Vietnam Vets set up fabless start-up GraSen
Two veterans of both the Vietnam War and the semiconductor industry have set up a new company to provide GaAs-based components for RF applications.
Based in San Jose, California, GraSen Technology is using three different foundries to manufacture InGaP/GaAs HBTs, GaAs-based HFETs and monolithic microwave ICs.
Grasen s founders - CEO Brad Senge and CTO Stan Gray "“ have more than 63 years of semiconductor product design and manufacturing expertise between them.
Said Senge: "Our current offerings of HBT and HFET products meet the growing demand of design, production and delivery requirements of the wireless communications and defense electronics markets."
The CEO added that GraSen is "a small business that is better positioned to meet quick response to the ever-changing markets we serve".
GraSen told compoundsemiconductor.net that it would offer broadband gain blocks designed for military and instrumentation applications. These products could also be used in wireless infrastructure.
GraSen has manufacturing agreements with two Taiwanese GaAs foundries and a third in southern California to manufacture the semiconductor wafers, while packaging takes place at a facility in the Philippines.
Initial wafer runs are now in hand, and the company says that it will offer devices for sale in bare die form, as well as packaged.
"With three foundries available, GraSen can handle large production orders," said a spokesman for the company. "Very large production orders will require ramping up a second packaging house."
"That second house will ensure delivery with no production loss caused by a point failure in the primary assembly house."
CTO Gray added: "GraSen also offers customers contract design and transfer services to those needing specialized products for their own proprietary requirements - including CMOS, RF power amplifier or high-speed logic circuits."
For more details, see the GraSen Technology web site.
