News Article
Peregrine Semiconductor Ships 300 Millionth UltraCMOS RFIC
Global adoption of company's silicon on sapphire technology intensifies.
Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation, a supplier of high performance RF CMOS and mixed signal communications ICs, announced that it has shipped its 300 millionth UltraCMOS(TM) RFIC. The milestone was reached with an order for Peregrine's PE42672 SP7T RF switches that are designed into RF transmit and front end modules for cellular handsets supporting the WCDMA, HSPA, EDGE and GSM/GPRS networks, currently the fastest growing segment of the wireless market.
The HaRP enhanced PE42672 3G antenna switch utilised in the WCDMA design is a market leading high throw count RF switch that was introduced into the market in October 2005, and began shipping into major handset manufacturers throughout 2007 and 2008. The 3G mobile user demand for higher data rates is creating an unprecedented level of complexity in the RF front end, and higher levels of integration are key to meeting customer requirements for exceptionally small form factors, cutting edge features, and quick time to market. The superior linearity performance and reliability of Peregrine UltraCMOS RFICs delivered in a single chip solution are playing a critical role in the design of industry leading RF modules.
"We are extremely pleased to have achieved this milestone," commented Jim Cable, Peregrine's CEO. "It speaks to the widespread adoption of our UltraCMOS technology into very high volume commercial RF applications. Our momentum is strong: at the close of 2005, we had shipped a cumulative 20 million units since the inception of the company. By the end of 2006, we nearly quadrupled that output and reached a cumulative 70 million units. Today, we are manufacturing almost 4 million units per week have shipped our 300 millionth unit. Our ability to earn this high volume business in demanding, high growth applications such as the cellular handset, and ramp our production at such a tremendous rate, is indicative of the disruptive capability of UltraCMOS and Peregrine's staying power," he added.
"We continue to hear very favourable comments about Peregrine RF switches, and are seeing them in a number of mobile phones," commented Mark Christensen, RF Analyst for Prismark Partners (New York, NY, USA). "The high levels of integration and extremely high performance afforded by the UltraCMOS process allows for new front end architectures that can handle the complexities of multi band, multi mode wireless applications. Peregrine's success with global manufacturers in cost sensitive markets should ultimately support the proliferation of this technology," he added.
Historically, pin diodes and GaAs based devices held a dominant market position in the RF front end. However, as the demand for complex functionality in the front end increased, designers sought a path toward integration of digital functionality. UltraCMOS technology offers the industry's only solution for high performance RF combined with digital control, and the innovative flip chip die for unprecedented space and cost savings.
The HaRP enhanced PE42672 3G antenna switch utilised in the WCDMA design is a market leading high throw count RF switch that was introduced into the market in October 2005, and began shipping into major handset manufacturers throughout 2007 and 2008. The 3G mobile user demand for higher data rates is creating an unprecedented level of complexity in the RF front end, and higher levels of integration are key to meeting customer requirements for exceptionally small form factors, cutting edge features, and quick time to market. The superior linearity performance and reliability of Peregrine UltraCMOS RFICs delivered in a single chip solution are playing a critical role in the design of industry leading RF modules.
"We are extremely pleased to have achieved this milestone," commented Jim Cable, Peregrine's CEO. "It speaks to the widespread adoption of our UltraCMOS technology into very high volume commercial RF applications. Our momentum is strong: at the close of 2005, we had shipped a cumulative 20 million units since the inception of the company. By the end of 2006, we nearly quadrupled that output and reached a cumulative 70 million units. Today, we are manufacturing almost 4 million units per week have shipped our 300 millionth unit. Our ability to earn this high volume business in demanding, high growth applications such as the cellular handset, and ramp our production at such a tremendous rate, is indicative of the disruptive capability of UltraCMOS and Peregrine's staying power," he added.
"We continue to hear very favourable comments about Peregrine RF switches, and are seeing them in a number of mobile phones," commented Mark Christensen, RF Analyst for Prismark Partners (New York, NY, USA). "The high levels of integration and extremely high performance afforded by the UltraCMOS process allows for new front end architectures that can handle the complexities of multi band, multi mode wireless applications. Peregrine's success with global manufacturers in cost sensitive markets should ultimately support the proliferation of this technology," he added.
Historically, pin diodes and GaAs based devices held a dominant market position in the RF front end. However, as the demand for complex functionality in the front end increased, designers sought a path toward integration of digital functionality. UltraCMOS technology offers the industry's only solution for high performance RF combined with digital control, and the innovative flip chip die for unprecedented space and cost savings.
