Around the Circuit
Industry News
M2 Global Technology Ltd. , a newly formed Texas limited partnership owned by microwave component and service supplier M2 Global Inc. , has acquired the microwave component and metal fabrication operations from Harris Corp., Microwave Communications Division (MCD) . Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) , Palo Alto, CA, has issued a reorganization of business operations within its Automated Test Group (ATG) to bolster sales and service of test products, services and production-test solutions for the semiconductor industry. As a result of the reorganization, the ATG business unit will focus on four semiconductor test disciplines: system-on-a-chip devices, RFICs, memory ICs and semiconductor parametric test (process monitoring). In related news, QUALCOMM Inc. , San Diego, CA, has purchased its second HP 84000 RFIC test system. HP's test system, which is valued at more than $1 M, provides the additional test capacity needed to bring several new RF ASICs to market rapidly. Also, Hewlett-Packard's HP EEsof Division and White Eagle Systems Technology have formed a strategic alliance to meet the challenges of third-generation (3G) digital signal processing (DSP) wireless design for communication systems. The two companies will provide electronic design automation tools, intellectual property and systems-on-a-chip design services for DSP-based wireless systems.
Micrel Semiconductor Inc. has created a new RFIC business unit at its headquarters in San Jose, CA, which will focus on the company's RF activities and the MICRFXXX series single-chip RF receivers targeted at the wireless data communications and consumer markets. Scott M. Brown, RF product manager, and David A. Brown, RF systems applications engineering manager, have been named to head the new unit.
TestMart , a Technical Communities Web site, has moved its worldwide headquarters to 851 Traeger Avenue, San Bruno, CA 94066 (650) 624-0525, fax (650) 624-0535.
RF power amplifier manufacturer LCF Enterprises has moved to a new 8500-square-foot headquarters facility at 570-A West Clearwater Loop, Post Falls, ID 83854 (208) 457-0292, fax (208) 457-0296. The company has doubled its manufacturing capability for its power amplifier lines, which operate at frequency ranges from 1 MHz to 2 GHz and power ranges from 1 W to 2 kW.
RF/microwave and wireless distribution firm mmWave Technologies Inc. , Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, has opened its second US office at 800 Bellevue Way NE, Fourth Floor, Bellevue, WA 98004 (425) 646-2370, fax (425) 462-5638.
IBM and RF Micro Devices Inc. have signed an agreement to jointly develop highly integrated RFICs based on IBM's silicon germanium (SiGe) technology for next-generation cellular phones. The collaborative agreement is expected to dramatically reduce the number of chips in wireless handsets over time, thereby shortening time-to-market for manufacturers and resulting in smaller phones that use less power and offer longer battery life. In related news, IBM and Agilent Technologies have entered into a cooperative agreement to speed the development of ICs used in communication products by collaborating on a design kit that enables Hewlett-Packard's Advanced Design System software to work with IBM's SiGe technology.
Wireless component solution provider M/A-COM , a division of AMP Inc. , and TEMIC Semiconductors , a wholly owned subsidiary of Atmel Corp. , have entered into an agreement to jointly design and manufacture SiGe components and RFICs for the telecommunications markets. The RFICs will be designed to support the wireless and wired marketplace with a focus on infrastructure, wireless telephony, wireless local area networks and wireless local loop. In related news, TEMIC Semiconductors and RFIC solution manufacturer ANADIGICS , Warren, NJ, have also entered into an agreement to share information about SiGe technology and RFIC design.
Watkins-Johnson Co.'s Wireless Products Group and Sprint have signed a multiyear master purchase agreement for Watkins-Johnson repeaters to be used in the Sprint PCS all-digital nationwide network. The agreement applies to orders for repeaters and associated equipment and authorizes similar transactions with Sprint PCS affiliates. In related news, Sprint has selected QUALCOMM Inc. CDMA Technologies as a mobile technology provider for trials of 3G wireless technology based on the 3G CDMA 1 x multicarrier mode of the IS-2000 Release 0 published standard. The technical trials, which are expected to begin in 2000, will use trial mobile terminals based on QUALCOMM's MSM5000 chipset and system software and a complete development toolkit.
Electronic component specialty distributor Richardson Electronics Ltd. , LaFox, IL, has entered into an agreement with Pacific Wireless Manufacturing Inc. to serve as an authorized distributor for Pacific Wireless' C230X series 2.4 GHz GaAs MMIC products and PMANT series 2.4 GHz parabolic grid antenna products. In related news, Richardson Electronics has signed an agreement with ITT GaAsTEK to distribute its GaAs RF-to-millimeter-wave products, which include amplifiers, switches, attenuators and control chips.
Fujitsu Quantum Devices Ltd. (FQD) and Lucent Technologies' Microelectronics Group have entered into a joint agreement to produce a common design for detector devices used in receiver systems for gigabit rate optical communications. The devices produced by the two companies are interchangeable and are targeted for 10 Gbps single-mode fiber-optical systems.
SatCom Systems Inc. , Burbank, CA, and Lynch Diversified Vehicles (LDV) , Burlington, WI, have entered into an agreement in which LDV will serve as an integrator and reseller of mobile satellite systems and services. According to the agreement, SatCom will allow LDV to offer its customers expanded options for low cost digital satellite communications such as telephony, fax, data and push-to-talk dispatch radio.
Hypervision Inc. , Fremont, CA, and IQL , a division of ISE , have signed an agreement that will give product engineers, designers and yield engineering groups faster analysis of chip-level defects revealed by automatic test equipment (ATE) testing. Hypervision will provide IQL with its PTF1 portable test floor emission microscope and its Chip UnZip automated system that thins backside silicon. With the new tools, users can see the location of failing structures immediately upon completion of ATE analysis in packaged or wafer form.
Analog Devices Inc. , Norwood, MA, has selected Crossbow Technology Inc. , San Jose, CA, to distribute its iMEMS® integrated microelectromechanical system accelerometer products using Crossbow's Internet ordering system. The Analog Devices and Crossbow co-op order pages are available via each company's Web site at www.analog.com/iMEMS and www.xbow.com/html/product/htm, respectively.
Electromagnetic interference shielded test chamber manufacturer Lindgren RF Enclosures Inc. , Glendale Heights, IL, has completed construction of the world's first 10-meter range anechoic chamber (FACT-5) for Nortel Networks, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The anechoic chamber features two interchangeable turntables, permitting multiple users to set up and test concurrently and creating an efficient, high capacity chamber for complete electromagnetic compatibility testing.
Andrew Corp. , Orland Park, IL, has been selected by Motorola Inc. to serve as its global supplier of base station antennas and transmission line products including coaxial cable, connectors and accessories. In addition, Andrew has purchased assets from Miller Building Systems Inc. that will enable Andrew to manufacture communications shelters at Miller's Burlington, KS manufacturing plant for use in wireless and wireline communications business. Andrew will expand the production capacity and offer Miller employees new positions with Andrew.
Microcosm Technologies Inc. , Raleigh, NC, has been selected to lead the CAD portion of a three-year, $14 M optical MEMS project. The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) project, "Micro-opto-electromechanical Systems Manufacturing," is funded by the National Institute for Standards and Technology and is intended to develop technologies for efficient manufacturing of optical MEMS for telecommunications, imaging, medicine, entertainment and information technology. Other companies involved in the ATP project include Xerox Inc., Maxim Integrated Products, Optical Micro-Machines, Standard Microsystems Corp. and Microscan Systems Inc . Xerox will serve as the prime contractor.
Rockwell Collins ' USQ-146 dual receiver/transmitter has been selected for insertion onto the Marine Corps Mobile Electronic Warfare Support System Light Armored Vehicle platform. Lockheed Corp ., Oswego, NY, will serve as the prime contractor for the program, which involves the production of 12 systems through FY 2004.
Circuit Assembly Corp. , Irvine, CA, has licensed Comax Technology Co. Ltd. and Aska Technologies Inc. (both of Taiwan) for the manufacture and marketing of ATAS, the company's proprietary 40-pin ultra ATA connector that permits implementation of ATA-4 signal and logical protocol for IDE host systems and storage devices. ATAS mates into the existing form factor of the 40-pin IDE connector and terminates to 80-conductor ribbon cable. In related news, Circuit Assembly Corp. has received recommendation for ISO 9001-1994 certification from TUV Essen Quality Systems. Certification was expected to be issued by the end of October.
Microwave Power Devices Inc. (MPD) , Hauppauge, NY, has been named to Deloitte & Touche LLP's prestigious Long Island Technology Fast 50 Program, a ranking of the 50 fastest-growing technology companies headquartered on Long Island. Rankings are based on the percentage growth in revenues during the five years from 1994 to 1998. In related news, Unitek Miyachi Corp. , Monrovia, CA, has been named to Deloitte & Touche's prestigious Los Angeles Technology Fast 50 Program for the second consecutive year.
Cable Television Laboratories Inc. (CableLabs®) has successfully conducted the first wave of OpenCable interoperability testing, which focused on removable security cards that allow for retail availability of cable digital set-top boxes. OpenCable is a project that seeks to facilitate the development of advanced digital devices from multiple suppliers that will communicate (or interoperate) with one another. Other manufacturers involved in the testing include General Instrument, Mindport, NDS, Nagra, Philips Electronics, SCM Microsystems and Scientific-Atlanta . A retail-available set-top box or integrated television set that employs a point-of-deployment module is intended to be completed by the July 1, 2000 deadline set by the Federal Communications Commission.
Magellan Corp. , Santa Clara, CA, has received a US patent award (No. 5,914,685) covering the use of code and carrier phase measurements from both GPS and GLONASS satellites received by a receiver system for precise positioning. The patent discloses technology for accurately determining relative positions of points using code and carrier phase measurements from signals broadcast from the US GPS satellite system and the Russian GLONASS satellite system.
Terrestrial microwave antenna designer Gabriel Electronics Inc. 's StealthWave antenna series has been formally registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office. StealthWave antennas utilize a patented technology developed by the company to achieve optimum electrical performance in broadband microwave antennas.
Micro Pulse Inc. , Camarillo, CA, has received ISO 9001 certification through Underwriters Laboratories Inc. for the design and manufacture of global positioning system antennas.
American Microsystems Inc. , Pocatello, ID, has been awarded IQNet (International Certification Network) certification which demonstrates global acceptance of the company's ISO 9000 quality compliance.
The IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques has issued a call for papers for a special issue on "Advances in RF/Microwave Power Amplification for Wireless Communications" that will be published in October 2000. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following areas: novel efficiency improvement methods, linearity improvement using alternative PA topologies, classical efficiency enhancement methods and digital signal sets. Authors are requested to send four copies of their manuscript by February 28, 2000 to John F. Sevic, Spectrian Corp., 350 West Java Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 or e-mail: j.sevic@ieee.org.
The American Society for Technion-Israel Institute of Technology has received a donation from QUALCOMM CEO Irwin Jacobs and his wife, Joan, for its Communications Center and Information Technologies (CCIT) - a project of the New York metropolitan region. The donation will be used to expand the interdisciplinary center's contributions to the rapid growth of communication technology worldwide. The CCIT conducts research in the areas of laser, digital, wireless and fiber-optic communication.
Financial News
Aeroflex Inc. reports sales of $48.7 M for the fourth quarter, ended June 30, compared to $34.4 M for the same period in 1998. Net income was $4.5 M (23¢/diluted share), up 28 percent from a net income of $3.5 M (19¢/diluted share) reported in 1998. For the year ended June 30, Aeroflex reports sales of $157.1 M compared to $118.9 M in 1998.
ANADIGICS reports sales of $30.5 M for the second quarter, ended July 4, compared to $22.7 M for the same period in 1998. Net loss was $4.1 M (27¢/share), compared to a net income of $320 K (2¢/diluted share) for 1998. In related news, the company has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an underwritten public offering of approximately three million shares of common stock. The net proceeds from the offering are expected to be used for general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures, working capital and the acquisition of complementary businesses or technologies. Pending such use, the company intends to invest the net proceeds in investment-grade, income-producing securities.
Wireless communications filter product provider Superconductor Technologies Inc. (STI) , Santa Barbara, CA, has completed the second tranche of its private equity financing for gross proceeds of $1.5 M with Tredegar Investments Inc. ; Wilmington Securities Inc. , a subsidiary of The Hillman Company ; and Madrona Investment Group LLC . As part of this tranche of the agreement, STI raised $1.2 M and an additional $300 K from Madrona in the form of convertible preferred stock. In the first tranche of the agreement, STI raised $3.8 M in equity in the form of convertible preferred stock, increasing its total private equity financing package to $5.3 M from the anticipated $5 M.
Technical Research and Manufacturing Inc. , Bedford, NH, has completed its third quarter by attaining the highest booking/sales volume in its 30 years. The company's fourth quarter is expected to continue the record-setting pace in both the commercial and military markets.
Contracts
M/A-COM Inc. and AMP Inc. have been awarded an 18-month contract for the deployment of M/A-COM's OpenSky wireless Internet protocol network to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Statewide Public Safety Digital Radio Communications System. Under the terms of the $95 M contract, M/A-COM will supply infrastructure equipment for the new, digital voice and data radio communications system, which will comprise several hundred base stations, regional control centers and network control centers. The system is scheduled to be completed in 2001.
Berkeley Varitronics Systems Inc. , Metuchen, NJ, has been awarded a contract by Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX, to provide 2.4 GHz microcell test tools comprising Lizard 1 W transmitters and Mongoose receivers. In related news, Berkeley Varitronics Systems has been awarded a contract by Hughes Network Systems to deliver receiver systems for companion dual-band receivers and Fox receivers covering the PCS and cellular bands. Financial details of both contracts were not disclosed.
Honeywell Space Systems has been awarded a contract to provide spacecraft control equipment for a classified program. Work on the contract was expected to begin immediately and continue for approximately 10 years. Financial details were not disclosed.
Personnel
SiGe Microsystems' board of directors has elected John Millard as its chairman. Millard joined the company as a director in 1998. Prior to that, he was president and CEO at Mitel Corp.
Harry L. Deffebach has been named president of the transmission group at JDS Uniphase Corp. Deffebach has 26 years of experience and,most recently, was VP and general manager at Harris Corp.
Araftek Inc. has named Howard (Horng-Jye) Sun president. Sun has more than 20 years of RF design and management experience and, most recently, was VP at Atelic Systems.
Cascade Microtech Inc. has appointed Craig M. Swanson CFO. Most recently, Swanson was VP of finance, CFO and corporate secretary at Protocol Systems. He replaces Randall S. Sadewic who will be relocating to Tokyo to assist Cascade Microtech Japan in continuing its international expansion.
Vincent D. Cammarata has been named CTO for CSA Wireless, a TriPoint Global company. Cammarata brings more than 25 years to the company and, most recently, served as a telecommunications consultant.
Michael D. Angel has been named executive VP of finance and CFO at Spectrian. Most recently, Angel was director of finance for worldwide manufacturing and process technology operations at National Semiconductor Corp.
Thomas Lagatta has been appointed VP of marketing at ANADIGICS. Most recently, Lagatta was VP of strategic marketing and business development at Avnet Inc.
Filtronic Solid State has named Maty Pardo VP and general manager of semiconductor products. Most recently, Pardo was director of applications engineering at GHz Technologies.
Rick L. Harris has been appointed VP, sales at Allgon Telecom. Most re-cently, Harris was global product manager for RFS.
Millitech Corp. has appointed Mervyn N. FitzGerald senior VP of operations. Most recently, FitzGerald was VP of operations and customer service for the Broadband Wireless Access division of Nortel Networks.
Richard Poirier has been promoted to VP of sales and marketing for the newly formed Herley Microwave Products Group.
IPCAssociation Connecting Electronics Industries has named Raul Catangui director of public policy. Most recently, Catangui worked as a state legislative and regulatory analyst for the American Insurance Association.
Micronetics Wireless Inc. has named Ralph Marrone VP, Micronetics/Equipment Product Group. Most recently, Marrone was director of strategic marketing at Alpha Industries Inc.
Micro Networks Corp. has named Bertho Simons director of European sales. Simons brings to the company more than 15 years of technical and marketing experience and, most recently, was director of European sales at Coto Technology Heerlen.
High power amplifier solution manufacturer AML Communications Inc. has appointed Dan Faigenblat director of sales. Most recently, Faigenblat was director of sales at Spectrian.
Susan M. Opeka has been named director/financial controller for CTS Corp.'s wireless components business. Opeka has more than 17 years of financial management, strategic planning and acquisitions experience and, most recently, was division VP of finance, North American Operations at Outboard Marine Corp.
Anritsu Corp. has promoted Bill Lovelace to general manager of its International Sales Management Center and Phil Bowen to president of its North American Region Operation (NARO). Most recently, Lovelace was president of NARO and Bowen was general manager of NARO.
Daryl Dickson has been named di-rector of sales engineering for RSI, a TriPoint Global company. Most recently, Dickson was principal engineer at STM Wireless.
Wafer processor and die distributor Semi Dice Inc. has made several new personnel appointments, including Tony Duong as operations manager, Linda Peterson as material manager, Ky Tin as lead technician in the Hi Rel test area and Darin Minter as marketing manager.
Quad Systems Corp. has named Terry Ellis regional sales manager for the western US. Previous positions held by Ellis at Quad since he joined the company in 1995 include VP of customer support, VP of sales and customer support, and director of technical services.
Narda Microwave-East, a division of L-3 Communications, has named Nicholas Bainlardi regional sales manager and Joseph Fiorentino sales engineer. Prior to joining the company, Bainlardi was engineering manager at Tern Technology Inc. and Fiorentino was sales/applications engineer at LogiMetrics Inc.
S. Francis Paik , president of Hittite Microwave Corp., has announced his retirement at the end of this year. Paik will remain a consultant for Hittite and serve as the chairman of a search committee to recruit management talent to the company. Yalcin Ayasli will assume the role of president in the interim.
US Army Major Mike Keleher , a technical project leader at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal by the Department of Defense for his service to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Rep Appointments
Microwave Development Company Inc. , Salem, NH, has appointed two new representatives to market its full line of products. Brooks Associates Inc. , West Chester, PA, will represent the company in Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and upstate New York, while Odyssey 1 , Englewood, CO, will represent the company in Colorado and Utah.
CTS Corp. , Elkhart, IN, has appointed Gold Star Sales Inc. to represent its passive electronic component products in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Ecliptek Corp. , Costa Mesa, CA, has selected Synergistic Components Sales to represent the company in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine.
Micro Networks Corp. , Worcester, MA, has named Compass Technology Inc. , Burlington, MA, to represent its precision microelectronic frequency sources and signal processing components and subsystems in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Web Sites
Richardson Electronics Ltd. has added a new link to its roster of Internet inventory locator sites. PowerFind.net enables buyers and engineers to locate and compare electronic components. Customers can search the database by entering a part number. Distributors that carry the desired part as well as the stocked quantity are displayed, and a link to the desired distributor's Web site is provided free of charge.
Pragmatic Instruments Inc. has launched its revised Web site, which is designed as an arbitrary (ARB) waveform generator information resource for creating real-world signals. The site, www.pragmatic.com, provides charts and explanations about ARBs and samples of commonly used waveforms.
Non-ferrous metal tube and rod product manufacturer H. Rollet Group has launched a new Web site that will enable customers to view the company's product range, submit price inquiries to the sales office and obtain information about the company. The site can be accessed at www.hrollet.co.uk.