David Vye joins the staff at Microwave Journal as technical editor and business development manager. Vye was formerly a product-marketing manager with Ansoft Corp., responsible for high frequency circuit/system design tools and technical marketing communications. He is a 1984 graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, with a concentration in microwave engineering. He first joined M/A-COM’s Advanced Semiconductor Operations, developing automated test and active device characterization methods for power GaAs MESFET technology, as well as MMIC design. In 1987, he joined Raytheon’s research division, where he was responsible for IMPATT diode transmitter development for a number of millimeter-wave applications. Between the years 1994 to 1998, he was a member of the design staff at Raytheon’s Advance Device Center. His responsibilities included circuit development (MMIC) and device modeling for AlInAs/GaInAsInP PHEMT and GaAs HBT technologies.
Aeroflex Inc. announced that it has completed the acquisition of privately-held MicroMetrics Inc., Londonderry, NH. MicroMetrics is a design and full service manufacturer of both standard and application specific RF/microwave diodes and semiconductor devices.
Dover Corp. announced that its Dover Electronics subsidiary has completed the acquisition of Pole/Zero Corp. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With the acquisition of Pole/Zero, the Microwave Products Group (MPG) of Dover Electronics’ Components Group will have annualized sales in excess of $100 M.
AML Communications Inc. announced that it entered into a letter of intent to acquire a controlling position in Mica-Tech Inc. in a cash-for-stock transaction. Under the terms of the agreement AML will purchase 51 percent of Mica-Tech’s outstanding stock for $800,000. The acquisition is subject to negotiation of a definitive agreement.
RF Monolithics Inc. (RFMI) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aleier Inc., has entered into a strategic alliance agreement with MACTEC Engineering and Consulting Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of MACTEC Inc., to offer integrated enterprise asset management (EAM) and engineered management systems (EMS) solutions with machine-to-machine (M2M) communications technology to the facilities management market.
Agilent Technologies Inc. announced plans to expand the company’s investment in its Integrated Circuit Characterization and Analysis Program (IC-CAP) device modeling software. The company will establish a new research and development modeling center in Beijing, China, to better serve the industry’s leading semiconductor foundries and to respond to advancements in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) modeling in particular.
ANADIGICS Inc., a supplier of wireless and broadband communications solutions, announced that it has entered into an Investment Contract with the Kunshan New and Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (KSND), to jointly construct a new state-of-the-art 6" gallium arsenide (GaAs) integrated circuit (IC) wafer fabrication facility (fab) for ANADIGICS Inc. in the city of Kunshan in the Jiangsu Province in China, for the purposes of expanding the company’s wafer fabrication capacity beyond its primary wafer fabrication located in Warren, NJ. It is anticipated that ANADIGICS will invest in capital expenditures of approximately $10 to $15 M over a two-year period commencing with the fourth quarter of 2007 through an initial production phase projected in the first quarter of 2009. The total investment by ANADIGICS over the life-term of the facility, which could extend up to 50 years, is estimated at $49.88 M.
Nitronex, a developer and manufacturer of high performance RF power transistors for the commercial and broadband wireless infrastructure markets, has teamed with Rockwell Collins to further develop the GaN on Si manufacturing infrastructure for military applications. Funded by the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), the manufacturing technology program began in the fourth quarter of 2006 and is expected to continue through 2009.
Barry Industries announced the company’s participation within the Modelithics CLR Library. The Modelithics Library is the industry’s first and only substrate—and part value—scalable surface-mount model library, that now allows designers to de-embed pad parasitic effects, enabling user-specified pad effects to be applied. Barry featured products include scalable resistors with sizes as low as 0405 to 1206.
Contracts
TRAK Microwave Corp. announced that it has been selected by Raytheon Network Centric Systems to be a key supplier on its multi-function radio frequency system (MFRFS) sensor system development and demonstration program. This program is part of future combat systems. In support of this program, TRAK will supply Raytheon the up/down converters, frequency reference modules and signal generators. The multi-function radio frequency system is a critical FCS sensor on multiple FCS ground vehicles.
Advanced Control Components Inc. announced that it has received a production order in excess of $3.7 M from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory for a dual-channel downconverter/switch matrix used on the ALMA Program. ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter Array) is an international collaboration to develop a world-class telescope composed of a group of 66 radio-telescope antennas that will work together to study the universe from a site in the foothills of Chile’s Andes Mountains. The frequency converter has two inputs and provides four output channels; there is separate attenuation control for each of the output channels. Each of the channels can be independently controlled to switch between upper and lower sideband outputs. The converter incorporates CAN bus architecture for multiple control and monitor functions. Advanced Control Components expects to complete production in early 2009.
RF Micro Devices Inc. (RFMD) announced it has received its first purchase order from a top-tier military supplier for a new product using RFMD’s gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) process technology. RFMD’s GaN technology can operate over a wide range of microwave frequencies, making it ideal for multiple band and broadband applications. The purchase order is the first received by RFMD for its GaN power amplifiers.
Discera Inc., a leader in CMOS MEMS oscillators, resonators, and provider of next-generation timing solutions, announced that Tyco Electronics’ M/A-COM has qualified Discera’s MEMS-based oscillator series, MOS1, for use in its telemetry transmitters. M/A-COM qualified Discera’s device after a series of tests as an alternative to quartz crystal in building timing components.
Financial News
Electro Rent Corp. reports sales of $30.7 M for the third quarter ended February 28, 2007, compared to $29.3 M for the same period in 2006. Net income for the quarter was $5.2 M ($0.20/per diluted share), compared to a net income of $5.9 M ($0.23/per diluted share) for the third quarter of last year.
Provigent, a provider of System-on-a-Chip (SoC) solutions for the broadband wireless transmission market, announced that it has closed a fourth round of financing in the amount of $16 M. Globespan Capital Partners contributed funding to this round joining Provigent’s existing technology investors: Sequoia Capital, Pitango Venture Capital, Magnum Communications Fund, Ascend Technology Ventures, Delta Ventures and Andrew Viterbi, co-founder of QUALCOMM.
RF Industries Ltd. reports sales of $3.2 M for the first quarter ended January 31, 2007, compared to $3.4 M for the same period in 2006. Net income for the quarter was $33,000 ($0.01/per share), compared to a net income of $265,000 ($0.07/per diluted share) for the first quarter of last year.
LitePoint Corp., a provider of advanced wireless test solutions, announced that it has completed a round of private equity funding from Sequoia Capital.
Personnel
California Eastern Laboratories (CEL) announced that Jaime Tenedorio has joined the company as vice president of engineering and chief technology officer. His responsibilities will include the development of CEL’s new product and new technology roadmaps, as well as directing the engineering services CEL provides its customers and strategic partners. Tenedorio has over 20 years experience in GaAs and silicon semiconductors and consumer product development. He comes to CEL from Flextronics, where he served as vice president of engineering for Flextronics’ Components Group.
Precision Connector Inc., a supplier of standard and custom RF/microwave connectors, announced the addition of Michael J. Keating as vice president-director of engineering. Keating has over 25 years of design experience in the microwave industry including waveguide components at Airtron Division of Litton, stripline and microstrip design at Merrimac Industries and RF connectors at Astrolab. Most recently Keating served over 10 years as connector engineering manager and RF interconnect technology leader at Micro-Coax Inc. Keating is an active participant in DSCC and EIA committees for RF connector interface standards.
Quantum Leap Packaging Inc. (QLP), a provider of high performance semiconductor packaging utilizing Quantech™ proprietary polymers, announced the appointment of Fritz Johnson as vice president of business development. Johnson has over 18 years experience in the IC packaging and assembly materials industry, with senior sales and product management positions at Kyocera America Inc., Johnson Matthey Electronics and Sumitomo Bakelite.
Inphi® Corp. announced that industry veteran Norman K. Yeung has joined the company as vice president, engineering. Yeung will continue to drive Inphi’s technology leadership as the company expands its portfolio of high performing integrated circuits with signal integrity for processing high speed data. Prior to joining Inphi, Yeung worked with Sun Microsystems where he led the development of the dual-thread Millennium processor in 90 nm process technology with multiple sites. Before Sun Microsystems, Yeung founded Sandcraft Inc., a fabless semiconductor company which was acquired by Raza Microelectronics.
Jacket Micro Devices (JMD), a worldwide supplier of small, high performing RF modules, announced it has hired John McGuckin to serve as director of sales. McGuckin brings more than 13 years of technical management experience, including eight years focused in the wireless broadband communications and RF/microwave electronics component industry. Prior to JMD, McGuckin worked for TriQuint Semiconductor, formerly Sawtek Inc., where he served in multiple sales and marketing roles.
LNX Corp. announced the appointment of Bill Tufts as director of sales. Tufts holds a master of science in business management degree from Lesley College. His professional sales background includes 23 years in the commercial and military RF and microwave marketplace while working as a field sales engineer, national sales manager and as a director of business development. He most recently served with Crane Electronics STC Microwave Systems. In related news, LNX announced that Art Humason has joined the company as principal technologist. Humason will be responsible for the design and development of advanced microwave subsystems integrating microwave and digital technology for the EW and ECM markets. At LNX, Humason brings over 26 years of experience in the design of Digital Instantaneous Frequency Measurement (DIFM) receivers and microwave subsystems. Before joining LNX, he served as senior principal engineer for several US defense contractors.
Barry Black has rejoined International Manufacturing Services (IMS) after a two year absence. He will be responsible for overseeing sales in Region Two, which includes northern California, Colorado, Utah, Illinois, and parts of Wisconsin, New Jersey, Long Island and the Dixie states. He will also be responsible for sales in the UK and Ireland. Previously the sales and marketing manager for Centerline Technologies and the North American sales manager for the Journal of Electronic Defense, he returns to the IMS sales department and will report to Dan Ziroli, director of sales and marketing.
Rep Appointments
Phenix Technologies, a manufacturer of high voltage, high current and high power test systems and components, announced a new exclusive partnership agreement with TestMart. The agreement authorizes TestMart to present a full catalog of transformer test equipment, circuit breaker test equipment, battery test equipment, ACDC hipots megohmmeters, AC-DC kilovolmeters, insulation analyzers, AC dielectric test equipment, and heat cycling test sets to government agency and prime contractor buyers.
Micro-Coax announced the expansion of its sales channel with the appointment of Youngewirth and Olenick Associates as its exclusive representative for the Arizona, New Mexico and Nogales, Mexico territories. Youngewirth and Olenick will market and sell Micro-Coax’s full line of coaxial cables, connectors, harness assemblies and conductive fibers in the region.
precisionWave Corp. announced its selection of Global Instrument Dynamics (G.I.D.I.Y.) as its exclusive sales representative in Israel. G.I.D.I.Y. specializes in the distribution, technical support and service of measurement, test equipment and systems. G.I.D.I.Y. will promote, sell and support precisionWave’s line of low cost, high performance RF test instruments.
G.T. Microwave Inc., Randolph, NJ, announced its appointment of international representative, SEMIC RF Electronic GmbH, to cover Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The members of SEMIC RF Electronic GmbH were allotted the task of covering prospective customers in the western region of Europe. SEMIC headquarters is stationed at Postweg 2, 82024 Taufkirchen, Germany, and the web site is www.semic.de.
MITEQ Inc. announced the appointment of PhaseCom Inc. as the company’s exclusive sales representative in Texas. PhaseCom Inc. will represent MITEQ’s Component division of products, which includes amplifiers, mixers, frequency multipliers, passive power components, switches, attenuators, limiters, phase shifters, IF signal processing components, oscillators, synthesizers, integrated multifunction assemblies and fiber optic products. PhaseCom Inc. can be contacted at (817) 410-5790 or e-mail: mcabrera@phasecom.com.
Digi-Key Corp. and Amphenol Commercial Products announced the signing of a worldwide distribution agreement. Amphenol Commercial Products division (ACP) provides commercial audio/data/storage/telecom interconnect solutions into a wide range of markets and applications, covering traditional connectors through to the latest and next generation technical products. Among ACP products stocked at Digi-Key are D-sub, mini SAS, SFP, Infiniband, USB and RJ45 connectors.
Tampa Microwave announced the addition of four new rep firms to its US sales network. Each of the new firms will handle all Tampa Microwave products, and their representation is effective immediately. The new members of the Tampa Microwave US sales representative network are: TeraComm: MA, CT, VT, ME, NH, NY, MD, northern NJ, DC, VA and WV (800 Village Walk #296, Guilford, CT (203) 672-5943, www.terracom.com); C-Wave: southern California (1426 Aviation Blvd., Suite 102, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 (310) 931-3521, www.cwaveinc.com); Eastern Instrumentation of Philadelphia: PA, DE and southern NJ (710 E. Main Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057 (856) 231-0668, www.eiphila.com); and Dura Sales: northern California (1925 S. Winchester Blvd., Suite 102, Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 378-0747, www.durasales.com).
Web site
Sivers IMA AB has relaunched its web site, www.siversima.com, with the focus on ‘peak performance’ that not only applies to its high end microwave sources such as VCOs, FMCW subsystems, synthesizers, PLLs and custom designed products but also to how it supplies them to its customers worldwide. The web site has improved menu systems to provide easy access to the comprehensive product line and also simplifies financial transactions with customers. The site also includes important contact information and the growing demand for the company’s products and services in the US is reflected in the inclusion of its new US sales office and five newly appointed agents.