News Article
RFMD Expands Foundry Services to Include Molecular Beam Epitaxial (MBE)
The MBE foundry services should leverage the firm’s position in compound semiconductor technology and manufacturing to deliver flexible MBE-related epitaxial products and services.
RF Micro Devices, a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance radio frequency components and compound semiconductor technologies, has announced it has expanded its Foundry Services.
The firm will now deliver multiple molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) platforms, epitaxial characterization and epitaxial development structures, including specialty and high-volume, arsenic- and phosphorus-based processes.
RFMD's MBE Foundry Services offerings include working with customers to develop epitaxial structures and MBE growth conditions, delivery of epitaxial wafers grown to exact customer specifications, and developing epitaxial design of experiments (DOEs). MBE Foundry Services will leverage the Company's expertise in high-volume manufacturing and experience in the development of several generations of epitaxial structures to support customers by delivering quality products with world-class cycle times.
Bob Van Buskirk, president of RFMD's Multi-Market Products Group, said, "We have the industry's fastest cycle times, and we expect to use that as a key performance discriminator in our MBE foundry service. We have one of the world's largest MBE production facilities and two of the world's largest compound semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities in operation, which enable us to deliver a flexible set of MBE-related products and services while driving shorter time-to-market."
Depending on a customer's development requirements, RFMD's MBE Foundry Services team will help design an epilayer structure and MBE process to optimize the performance of an existing epistructure. The team provides experience with growing and developing structures such as BiHEMTs, BiFETs, MOSFETs, VCELs and metamorphic, along with a range of material offerings on gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates, including InGaAs, AlGaAs, InGaP and AlInP.
The announcement of MBE Foundry Services marks another significant step in RFMD's diversification strategy. RFMD will leverage its existing foundry experience in supporting MBE-based customers. "We are committed to growing our foundry services and have the installed capacity to meet our internal needs and the needs of our external foundry customers," said Bob Van Buskirk.
"RFMD's introduction of GaN-based foundry services in 2009 has provided a flexible business platform to launch MBE services this year," added Chris Santana, director of RFMD's MBE operations. "We now have all the aspects of a full-service, commercial turn-key foundry in place, including purchasing and IP agreements, work-flow procedures and web-based customer support processes, and we have tailored those commercial business processes and systems to our MBE-based service."
RFMD's MBE Foundry Services holds an additional distinct advantage in the industry with its ability to offer ultra-high vacuum (UHV) cleaning services. Wet cleaning capabilities include wet mechanical cleaning, wet bead blasting, acid wet chemical etch, base wet chemical etch, and other services on a variety of stainless steel, refractory metal and PBN ceramic parts.
Customers will gain access to a seasoned RFMD's Foundry Services support team with firsthand knowledge of foundry customers' expectations and requirements. RFMD's Foundry Services support team combines more than 50 years of foundry services experience, both as foundry customers and foundry suppliers.
RF Micro Devices is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance semiconductor components. RFMD's products enable worldwide mobility, provide enhanced connectivity and support advanced functionality in the cellular handset, wireless infrastructure, wireless local area network (WLAN), CATV/broadband and aerospace and defense markets. RFMD is recognized for its diverse portfolio of semiconductor technologies and RF systems expertise and is a preferred supplier to the world's leading mobile device, customer premises and communications equipment providers.
Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., RFMD is an ISO 9001- and ISO 14001-certified manufacturer with worldwide engineering, design, sales and service facilities
