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December 21, 2009...3S Photonics, a French manufacturer of optical and optoelectronic components for telecommunications networks, has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire Avensys Group subsidiaries, Avensys Inc. and ITF Laboratories Inc., for a total of 6.5 million Euros.
The holding company Avensys Corp., owns two companies: Avensys Inc, its wholly-owned subsidiary and ITF Laboratories Inc., in which it owns a 42% interest. The majority of the remaining shares belong to the Canadian State. Avensys Inc. employs 200 people. It designs, manufactures and distributes optical components and modules for the telecom market as well as high power devices, sub-assemblies and fiber-based sensors for the industrial market. It also develops environmental monitoring solutions and services for air, water, soil and geo-structures.
ITF Laboratories handles Avensys's research & development and produces integrated Photonics solutions and reliable components and fiber-based systems for fiber lasers and optical sensing applications. Upon closing, assets of Avensys Inc.'s two divisions, Avensys Technologies and Avensys Solutions, and the assets of ITF Laboratories Inc., will be merged with 3S Photonics. The closing of the sale is expected in January 2010.
"We are proud of this acquisition, which corresponds to the implementation of the external growth strategy that we planned last July when we raised funds. We are also delighted to welcome such a great company, armed with know-how which will complement our own, and to establish links across the Atlantic with our Canadian friends," declared Alexandre Krivine, President and CEO of 3S Photonics. 3S Photonics News Release Oclaro to Acquire Xtellus
CompoundSemi News StaffDecember 21, 2009...Optical component maker Oclaro (a company formed from the merging of Avenex and Bookham), reports that it will acquire Xtellus a provider of reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) technologies for agile optical networking systems. With the acquisition, Oclaro will add wavelength selective switches which can power ROADM applications.
Oclaro points out that WSS is one of the fastest growing segments of the optical component market, and that the acquisition of Xtellus will play an important role in its continuing growth. Oclaro indicated that the acquisition also completes the overall portfolio of product areas required to support the metro and long haul applications in the telecommunication market.
Oclaro News Release
First Solar Exceeds 1GW of PV Module Production and Shipment in 2009
CompoundSemi News StaffDecember 16, 2009...First Solar Inc. reports that in 2009 it has manufactured and shipped more than 1 gigawatt of its photovoltaic (PV) solar modules. Thus, the company, a maker of CdTe solar cells, became the first PV company to attain over 1GW produced and in a single year. First Solar estimates that one gigawatt of solar modules produces enough electricity to serve the needs of approximately 145,000 average American homes and saves roughly 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
First Solar has increased its manufacturing capacity from approximately 75 megawatts (MW) per year at the beginning of 2007 to more than 1GW per year today. The company boasts that the it is the largest PV producer in the world.
"This proof that the solar industry can achieve the manufacturing scale necessary to fight climate change is especially timely in light of the Copenhagen conference that began last week," said Bruce Sohn, First Solar president. "Our efforts in scaling our technology are critical to creating a more sustainable energy infrastructure and reducing greenhouse gas emissions."
First Solar says it has continually lowered the cost of manufacturing solar modules, and it reported breaking the $1 per watt barrier earlier this year. Company News Release SemiLEDs to Boost 4-inch LED Epiwafer Production at Taiwan Facility
CompoundSemi News StaffDecember 16, 2009...After recently opening a new production facility in Foshan, Guangdong Province, China, SemiLEDs is apparently getting ready for a production ramp at its 4-inch LED chip line in Taiwan, according to MOCVD equipment maker, Aixtron.
Semileds reportedly oredered Aixtron's Close Coupled Showerhead CRIUS MOCVD system in a 7x4 inch configuration. Aixtron says that the system will be delivered in the fourth quarter 2009 and installed at the company's 4-inch LED chip line at its production facility in Taiwan.
Dr. Chuong Tran, President and COO of SemiLEDs, commented, "We have chosen the Aixtron CRIUS system equipped with the Dynamic Reactor Height Adjustment feature, which facilitates growth at elevated pressures, providing an advantage for our proprietary MVP structure. Plus, we particularly appreciate their responsive back-up service ensuring we can meet our production obligations.”
Dr. Christian Geng, Vice President Greater China of Aixtron, added, “We are looking forward to this 4-inch project as it is the first Close Coupled Showerhead Reactor to complement the existing manufacturing line of Planetary Reactor systems at SemiLEDs.”
Aixtron News Release RFMD Ships Pre-Production GaN-Based CATV Hybrid Amplifiers to U.S.-Based CATV Equipment Provider
CompoundSemi News StaffDecember 14, 2009...RF Micro Devices of Greensboro, North Carolina USA, has begun pre-production shipments of gallium nitride (GaN)-based CATV (cable TV) amplifiers to major U.S.-based CATV equipment provider.
RFMD points out that operators of hybrid fiber coax (HFC) networks are installing fiber capacity deeper into their networks ("fiber deep" networks) to address the increasing demand for higher throughput video and broadband services. Accordingly, CATV equipment providers hope to reduce the cost of fiber deep networks through the use of semiconductor devices capable of higher RF output levels than those of state-of-the-art GaAs-based devices.
RFMD contends that its GaN-based devices can reduce the number of amplifiers required in emerging architectures, also known as N+1 architectures, and achieve up to 20-percent cost savings in fiber deep networks. RFMD says its initial GaN shipments to this CATV customer are for optical nodes, and subsequent shipments are also expected to be used in line extender amplifier applications. The company expects to begin volume production in the first half of calendar 2010.
"We are excited to announce pre-production shipments of our GaN-based CATV hybrid amplifiers to this major CATV customer," said Alastair Upton, general manager of RFMD's Broadband Components business unit. "With our GaN semiconductor expertise and our world-class CATV manufacturing capability, RFMD is uniquely positioned to bring the next generation of high-performance CATV amplifiers to the CATV equipment market."
Company News Release VT Silicon Selects TowerJazz for First Fully Integrated 4G RF Front End IC
CompoundSemi News StaffDecember 14, 2009...VT Silicon, a fabless semiconductor company has reportedly selected TowerJazz
to be its manufacturing partner for what the company says is the first silicon 4G RF Front End IC to meet the operating requirements of 4G mobile devices. VT Silicon reportedly chose TowerJazz’s SiGe process instead of a more expensive GaAs to enable higher integration at a significantly lower cost. VT Silicon's 4G RF front end IC offers the company’s patented Linearity Enhancement Technology (LET™) and a novel RF Front End topology to achieve the power, efficiency, and linearity required by today’s battery-powered 4G broadband mobile devices.
TowerJazz's Silicon Radio Platform includes a SiGe transistor that can operate at up to 200GHz, which it says is competitive with GaAs, and offers as much as 40% lower die cost. The SiGe BiCMOS technology allows the RF Front End to be integrated in a wireless device on a single piece of silicon. Furthermore, the CMOS technology allows mixed-signal and digital functions on the same chip for programmable control of RF functions, advanced sensors, and serial digital communication. VT Silicon says that the inegration eliminates the need for a number of expensive discrete GaAs devices ultimately results in a reduced bill of materials.
Vikram Krishnamurthy, CTO, VT Silicon commented, “Our design, an industry first, takes full advantage of this silicon process to provide highly intelligent digital communications, programmability, and control of all RF functions.” VT Silicon News Release Our news features are reported
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