Technology takes position to displace GaAs-based ICs, toxic compounds
San Diego, California, September 15, 2009 — Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation, a leading supplier of high-performance RF CMOS and mixed-signal communications ICs, today announced it has recently shipped its half- billionth UltraCMOS™ RFIC, a milestone which highlights the successful adoption and proliferation of the Company’s disruptive UltraCMOS silicon-on-sapphire technology.
Peregrine’s UltraCMOS technology is a patented variation of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process that combines industry-standard silicon CMOS circuitry with a highly insulating sapphire substrate, delivering the industry’s highest RF performance in areas such as linearity, isolation, ESD tolerance, speed and switch settling time. More importantly, UltraCMOS-based RFICs offer an environmentally friendly option to arsenic-based GaAs ICs which have historically been widely used in RF and wireless systems. With the global move toward ‘green engineering’ and reduction of hazardous substances (RoHS), UltraCMOS SOS devices are poised to offer engineers and manufacturers alike a simple, responsible solution for the next-generation designs demanded by the environmentally conscious consumer.
For years, engineers designing for personal communications devices such as cellular phones and mobile digital assistants sought primarily to increase system performance while reducing size and power consumption. Today, however, electronics component designers must also take into account emerging standards and regulations regarding waste, hazardous substances and recycling. This is especially the case with handheld electronics, where extremely high global volumes are creating significant disposal issues in the earth’s landfills. The green technology movement has generated resolutions around the world aimed at banning or limiting hazardous substances found in consumer electronics. In particular, gallium arsenide (GaAs) has been classified in the U.S., EU and Japan as a toxic compound and dangerous for the environment.
“With current worldwide sales of approximately 1.3 billion units per year, cellular handsets have become not only technology, business and lifestyle drivers but also a leading contributor to eWaste,” stated Jim Cable, president and CEO of Peregrine Semiconductor Corp. “We believe that by providing a performance advantage with our UltraCMOS technology and by offering systems designers an alternative to arsenic-based RFICs, we are doing our part to help our customers and the environment,” he added. Peregrine, which has offices and a sales support network around the world, is also actively developing corporate programs toward the awareness of eWaste and electronics recycling.
About Environmentally-friendly UltraCMOS™ Technology
UltraCMOS™ mixed-signal process technology is a patented variation of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology on a sapphire substrate providing with high yields and competitive costs. This technology delivers significant performance advantages over competing processes such as GaAs, SiGe BiCMOS and bulk silicon CMOS in applications where RF performance, low power and high levels of integration are paramount. The Company’s revolutionary HaRP™ technology further exploits the fundamental benefits of silicon-on-sapphire, enabling dramatic improvements in harmonic results, linearity and overall RF performance which today remain unmatched by any other RF process technology.
About Peregrine Semiconductor
Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets high-performance communications RF ICs for the wireless infrastructure and mobile wireless; broadband CATV/DTV; communications infrastructure; and high-rel markets. Manufactured on the Company’s proprietary UltraCMOS™ mixed-signal process technology, Peregrine products are uniquely poised to meet the needs of a global RF design community in high-growth applications such as WCDMA, EDGE and GSM digital cellular and mobile TV; broadband communications such as DTV/PCTV/DVR; and in high-reliability applications such as telecom infrastructure, industrial, automotive, military and satellite systems. Peregrine UltraCMOS devices are manufactured under licensed foundry partnerships with world-class CMOS semiconductor manufacturers located in Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Australia. The Company, headquartered in San Diego, California, maintains global sales support operations and a worldwide technical distribution network. Additional information is available on the web at www.psemi.com.
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The Peregrine Semiconductor name and logo are registered trademarks and UltraCMOS, HaRP and DuNE are trademarks of Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.