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March 8, 2010...The Georgia Institute of Technology was awarded a $2.4 million contract from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop a new radar system, according to an article from Georgia Tech. The radar system will study and map ice and snow formations from the air. The phased-array radar will use silicon-germanium (SiGe) chips in combination with radio-frequency micro-electromechanical systems (RF MEMS). The light weight systems could be placed on aircraft or satellites.

Previously, such mapping required heavy radar equipment that required surface operation, according to John Papapolymerou, a professor in Georgia Tech's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and principal investigator on the project. The system would allow unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to gather information by flying over a large area such as Greenland, using the radar system to map ice sheets in three dimensions. While conventional radar requires a mechanical repositioning of an antenna, the new system would use phase shifting to electronically steer the signal beam. An 8 by 8 grid of fixed, interconnected antenna elements send and receive multiple radar signals virtually simultaneously.

Cressler,a Ken Byers Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said,"Using silicon-germanium allows much higher levels of integration, which older radar systems don’t give you," He added, "It enables you to go from a system which is much larger and more expensive, and less robust, to a chip that is only a few millimeters on a side and costs far less."

Efficient Power Conversion Corporation Introduces 40 V to 200V Enhancement Mode GaN Power Transistors
CompoundSemi News Staff

March 8, 2010...Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) of El Segundo, California USA introduced a family of enhancement mode power transistors. The transistors are based on EPC's proprietary gallium nitride on silicon technology. They span a range of 40 Volts to 200 Volts, and 4 milliohms to 100 milliohms. The company says that the power transistors demonstrate significant performance advantages over state-of-the-art silicon-based power MOSFETs. EPC’s technology produces devices that are smaller than similar resistance silicon devices and have many times superior switching performance. Applications such as DC-DC power supplies, point-of-load converters, class D audio amplifiers, notebook and netbook computers, LED drive circuits, telecom base stations, and cell phones can reportedly benefit from the improved performance.

EPC notes that its enhancement mode (normally OFF) GaN technology was explicitly developed to replace power MOSFETs. The transistors are produced in a standard silicon CMOS foundry on 150mm (6 inch) silicon wafers. “EPC’s GaN on silicon power transistors represent the first major breakthrough in power conversion technology since the development of the commercial power MOSFET. We have developed a very cost effective and reliable technology that is also very easy for anyone with power MOSFET experience to use in a way that will significantly boost their power management system performance,” said Alex Lidow, EPC’s co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. Company News Release

Ascent Solar and FTL Solar Sign Strategic Alliance Supply Agreement
CompoundSemi News Staff

March 3, 2010...Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., a maker of thin-film photovoltaic modules, has signed a strategic supply agreement with FTL Solar, LLC of Austin, Texas. The agreement includes a minimum purchase commitment of $6.5 million over a three year period for Ascent Solar's flexible CIGS photovoltaic two meter and premier modules. FTL Solar will distribute Ascent Solar's flexible thin-film CIGS solar cells on fabric.

Some of Ascent Solar's products that FTL Solar will distribute will take advantage of Ascent Solar recently obtained certification MIL-STD 810G, which allows the company to provide solar products for defense applications.

FTL Solar CEO Tony Saxton, stated, “We are pleased to announce that FTL Solar is a US distributor for Ascent's light weight photovoltaic (PV) modules for fabric awnings, airbeams, tents, tensile structures, sailboat sails, tarps and umbrellas." Saxton said, "We have hit the market with FTL Solar's PowerMod™ tents with Ascent Solar PV modules 'outside' for military and tent rental industry sales, and with FTL Solar's PowerFold™ hand-held battery chargers for military and consumer sales." Ascent Solar says it is scheduled to begin shipments to FTL Solar of their lightweight solar integrated tensile fabric product line that is intended to serve defense/disaster relief, and the portable power segments. Ascent Solar News Release

Sensors Unlimited Introduces New SWIR Cameras
CompoundSemi News Staff

March 3, 2010...Sensors Unlimited-Goodrich ISR Systems has introduced two cameras with advanced imaging enhancements that the company says expand the dynamic range of short wave infrared (SWIR) imagery. The company reports that its new indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) SWIR SU320KTX (320 x 240 pixel format with 40 micron pixel pitch) and the SU640KTSX (640 x 512 pixel format with 25 micron pixel pitch) cameras take a advantage of a number of new tehcnological advancements such as a new on-board automatic gain control (AGC) and adjustable enhancement thresholds.

The company says that the devices have the unique ability to automatically compensate for variations in light levels that may differ by up to five orders of magnitude. Sensors Unlimited contends that its the SU320KTX and SU640KTSX models are easy-to-integrate into mobile, handheld, or aerial surveillance systems and are compact, lightweight, and feature low power consumption.

The cameras have simultaneous RS170 analog and 12-bit CameraLink digital outputs for plug-and-play video and high quality images for image processing or transmission. Most importantly, this SWIR technology provides a key advantage by detecting reflected light at wavelengths that the human eye cannot see, providing real-time daylight-to-low-light imaging. The new cameras provide the highest sensitivity available in the SWIR 0.9 to 1.7 micron spectrum. The optional NIR/SWIR models extend the range of operation down to 0.7 and up to 1.7 microns. Sensors Unlimited News Release

Global Solar Energy’s Flexible Thin Film CIGS Achieves 13.2 Percent Efficiency

March 1, 2010...Global Solar Energy reports that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), has confirmed 13.2 percent aperture area efficiency for its CIGS thin film module on a flexible substrate. Global Solar claims that it is the first manufacturer to exceed the 13 percent milestone using thin film on a flexible substrate. The company says that the benchmark advances the thin film photovoltaic market and underscores its leadership as the only manufacturer of Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) cells on a flexible substrate in full-scale production.

“Global Solar Energy is the first company to exceed the 13 percent efficiency target using thin films on a flexible stainless steel substrate, and joins a small number of PV companies who have met this high efficiency milestone for large thin film power modules,” said Dr. Ryne P. Raffaelle, Director of NREL’s National Center for Photovoltaics. “This result is remarkable, given that the module was made using standard production equipment and manufacturing processes at Global Solar Energy.”

Global Solar Energy, a manufacturer of high-efficiency CIGS solar products, has reportedly been selling CIGS thin-film products on a flexible substrate for over six years. The company boasts that it has brought CIGS technology to a variety of applications from portable solar chargers, to traditional glass modules, to next generation building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products. Global Solar News Release

RFMD and Selex Galileo Extend Collaboration to Develop GaAs MMIC Solutions for Radar
CompoundSemi News Staff

March 1, 2010...Selex Galileo, a U.K.-based defense electronics manufacturer, and RFMD have extended their collaboration to develop GaAs MMIC solutions for Selex Galileo's next generation of electronically-scanned (E-SCAN) phased array radar systems. Selex Galileo and RFMD have collaborated in GaAs MMICs since signing a strategic cooperation agreement in May 2008. 

RFMD reports that it has also begun production shipments to Selex Galileo of GaAs MMIC chipsets for insertion into Selex Galileo's surveillance and fire control radar systems. RFMD manufactures its GaAs MMIC process for Selex Galileo on six-inch substrates at RFMD's UK-based GaAs wafer fab in Durham.

Jeff Shealy, vice president and general manager of RFMD's Defense and Power business unit, said, "We are pleased to support Selex Galileo's high frequency GaAs requirements using our GaAs technical expertise and high volume commercial wafer fab. We value our collaboration with Selex Galileo and look forward to growing our relationship, while delivering world-class GaAs solutions for their advanced radar systems."

Bob Bruggeworth, president and CEO of RFMD, added, "Selex Galileo is a valued strategic customer in our Defense and Power business and we are pleased to announce the strengthening of our collaboration as we move from development phase to production phase. Our combined efforts represent an excellent match for RFMD's strategic mission to extend and leverage our leadership in RF components and compound semiconductors into multiple industries." RFMD News Release

Solyndra, Inc. Signs Distribution Agreement with DC Power Systems
CompoundSemi News Staff

March 1, 2010...Solyndra, Inc. of Fremont, California USA, has signed DC Power Systems to be a new North America distributor for its cylindrical solar systems for commercial rooftops. "With a great cost to output ratio, Solyndra is an excellent non-penetrating PV system choice for our commercial installers,” said Daniel Marino, Executive Vice-President of DC Power Systems. “Coupling the flexibility of their module and mounting system with our strong technical support and design capabilities gives customers an exciting rooftop solar solution.  DC Power Systems is pleased to be working with Solyndra as we move forward."

"DC Power Systems has an outstanding reputation in renewable energy and they offer their customers a wide range of technology and service capabilities,” said Chris Gronet, Solyndra CEO and founder. “They clearly are the type of innovative, value-added distributor that we seek when authorizing a company to offer Solyndra products." Solyndra News Release

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