In brief: Aixtron, Arima, Bridgelux, Skyworks
Arima expands AlGaInP production
Taiwan-based Arima Optoelectronics has ordered another of Aixtron s AIX 2600G3 MOCVD systems, increasing its capacity to make red, yellow and yellow/green ultra-high brightness LEDs.
The Aachen, Germany, company's high-volume 49x2-inch wafer systems were praised by Arima's president, P.J. Wang, for their ease of installation.
“Within the past year we have already ordered three AlGaInP systems which were smoothly transferred into production and are performing very satisfactorily.”
Bridgelux makes CEO switch
Mark Swoboda has joined Sunnyvale, California based LED maker Bridgelux as CEO, with his predecessor Robert C. Walker remaining on the company's board.
Swoboda has spent the previous eight years at Lumileds in senior sales and development roles, during which time the company pioneered power LEDs.
Prior to that, Swoboda had spent 17 years working for Hewlett Packard Semiconductor Products where, the story goes, he helped his brother, Cree CEO Chuck Swoboda, get his first job.
“Bridgelux has assembled one of the strongest research and development teams in the industry, and has shown great results with this technology,” Swoboda said of his new employer.
“It s an exciting prospect to lead a team of this caliber into a market so ripe for explosive growth and at the same time is simply important for the world.”
Skyworks hits the streets in the iPhone
Skyworks is supplying the front end module for the iPhone, according to reports from analysts from RBC Capital Markets, whose $600 gadget now lies dissected.
Cody Acree, an analyst for Stifel Nicholas, pointed out that the deal was potentially significant despite each module only costing around $2.
“Apple s decision to use Skyworks over competing module suppliers is a material technology endorsement that should be acknowledged by investors,” wrote Acree.
Apple is hoping to ship 10 million iPhones this year, although industry insiders expect other RF front-end suppliers to share this business with Skyworks.
