News

5 August 2008

 

AmpTech launches GaAs and InP foundry services

AmpTech Inc has announced availability of commercial contract-manufacturing foundry services at its fabrication facility in Milpitas, CA, USA. The firm offers gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP) processes targeted at RFIC and optoelectronics applications.

In May 2007, AmpTech bought the 4-inch GaAs wafer fabrication plant of WJ Communications Inc of San Jose, CA and entered into a technology license and foundry agreement with WJ (which in November 2006 had announced plans to go fabless).

AmpTech has since production-qualified processes for GaAs MESFETs (metal epitaxial semiconductor field-effect transistors) and InGaP (indium gallium phosphide) HBTs (heterojunction bipolar transistors). The MESFET process offers linear gain of more than 85% of the device operating range. The HBT process is characterized by breakdown voltages in excess of 25V. In addition, process modules have been adapted to manufacture optical devices, including GaAs and InP PIN photodetectors.

“AmpTech is committed to providing foundry services, and can offer significant advantages in development time, production turn-around, and security of supply for key components in our target markets,” says president and CEO Ray Milano. The manufacturing line (including a 15,000ft² cleanroom) is fully operational, and has shipped more than 1.5 million tested parts to customers since starting commercial production in fourth-quarter 2007.

“AmpTech provides front-end circuit design support, wafer processing, back-end characterization, RF and DC production testing, and die separation,” says Craig Farley, director of foundry services. “Our production line includes redundancy in all key equipment to ensure a smooth and predictable material flow, and we offer fast-turnaround options for prototyping,” he adds. “We achieve high yields on both our HBT and MESFET processes, and offer our customers the choice of known good wafers, or known good die.”

See related item:

WJ Communications enters technology license and foundry agreement; sells wafer manufacturing equipment

Search: GaAs InP GaAs MESFETs InGaP HBTs

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