News Article
RFMD Celebrates 20 Years of Product and Technology
The designer and manufacturer of high-performance radio frequency components and compound semiconductor technologies, is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
RF Micro Devices has commemorative events planned at its locations throughout the year to celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary.
RFMD was incorporated on February 27, 1991, and held its initial public offering on June 3, 1997.
From its earliest days, RFMD has been an innovator in the semiconductor industry. RFMD was a pioneer in the commercialization of RF components using gallium arsenide (GaAs) compound semiconductor technology, and today RFMD is one of the world's leading manufacturers of GaAs technology.
In the 1990's RFMD was a primary contributor to the rapid growth in the cellular handset market, and in 2000 the firm was identified by Fortune magazine as the second-fastest growing company in America. In 2004, RFMD became the first semiconductor company to ship one billion cellular power amplifiers, and today the company routinely ships greater than three million RF components per day.
Since RFMD's founding, the Company's commitment to product and technology leadership has enabled it to deliver innovative, breakthrough products that have reshaped their respective product categories.
These have included RFMD's PowerStar power amplifiers, RFMD's silicon-based cellular switch technology, RFMD's PowerSmart power platforms, and RFMD's high-power GaN technology.
In 2010, RFMD unveiled a revolutionary new RF Configurable Power Core at the center of its PowerSmart family of power platforms, and, on February 14, 2011, RFMD unveiled a family of cellular power amplifiers delivering industry-leading peak efficiency.
Bob Bruggeworth, president and CEO of RFMD, commented, "RFMD has a proven history as a product and technology leader. While we're proud of our achievements since our founding, we believe we're just beginning to see the many ways in which our products and technologies can positively impact the experience of individuals, companies and markets. The RFMD team is comprised of outstanding individuals with a shared commitment to product and technology leadership, and we are very optimistic about our opportunities for revenue growth and strong operating results."
RFMD is a global leader in RF components and compound semiconductor technologies. The Company supplies its RF components into multiple industries, including cellular handsets, cellular infrastructure, CATV infrastructure, smart energy, WiFi, and aerospace and defense. The Company is also investing in new growth markets, including concentrated photovoltaics (CPV), RF components for automotive and point-to-point radio applications, and GaN-based power and switching components for defence and power electronics markets.
RFMD says its record of "industry firsts" includes:
* First to commercialise GaAs HBT
* First 6" GaAs manufacturing capability
* First to ship one billion cellular power amplifiers
* First to launch open-loop polar modulation transmit architecture
* First to introduce integrated power control for PAs (PowerStar)
* First to ship RF components with integrated RF shielding
* First to commercialise high-performance, low-cost CMOS for switch-based products
* First to commercialise RF configurable power core (PowerSmart)
* First to exceed 50% peak efficiency in 3G/4G power amplifiers
* First to introduce GaN for CATV amplifier applications
Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., RFMD is an ISO 9001- and ISO 14001-certified manufacturer with worldwide engineering, design, sales and service facilities.
