput power and 14.1% external quantum efficiency(EQE) at 36A/cm2 current density, compared with10.3mW and 9.9% for LED 1 (Figure 2). “Rougheningresulted in a 42% improvement in output power andEQE,” the team writes. The 432nm emission peaks ofthe devices were similar with full-width at half maximum(FWHM) of 15nm. In absolute terms there needs to be improvement in

output power and EQE. The team suggests that thiscould be addressed through growth optimizations, incor-porating a reflective silver-based p-contact to improveextraction efficiency, and a high-thermal-conductivitysilicon carbide submount to improve heat extraction. http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.24.022875Author: Mike Cooke

Figure 2. (a) Current–voltage curve for LEDs 1 and 2 after flip-chip processing:1mA of current corresponds to current density of 1A/cm2. (b) Electroluminescencespectra showing peak wavelength. (c) Dependence of light output power oncurrent. (d) Dependence of EQE on current.

McGill Universityin Canada hasdeveloped an

indium gallium nitride(InGaN) nanowirelight-emitting diode(LED) that incorporates“for the first time” a tunnel junction witha thin aluminium (Al)layer inserted betweenheavily doped(n++/p++) galliumnitride sections [S. M.Sadaf et al, Nano Lett.2016, vol16, p1076,2016]. The LEDdemonstrated reduced2.9V turn-on voltageand enhanced outputpower compared withdevices using tunneljunctions with no aluminium interlayeror without a tunneljunction.The researchers

comment: “This uniqueAl tunnel junctionovercomes some of thecritical issues relatedto conventional GaN-based tunnel junctiondesigns, includingstress relaxation, wide depletion region, and lightabsorption, and holds tremendous promise for realiz-ing low-resistivity, high-brightness III-nitride nanowireLEDs in the visible and deep ultraviolet spectral range.Moreover, the demonstration of monolithic integrationof metal and semiconductor nanowire heterojunctionsprovides a seamless platform for realizing a broadrange of multi-functional nanoscale electronic and photonic devices.”

Efficient tunnel junctions are difficult to achieve inwide-bandgap materials such as GaN. The high dopingneeded is particularly challenging for p-type conductionwhere the high activation energy of magnesium in GaNleads to low acceptor ionization efficiency. A large deple-tion width results across which it is difficult to tunnel. Aluminium has a 4.08eV work function consistent

with an ohmic contact with n-GaN. Defects at Al/p++-GaN interfaces “result in deep energy levels,

Technology focus: Nitride LEDs 80

Low-resistance tunnel junction boosts InGaNnanowire LED performanceTurn-on voltage reduced to 2.9V by inserting aluminium layerbetween heavily doped regions, reducing tunneling width.

Figure 1. (a) Schematic of LEDs with Al tunnel junction dot-in-a-wire (LED A), n++-GaN/p++-GaN tunnel junction (LED B), conventional nanowire without tunnel junction (LED C). (b) Photoluminescence of LED A at room temperature. (c) Scanning electron microscope image of LED A at 45° angle.


a

cb

which can significantly enhance carrier transport fromp-GaN to Al in a similar manner to conventional trap-assisted tunneling,” the researchers say. The quasi-ohmiccharacteristics of the Al/p++-GaN junction should reducethe tunneling width significantly. The Al interlayer canalso reflect generated light, enhancing extraction. Three types of vertical nanowire structure were

produced by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy(PAMBE) on n-silicon (111) substrate (Figure 1). Thenew structure — LED A — incorporated a tunnel junctionwith 7nm n++-GaN, 2nm Al, and 10nm p++-GaN. LED Bused a traditional tunnel junction without the aluminiuminterlayer. LED C was a device without tunnel junction. The p- and n-type regions of the devices were grown

at 750°C and 780°C, respectively. The Al layer of thetunnel junction was deposited at 450°C and was cappedwith Ga. The p++-GaN for the tunnel junction wasgrown at 650°C. These temperatures were derivedfrom series of optimization experiments. The optimizedconditions achieved an Al layer that was free of voidsor agglomeration. The active regions of the devices consisted of 10 layers

of strain-induced self-organized 3nm InGaN quantum dotsand 3nm GaN barriers. The dots were p-doped toenhance hole injection and transport. There were noAlGaN electron-blocking layers.Photoluminescence from the three structures was

“nearly identical”, according to the team, with a singlepeak at 534nm from the quantum dot layer. Variationsin indium composition led to inhomogeneous broadeningof the peak. Electron microscopy gave a density of thenanowires of the order of 1010/cm2. The diametersranged between 40nm and 100nm.Electron microscope and x-ray analysis suggested that

the aluminium layer did not introduce performance-

killing defects such as stacking faults or threading dis-locations into the LED structure. Device fabrication consisted of deposition and

planarization of a polyimide resist layer, contact metal-ization and thermal annealing. The contacts with n-typelayers were titanium/gold. The p-type contact for LED Cwas nickel/gold. The contacts were made to the top ofthe nanowires and the back-side of the silicon substrate.A 120nm indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductinglayer was added for current spreading. The device areawas 0.5mmx.0.5mm with 30% nanowire filling factor. LED A showed a sharper turn-on of current beyond

2.9V, compared with the other devices. The specificresistance at 400mA was 4x10–3Ω-cm2. These valuescompare with a 5.5V turn-on and 5x10–2Ω-cm2 specificresistance for LED B with standard tunnel junction. Thestandard nanowire LED C without tunnel junction hadan intermediate current-voltage performance.The researchers estimate that the contribution of the

Al-based tunnel junction to the series specific resist-ance is 1x10–3Ω-cm2 or lower. Similarly, the light output under 10% duty-cycle

pulsed operation from LED A was improved over thatfrom LEDs B or C (Figure 2). The pulsed operation wasdesigned to avoid the junction heating that occursunder continuous wave conditions. “The significantlyimproved light intensity is largely due to the efficienttunnel injection of holes into the active region,” theteam comments. The researchers also report that therewas no shift in the spectrum with increasing current. The team hopes that core-shell nanowire structures

could lead to high-power operation by reducing non-radiative surface recombination. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04215Author: Mike Cooke

Technology focus: Nitride LEDs


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Figure 2. (a) Light output–voltage characteristics of LEDs. (b) Electroluminescence (EL) spectra of LED Aunder pulsed biasing. Inset optical micrograph of LED A showing strong green light emission.

Toyohashi University ofTechnology in Japan hasdeveloped a wafer bonding

technique to combine siliconmetal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)electronics with gallium nitride(GaN) micro-light-emitting diodes(µLEDs) [Kazuaki Tsuchiyama et al, Appl. Phys. Express, vol9,p104101, 2016]. The researchersalso see prospects for the integ-ration of silicon electronics withhigh-voltage/high-frequencyGaN transistors.The electronics were fabricated

in a 340nm silicon layer on400nm buried silicon dioxide (SiO2, BOX) electricalinsulator on a GaN LED wafer (Figure 1). Theresearchers comment: “With such a structure, thethermal decomposition of the GaN layer and the contamination of the Si layer under a high-temperatureprocess can be prevented because the GaN layer iscapped with the top-Si layer during the Si deviceprocess.” The layer thicknesses were also chosen to avoid

cracking, since thicker layers tend to crack due to mismatches in thermal expansion coefficients.The transistor structure was fabricated before selective

etch that removed silicon materials from the regionwhere LEDs were planned. Finally, metal wiring, including the gate electrode, was deposited to form then-MOSFET drive circuit and µLED combination.The team comments: “This structure and process

flow had high compatibility with a traditional Si planarprocess, and thus the utilization of a Si CMOS processline was possible.”The Si/SiO2/GaN structure was created using surface-

activated bonding of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) andGaN-LED on sapphire wafers. The buried oxide camefrom low-pressure chemical vapor deposition of silicondioxide on the GaN-LED wafer. The silicon handle ofthe SOI wafer was removed by grinding and dry etch.

The doping of the MOSFET regions was achieved by ion implant with a plasma-enhanced chemical vapordeposition (PECVD) layer of SiO2. The n-type sourceand drain regions (S/D) were achieved with phospho-rus doping and the p+ body contact (B) with boron.The gate insulator was SiO2 from a high-temperature(900°C) wet oxidation. The high temperature alsoannealed and activated the doping implants.The LEDs consisted of mesa structures with annealed

titanium/aluminium/titanium/gold n- and nickel/silver/nickel p-contacts.The MOSFET gate electrode was aluminium rather than

the more usual polysilicon. The wafer was passivatedwith more PECVD SiO2 in which contact holes areetched out. Aluminium silicide (Al-Si) was sputteredand patterned to give the wire connections betweencomponents. The size of the LED was 30µmx30µm. The n-MOSFET

gate was 10µm long and 100µm wide. The researchersgive the LED/MOSFET footprint ratio as approximately0.125.Characterization of independent n-MOSFETs on the

same wafer gave a threshold voltage of about 0.8V at5V drain bias. The transconductance was 0.62mS/mm.Independent LEDs achieved an external quantum effi-ciency (EQE) of 6.7% and a turn-on voltage of 3V.

Technology focus: III-Vs on silicon 82

Figure 1. Schematic cross section of GaN-µLED driver circuit consisting ofsilicon n-MOSFET and GaN-µLED.


Integrating gallium nitrideLED with silicon drivetransistorResearchers wafer bond silicon-on-insulator layers to GaN-on-sapphire LEDsubstrate and fabricate MOSFETs.

Technology focus: III-Vs on silicon


83

The spectral peak wasaround 460nm wavelengthwith 22nm full-width athalf-maximum (FWHM).The LED performance wassimilar to that of devicesfabricated on raw GaN LEDsubstrates without siliconlayers.The MOSFET-LED integ-

rated circuit was tested forup to 10MHz pulse modu-lation with a square signaldelivered to the gate of theMOSFET (Figure 2). Theresponse of the circuitshowed the effects of para-sitic capacitance that willneed to be reduced forhigher-bandwidth perform-ance. The researchers point out

that the 5µm design ruleused in the CMOS fabri-cation is equivalent towhat was used in 1970s~10MHz microprocessors.The team suggests thatscaling down the designrule would increase per-formance without LED drivability deterioration. http://doi.org/10.7567/APEX.9.104101Author: Mike Cooke

Figure 2. (a) Pulse driving system for evaluating dynamic characteristics of GaN-µLED driver circuit. (b) 1MHz input voltage signal applied to gate of silicon n-MOSFET (blue) and light output response emitted from GaN-µLED (red).



Silicon carbide (SiC) is used in a wide range ofindustries such as IT & telecoms, aerospace,defense, energy, power, and automotive appli-

cations, and the material’s adoption in various indus-trial sectors has boosted growth in the silicon carbidemarket worldwide. The market is expected to growthrough the period 2014–2022 due to various advan-tages of using SiC, such as low conductance loss athigh temperature and low switching and input lossescompared with traditional silicon power semiconductors.A market report published by Allied Market Researchoffers key insights of the silicon carbide (SiC) market,such as market share, size, and growth. Great demandis developing for advanced ICs operating at high temperature and voltage levels, and the ever growingelectronic industry is a major driver of the market.

Silicon carbide used to develop new inverterIn 2010, the US Department of Energy set a target tomanufacture efficient electric vehicle inverters. Theorganization urged manufacturers to produce invertersfrom 4.1kW/L to 13.4kW/L by 2020. In September2016, a 12.1kW/L received a green signal from theDepartment of Energy. The inverter is a stepping stonetowards the goal set by the organization and will helpother manufacturers to manufacture efficient and reliable electric vehicle inverters. Silicon carbide wasused to manufacture the electric inverter which hasimproved the performance significantly. Iqbal Hussain, a professor at North Carolina State

University (NCSU), throws light on the matter byrevealing how wide-bandgap power switches offerhigher-temperature, higher-voltage operation capabil-ity with minimum losses compared with the silicon-based power switches that are widely used today. In addition to the improved performance exhibited bythe new inverter, the packaging of the inverter is simple, as it can be packaged in a smaller and lightermodule. As a result, fuel efficiency will also show a significant improvement for a wide range of hybrid electric and all-electric vehicles (HEV/EV). The professor claims that, with more research, the

target set by the DoE can be reached through develop-ment at the component level.

SiC technology to be adopted in railwaysThere is great demand for power electronics components in modern trains. The components arerequired to be light to enhance the system energy effi-ciency in local transport means such as trams and trains.In long-distance and high-speed transportation, theneed for powerful and reliable devices is on the rise as fuel efficiency is an important parameter that needsto be considered to safeguard resources and the envir-onment.Borderline BC is a new battery that has been developed

by ABB by incorporating SiC technology for the firsttime. With the help of silicon carbide technology, satisfactory levels of power density and performancewas achieved that is beyond the scope of regular silicon power semiconductors. SiC technology reducesthe size, weight, and cooling requirements. It is alsosaid to have helped to improve the system efficiency andall the crucial parameters considered by rail operatorsin modern times.The president of ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion

department revealed that the newly developed batterycharger leverages the benefits of SiC and soft switchingtechnologies. This opens the door to achievingimproved performance levels for power electronics inrailway applications. The technology will be imple-mented in Europe for the first time in high-speed trainsoperated by the Swiss Federal Railways.

Silicon carbide in solar efficiencyIn modern times, the need to develop and manufactureproducts that are environmentally friendly and complywith environmental norms has been identified. The useof conventional energy resources is discouraged andnon-conventional resources are gradually making theirway into manufacturing processes and energy production. In September, GE unveiled its new silicon carbide

technology, which will enhance the efficiency of theNorth America region’s solar energy production. TheSiC technology introduced by GE can enable the

Market focus: Silicon carbide 84


Silicon carbide technologypreferred over traditionalsilicon technologyImprovement in power conversion by using silicon carbide will increase demandfor the technology in developing countries, says Allied Market Research.

renewable energy industry to improve efficiency, alongwith reducing the cost of electricity. The SiC technologyis the unique feature of the firm’s new LV5+ SeriesSolar Inverter, which improves power conversion efficiencyby up to 99%. By achieving higher power conversionefficiency, greater levels of energy can be producedfrom the same renewable resources over time. Silicon carbide technology is gradually being adopted

in different industries. Demand for traditional siliconpower semiconductors is declining, as SiC technology iscost-effective and complies with environmental norms.The silicon carbide market is thriving in developedregions such as the USA and Europe owing to the

advances made in technology as well as research anddevelopment activities in the region. However, devel-oping regions such as the Asia–Pacific are makingwidespread use of silicon carbon technology due to thegrowth in the electronic industry, power sector, and theautomotive industry. The silicon carbide market has afew obstacles that need to be addressed, such as thehigh initial capital investment required for manufac-turing facilities. However, the demand in China, Brazil,and India for photovoltaic cells that use SiC will alsooffer commendable opportunities for market growth inthe aforementioned regions, concludes the report. www.alliedmarketresearch.com/silicon-carbide-market

Market focus: Silicon carbide


85




86

suppliers’ directory

1 Bulk crystal source materials p86

2 Bulk crystal growth equipment p86

3 Substrates p86

4 Epiwafer foundry p87

5 Deposition materials p87

6 Deposition equipment p88

7 Wafer processing materials p88

8 Wafer processing equipment p89

9 Materials and metals p89

10 Gas & liquid handling equipment p89

11 Process monitoring and control p89

12 Inspection equipment p90

13 Characterization equipment p90

14 Chip test equipment p90

15 Assembly/packaging materials p90

16 Assembly/packaging equipment p90

17 Assembly/packaging foundry p90

18 Chip foundry p90

19 Facility equipment p90

20 Facility consumables p90

21 Computer hardware & software p90

22 Used equipment p91

23 Services p91

24 Consulting p91

25 Resources p91

1 Bulk crystal sourcematerials

Mining & Chemical Products Ltd(part of 5N Plus, Inc) 1-4, Nielson Road, Finedon Road Industrial Estate, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 4PE, UK Tel: +44 1933 220626 Fax: +44 1933 227814 www.MCP-group.com

Umicore Indium Products 50 Simms Avenue, Providence, RI 02902, USA Tel: +1 401 456 0800 Fax: +1 401 421 2419 www.thinfilmproducts.umicore.com

United Mineral & Chemical Corp 1100 Valley Brook Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071, USA Tel: +1 201 507 3300 Fax: +1 201 507 1506 www.umccorp.com

2 Bulk crystal growthequipment

MR Semicon Inc PO Box 91687, Albuquerque, NM 87199-1687, USA Tel: +1 505 899 8183 Fax: +1 505 899 8172 www.mrsemicon.com

3 Substrates

AXT Inc 4281 Technology Drive, Fremont, CA 94538, USA Tel: +1 510 438 4700Fax: +1 510 683 5901 www.axt.com Supplies GaAs, InP, and Ge wafersusing VGF technology withmanufacturing facilities in Beijingand five joint ventures in Chinaproducing raw materials, includingGa, As, Ge, pBN, B2O3.

CrystAl-N GmbHDr.-Mack-Straße 77, D-90762Fürth, GermanyTel: +49 (0)911 650 78 650 90Fax: +49 (0)911 650 78 650 93E-mail: [email protected] www.crystal-n.com

Crystal IS Inc70 Cohoes AvenueGreen Island, NY 12183, USATel: +1 518 271 7375Fax: +1 518 271 7394www.crystal-is.com

Freiberger Compound Materials Am Junger Loewe Schacht 5, Freiberg, 09599, Germany Tel: +49 3731 280 0 Fax: +49 3731 280 106 www.fcm-germany.com

Kyma Technologies Inc 8829 Midway West Road, Raleigh, NC, USA Tel: +1 919 789 8880 Fax: +1 919 789 8881 www.kymatech.com

Index

To have your company listed in this directory, e-mail details (including categories) to [email protected]: advertisers receive a free listing. For all other companies, a charge is applicable.

Suppliers’ Directory


87

MARUWA CO LTD 3-83, Minamihonjigahara-cho,Owariasahi, Aichi 488-0044, JapanTel: +81 572 52 2317www.maruwa-g.com/e/products/ceramic

MARUWA is a global supplier ofceramic substrates and wafers madeof aluminium nitride (AlN), alumina(Al2O3), ZTA and silicon nitride(Si3N4). Products meet requiredproperties such as high thermalconductivity and bending strengthfor power devices, especiallywafers are suitable as a bondingwafer (GaN, SOI) for epi wafers.

sp3 Diamond Technologies2220 Martin Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050, USA Tel: +1 877 773 9940Fax: +1 408 492 0633www.sp3inc.com

Sumitomo ElectricSemiconductor Materials Inc 7230 NW Evergreen Parkway, Hillsboro, OR 97124, USA Tel: +1 503 693 3100 x207 Fax: +1 503 693 8275 www.sesmi.com

III/V-ReclaimWald 10, 84568 Pleiskirchen, Germany Tel: +49 8728 911 093Fax: +49 8728 911 156www.35reclaim.deIII/V-Reclaim offers reclaim(recycling) of GaAs and InP wafers,removing all kinds of layers andstructures from customers’ wafers.All formats and sizes can behandled. The firm offers single-sideand double-side-polishing andready-to-use surface treatment.

Umicore Electro-Optic MaterialsWatertorenstraat 33, B-2250 Olen, BelgiumTel: +32-14 24 53 67Fax: +32-14 24 58 00www.substrates.umicore.com

Wafer World Inc1100 Technology Place, Suite 104,West Palm Beach, FL 33407, USATel: +1-561-842-4441Fax: +1-561-842-2677E-mail: [email protected]

4 Epiwafer foundry

Spire Semiconductor LLC 25 Sagamore Park Drive, Hudson, NH 03051, USA Tel: +1 603 595 8900 Fax: +1 603 595 0975 www.spirecorp.com

Albemarle Cambridge Chemical LtdUnit 5 Chesterton Mills, French’s Road, Cambridge CB4 3NP, UKTel: +44 (0)1223 352244Fax: +44 (0)1223 352444www.camchem.co.uk

Intelligent Epitaxy Technology Inc 1250 E Collins Blvd, Richardson, TX 75081-2401, USATel: +1 972 234 0068Fax: +1 972 234 0069www.intelliepi.com

IQE Cypress Drive, St Mellons, CardiffCF3 0EG, UK Tel: +44 29 2083 9400 Fax: +44 29 2083 9401 www.iqep.com IQE is a leading global supplier ofadvanced epiwafers, with productscovering a diverse range ofapplications within the wireless,optoelectronic, photovoltaic andelectronic markets.

OMMIC 2, Chemin du Moulin B.P. 11, Limeil-Brevannes, 94453, France Tel: +33 1 45 10 67 31 Fax: +33 1 45 10 69 53 www.ommic.fr

SoitecPlace Marcel Rebuffat, Parc deVillejust, 91971 Courtabouef, France Tel: +33 (0)1 69 31 61 30 Fax: +33 (0)1 69 31 61 79www.picogiga.com

5 Depositionmaterials

Akzo Nobel High Purity Metalorganics www.akzonobel.com/hpmo Asia Pacific: Akzo Nobel (Asia) Co Ltd,Shanghai, ChinaTel. +86 21 2216 3600Fax: +86 21 3360 [email protected] Americas: AkzoNobel Functional Chemicals,Chicago, USA Tel. +31 800 828 7929 (US only)Tel: +1 312 544 7000Fax: +1 312 544 [email protected] Europe, Middle East and Africa: AkzoNobel Functional Chemicals,Amersfoort, The NetherlandsTel. +31 33 467 6656Fax: +31 33 467 [email protected]

Cambridge Chemical Company LtdUnit 5 Chesterton Mills, French’s Road, Cambridge CB4 3NP, UKTel: +44 (0)1223 352244Fax: +44 (0)1223 352444www.camchem.co.uk

Dow Electronic Materials 60 Willow Street, North Andover, MA 01845, USA Tel: +1 978 557 1700 Fax: +1 978 557 1701 www.metalorganics.com

Matheson Tri-Gas6775 Central Avenue, Newark, CA 94560, USA

Tel: +1 510 793 2559Fax: +1 510 790 6241www.mathesontrigas.com

Mining & Chemical Products Ltd (see section 1 for full contact details)

Praxair Electronics 542 Route 303, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA Tel: +1 845 398 8242 Fax: +1 845 398 8304 www.praxair.com/electronics

SAFC HitechPower Road, Bromborough, Wirral, Merseyside CH62 3QF, UKTel: +44 151 334 2774Fax: +44 151 334 6422www.safchitech.com

Materion Advanced MaterialsGroup2978 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USATel: +1 716 837 1000Fax: +1 716 833 2926www.williams-adv.com

6 Depositionequipment

AIXTRON SEDornkaulstr. 2, 52134 Herzogenrath, Germany Tel: +49 2407 9030 0 Fax: +49 2407 9030 40 www.aixtron.com

AIXTRON is a leading provider ofdeposition equipment to thesemiconductor industry. Thecompany’s technology solutions areused by a diverse range of customersworldwide to build advancedcomponents for electronic andoptoelectronic applications(photonic) based on compound,silicon, or organic semiconductormaterials and, more recently,carbon nanotubes (CNT), grapheneand other nanomaterials.

Evatec AG Hauptstrasse 1a, CH-9477 Trübbach, Switzerland Tel: +41 81 403 8000Fax: +41 81 403 8001www.evatecnet.com

Ferrotec-Temescal 4569-C Las Positas Rd, Livermore, CA 94551, USA Tel: +1 925 245 5817 Fax: +1 925 449-4096www.temescal.net Temescal, the expert inmetallization systems for theprocessing of compoundsemiconductor-based substrates,provides the finest evaporationsystems available. Multi-layercoatings of materials such as Ti, Pt, Au, Pd, Ag, NiCr, Al, Cr, Cu,Mo, Nb, SiO2, with high uniformityare guaranteed. Today the world’smost sophisticated handsets,optical, wireless and telecomsystems rely on millions of devices that are made usingTemescal deposition systems andcomponents.

Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology North End, Yatton, Bristol, Avon BS49 4AP, UK Tel: +44 1934 837 000 Fax: +44 1934 837 001 www.oxford-instruments.co.uk We provide flexible tools and processes for precise materials deposition,etching and controlled nanostructuregrowth. Core technologies includeplasma and ion-beam depositionand etch and ALD.

Plasma-Therm LLC10050 16th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33716, USA Tel: +1 727 577 4999 Fax: +1 727 577 7035 www.plasmatherm.com www.plasmatherm.com

Plasma-Therm, LLC is an establishedleading provider of advancedplasma processing equipment forthe semiconductor industry andrelated specialty markets.

Riber 31 rue Casimir Périer, BP 70083,95873 Bezons Cedex, France Tel: +33 (0) 1 39 96 65 00Fax: +33 (0) 1 39 47 45 62www.riber.com

SVT Associates Inc7620 Executive Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USATel: +1 952 934 2100Fax: +1 952 934 2737www.svta.com

Veeco Instruments Inc 100 Sunnyside Blvd., Woodbury, NY 11797, USA Tel: +1 516 677 0200 Fax: +1 516 714 1231 www.veeco.com

Veeco is a world-leading supplier ofcompound semiconductor equipment,and the only company offering bothMOCVD and MBE solutions. Withcomplementary AFM technology andthe industry’s most advanced ProcessIntegration Center, Veeco tools helpgrow and measure nanoscale devicesin worldwide LED/wireless, datastorage, semiconductor and scientificresearch markets—offering importantchoices, delivering ideal solutions.

7 Wafer processingmaterials

Air Products and Chemicals Inc 7201 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown, PA 18195, USA Tel: +1 610 481 4911 www.airproducts.com/compound

MicroChem Corp1254 Chestnut St. Newton, MA 02464, USA Tel: +1 617 965 5511Fax: +1 617 965 5818www.microchem.com



88

Praxair Electronics (see section 5 for full contact details)

8 Wafer processingequipment

EV GroupDI Erich Thallner Strasse 1, St. Florian/Inn, 4782, Austria Tel: +43 7712 5311 0 Fax: +43 7712 5311 4600 www.EVGroup.comTechnology and market leader for wafer processing equipment. Worldwide industry standards foraligned wafer bonding, resistprocessing for the MEMS, nano andsemiconductor industry.

Logitech LtdErskine Ferry Road, Old Kilpatrick, near Glasgow G60 5EU, Scotland, UKTel: +44 (0) 1389 875 444Fax: +44 (0) 1389 879 042www.logitech.uk.com

Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology (see section 6 for full contact details)

Plasma-Therm LLC(see section 6 for full contact details)

SAMCO International Inc 532 Weddell Drive, Sunnyvale, CA, USA Tel: +1 408 734 0459 Fax: +1 408 734 0961 www.samcointl.com

SPTS Technology Ltd Ringland Way, Newport NP18 2TA, UK Tel: +44 (0)1633 414000 Fax: +44 (0)1633 414141 www.spts.com

SUSS MicroTec AGSchleißheimer Strasse 90, 85748 Garching,

Germany Tel: +49 89 32007 0 Fax: +49 89 32007 162 www.suss.com

Veeco Instruments Inc (see section 6 for full contact details)

9 Materials & metals

Goodfellow Cambridge LtdErmine Business Park, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 6WR, UKTel: +44 (0) 1480 424800Fax: +44 (0) 1480 424900www.goodfellow.com

Goodfellow supplies smallquantities of metals and materialsfor research, development,prototyping and specialisedmanufacturing operations.

10 Gas and liquidhandling equipment

Air Products and Chemicals Inc (see section 7 for full contact details)

Cambridge Fluid Systems12 Trafalgar Way, Bar Hill, Cambridge CB3 8SQ, UK Tel: +44 (0)1954 786800 Fax: +44 (0)1954 786818 www.cambridge-fluid.com

CS CLEAN SYSTEMS AGFraunhoferstrasse 4, Ismaning, 85737, Germany Tel: +49 89 96 24 00 0 Fax: +49 89 96 24 00 122 www.cscleansystems.com

SAES Pure Gas Inc 4175 Santa Fe Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA Tel: +1 805 541 9299 Fax: +1 805 541 9399 www.saesgetters.com

11 Process monitoringand control

k-Space Associates 2182 Bishop Circle East, Dexter, MI 48130, USA Tel: +1 734 426 7977 Fax: +1 734 426 7955www.k-space.com k-Space Associates Inc specializes inin-situ, real-time thin-film processmonitoring tools for MBE, MOCVD,PVD, and thermal evaporation.Applications and materials includethe research and production linemonitoring of compoundsemiconductor-based electronic,optoelectronic, and photovoltaicdevices.

KLA-Tencor One Technology Dr, 1-2221I, Milpitas, CA 95035, USA Tel: +1 408 875 3000 Fax: +1 408 875 4144www.kla-tencor.com

LayTec AG Seesener Str. 10–13,10709 Berlin,Germany Tel: +49 30 89 00 55 0 Fax: +49 30 89 00 180 www.laytec.de LayTec develops and manufacturesoptical in-situ and in-line metrologysystems for thin-film processeswith particular focus on compoundsemiconductor and photovoltaicapplications. Its know-how is based on optical techniques:reflectometry, emissivity correctedpyrometry, curvaturemeasurements and reflectanceanisotropy spectroscopy.

WEP (Ingenieurbüro Wolff für Elektronik- undProgrammentwicklungen) Bregstrasse 90, D-78120Furtwangen im Schwarzwald, GermanyTel: +49 7723 9197 0 Fax: +49 7723 9197 22 www.wepcontrol.com



89

Inc



90

12 Inspection equipment

Bruker AXS GmbH Oestliche Rheinbrueckenstrasse 49, Karlsruhe, 76187, Germany Tel: +49 (0)721 595 2888 Fax: +49 (0)721 595 4587 www.bruker-axs.de

13 Characterizationequipment

J.A. Woollam Co. Inc. 645 M Street Suite 102, Lincoln, NE 68508, USA Tel: +1 402 477 7501 Fax: +1 402 477 8214 www.jawoollam.com

Lake Shore Cryotronics Inc 575 McCorkle Boulevard, Westerville, OH 43082, USA Tel: +1 614 891 2244 Fax: +1 614 818 1600 www.lakeshore.com

14 Chip test equipment

Keithley Instruments Inc28775 Aurora Road, Cleveland, OH 44139, USA Tel: +1 440.248.0400 Fax: +1 440.248.6168 www.keithley.com

15 Assembly/packagingmaterials

ePAK International Inc 4926 Spicewood Springs Road, Austin, TX 78759, USA Tel: +1 512 231 8083 Fax: +1 512 231 8183 www.epak.com

Gel-Pak 31398 Huntwood Avenue, Hayward, CA 94544, USA Tel: +1 510 576 2220Fax: +1 510 576 2282www.gelpak.com

Wafer World Inc (see section 3 for full contact details)

Materion Advanced MaterialsGroup2978 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USATel: +1 716 837 1000Fax: +1 716 833 2926www.williams-adv.com

16 Assembly/packagingequipment

Ismeca Europe Semiconductor SAHelvetie 283, La Chaux-de-Fonds,2301, Switzerland Tel: +41 329257111 Fax: +41 329257115 www.ismeca.com

Kulicke & Soffa Industries1005 Virginia Drive, Fort Washington, PA 19034, USA Tel: +1 215 784 6000Fax: +1 215 784 6001 www.kns.com

Palomar Technologies Inc 2728 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA Tel: +1 760 931 3600 Fax: +1 760 931 5191 www.PalomarTechnologies.com

TECDIA Inc 2700 Augustine Drive, Suite 110,Santa Clara, CA 95054, USATel: +1 408 748 0100Fax: +1 408 748 0111www.tecdia.com

17 Assembly/packagingfoundry

Quik-Pak10987 Via Frontera, San Diego, CA 92127, USA Tel: +1 858 674 4676 Fax: +1 8586 74 4681 www.quikicpak.com

18 Chip foundry

Compound SemiconductorTechnologies Ltd Block 7, Kelvin Campus, West of Scotland, Glasgow, Scotland G20 0TH, UK Tel: +44 141 579 3000 Fax: +44 141 579 3040 www.compoundsemi.co.uk

United Monolithic Semiconductors Route departementale 128, BP46, Orsay, 91401, France Tel: +33 1 69 33 04 72 Fax: +33 169 33 02 92 www.ums-gaas.com

19 Facility equipment

MEI, LLC3474 18th Avenue SE, Albany, OR 97322-7014, USA Tel: +1 541 917 3626Fax: +1 541 917 3623www.marlerenterprises.net

20 Facility consumables

W.L. Gore & Associates401 Airport Rd, Elkton, MD 21921-4236, USA Tel: +1 410 392 4440Fax: +1 410 506 8749www.gore.com

21 Computer hardware& software

Ansoft Corp4 Station Square, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USATel: +1 412 261 3200 Fax: +1 412 471 9427 www.ansoft.com

Crosslight Software Inc121-3989 Henning Dr., Burnaby, BC, V5C 6P8, Canada Tel: +1 604 320 1704Fax: +1 604 320 1734www.crosslight.com

Semiconductor TechnologyResearch Inc10404 Patterson Ave., Suite 108,Richmond, VA 23238, USATel: +1 804 740 8314Fax: +1 804 740 3814www.semitech.us

22 Used equipment

Class One Equipment Inc 5302 Snapfinger Woods Drive, Decatur, GA 30035, USATel: +1 770 808 8708Fax: +1 770 808 8308www.ClassOneEquipment.com

23 Services

Henry Butcher InternationalBrownlow House, 50–51

High Holborn, London WC1V 6EG, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7405 8411 Fax: +44 (0)20 7405 9772 www.henrybutcher.com

M+W Zander Holding AGLotterbergstrasse 30, Stuttgart, Germany Tel: +49 711 8804 1141 Fax: +49 711 8804 1950 www.mw-zander.com

24 Consulting

Fishbone Consulting SARL8 Rue de la Grange aux Moines, 78460 Choisel, France Tel: + 33 (0)1 30 47 29 03E-mail: [email protected]

25 Resources

Al Shultz Advertising Marketing for AdvancedTechnology Companies 1346 The Alameda, 7140 San Jose, CA 95126, USA Tel: +1 408 289 9555 www.alshuktz.com

SEMI Global Headquarters3081 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95134, USATel: +1 408 943 6900Fax: +1 408 428 9600www.semi.org

Yole Développement 45 rue Sainte Geneviève, 69006 Lyon, France Tel: +33 472 83 01 86www.yole.fr


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3–5 December 2016 Optics & Photonics Taiwan, theInternational Conference (OPTIC 2016) National Taiwan University of Science and Technology(Taiwan Tech), Taipei, Taiwan E-mail: [email protected] www.tl.ntu.edu.tw/2016/optic2016

3–7 December 2016IEDM 2016: 62nd annual IEEE InternationalElectron Devices Meeting San Francisco Union Square Hilton Hotel, CA, USA E-mail: [email protected] www.ieee-iedm.org

7–10 December 2016 47th IEEE Semiconductor InterfaceSpecialists Conference (SISC 2016) Catamaran Hotel, San Diego, CA, USAwww.ieeesisc.org

13–14 December 2016 International MicroNanoConference 2016 Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam, The Netherlands E-mail: [email protected] www.micronanoconference.org

14–16 December 2016 SEMICON Japan 2016 Tokyo International Exhibition Center (Tokyo Big Sight),Japan E-mail: [email protected] www.semiconjapan.org

27–30 December 2016 3rd International Conference on EmergingElectronics (ICEE 2016) Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) E-mail: [email protected] www.iceeconf.org

28 January – 2 February 2017SPIE Photonics West 2017Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA, USA E-mail: [email protected] http://spie.org/SPIE-PHOTONICS-WEST-conference

5–9 February 2017 IEEE International Solid-State CircuitsConference (ISSCC 2017) San Francisco, CA, USA E-mail: [email protected] www.isscc.org

27 February – 1 March 2017 PHOTOPTICS 2017 — 5th InternationalConference on Photonics, Optics and LaserTechnologyPorto, Portugal E-mail: [email protected] www.photoptics.org

28 February – 2 March 2017 IEEE Electron Devices Technology andManufacturing Conference (EDTM 2017) Toyama International Conference Center, Japan E-mail: [email protected] http://ewh.ieee.org/conf/edtm/2017


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Aixtron SE 5Evatec 47Ferrotec-Temescal 49Fuji Electric 27IQE 29Logitech 43RIFF Company 53

SEMI-GAS 37Umicore 45University Wafer 57Veeco Instruments — MBE 17Veeco Instruments — MOCVD 2Wafer World 31

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14–16 March 2017 SEMICON China 2017 Shanghai New International Expo Centre, China E-mail: [email protected] www.semiconchina.org

19–23 March 2017 Optical Fiber Communication Conference &Exhibition (OFC 2017) Los Angeles Convention Center, CA, USA E-mail: [email protected] www.ofcconference.org

3–5 April 2017 19th European Conference on IntegratedOptics (ECIO 2017) Technical University of Eindhoven, The Netherlands E-mail: [email protected] www.ecio-conference.org

3–5 April 20172017 Joint International EUROSOIWorkshop and International Conference onUltimate Integration on Silicon (ULIS) Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology of NCSR‘Demokritos’, Athens, Greece E-mail: [email protected] www.eurosoi-ulis2017.inn.demokritos.gr

9–13 April 2017SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing (DCS 2017)Anaheim Convention Center, CA, USA E-mail: [email protected]://spie.org/SPIE-DCS-conference

18–21 April 2017 SNEC's 11th International PhotovoltaicPower Generation Conference & Exhibition(SNEC PV Power EXPO 2017) Shanghai, ChinaE-mail: [email protected] www.snec.org.cn

24–27 April 2017SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics 2017 Clarion Congress Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic E-mail: [email protected] www.spie.org/SPIE-Optics-Optoelectronics

1–3 May 2017 13th International Conference onConcentrator Photovoltaics (CPV-13) University of Ottawa, Canada E-mail: [email protected] www.cpv-13.org

14–19 May 2017 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics(CLEO 2017) San Jose Convention Center, CA, USA E-mail: [email protected] www.cleoconference.org

22–25 May 2017 2017 CS ManTech (International Conferenceon Compound Semiconductor ManufacturingTechnology) Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa, Indian Wells,CA, USA E-mail: [email protected] www.csmantech.org

28 May – 1 June 2017 29th International Symposium on PowerSemiconductor Devices and ICs (ISPSD 2017) Sapporo, Japan E-mail: [email protected]://eds.ieee.org/eds-meetings-calendars.html

4–6 June 2017 IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated CircuitsSymposium (RFIC 2017) Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu, HI, USAhttp://rfic-ieee.org

25–29 June 2017 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Europe & the European Quantum ElectronicsConference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC 2017) Munich, Germany E-mail: [email protected] www.cleoeurope.org

25–30 June 2017 44th IEEE Photovoltaic SpecialistsConference (PVSC 2017) Marriot Wardman Park Hotel, Washington DC, USA E-mail: [email protected] www.ieee-pvsc.org/PVSC44

10–12 July 2017 IEEE Photonics Society’s 2017 SummerTopicals Meeting Series San Juan, Puerto RicoE-mail: [email protected] www.sum-ieee.org

6–10 August 2017 SPIE Optics + Photonics 2017 San Diego Convention Center, CA, USAE-mail: [email protected] http://spie.org/optics-photonics1

Event Calendar


93

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semiconductorTODAYC O M P O U N D S & A D V A N C E D S I L I C O NVol.7 • Issue 2 • March/April 2012 www.semiconductor-today.com

Graphensic spun off •Emcore sells VCSEL range to Sumitomo Masimo buys Spire Semiconductor•Oclaro and Opnext merge

ISSN 1752-2935 (online)

Efficiency droop in nitride & phosphide LEDsFirst single-crystal gallium oxide FET

Efficiency droop in nitride & phosphide LEDsFirst single-crystal gallium oxide FET

Download V.11, issue 9, November 2016

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