TriQuint Achieves Breakthrough GaN-on-Diamond Results

TriQuint Achieves Breakthrough GaN-on-Diamond Results

Enables high performance, low heat operation, significantly smaller transistors

HILLSBORO, Ore. & RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. (NAS: TQNT) , a leading RF solutions supplier and technology innovator, today announced that it has produced the industry's first gallium nitride (GaN) transistors using GaN-on-diamond wafers that substantially reduce semiconductor temperatures while maintaining high RF performance. TriQuint's breakthrough technology enables new generations of RF amplifiers up to three times smaller or up to three times the power of today's GaN solutions.

TriQuint received a Compound Semiconductor Industry Award in March commending its new GaN-on-diamond achievements. TriQuint's James L. Klein, Vice President and General Manager for Infrastructure and Defense Products, remarked that unlocking the true potential of high-efficiency GaN circuits will depend on achievements like those of TriQuint's advanced research and development program.

Operating temperature largely determines high performance semiconductor reliability. It's especially critical for GaN devices that are capable of very high power densities. "By increasing the thermal conductivity and reducing device temperature, we are enabling new generations of GaN devices that may be much smaller than today's products. This gives significant RF design and operational benefits for our commercial and defense customers," he said.

TriQuint demonstrated its new GaN-on-diamond, high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) in conjunction with partners at the University of Bristol, Group4 Labs and Lockheed Martin under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Near Junction Thermal Transport (NJTT) program.

NJTT is the first initiative in DARPA's new 'Embedded Cooling' program that includes the ICECool Fundamentals and ICECool Applications research and development engagements. NJTT focuses on device thermal resistance 'near the junction' of the transistor. Thermal resistance inside device structures can be responsible for more than 50% of normal operational temperature increases. TriQuint research has shown that GaN RF devices can operate at a much higher power density and in smaller sizes, through its highly effective thermal management techniques.

TriQuint's New GaN Achievement in Detail

TriQuint's breakthrough involves the successful transfer of a semiconductor epitaxial overlay onto a synthetic diamond substrate, providing a high thermal conductivity and low thermal boundary resistance, while preserving critical GaN crystalline layers. This achievement is the first to demonstrate the feasibility of GaN-on-diamond HEMT devices. Results to date indicate TriQuint achieved the primary NJTT goal of a three-fold improvement in heat dissipation while preserving RF functionality; this achievement supports reducing power amplifier size or increasing output power by a factor of three. Additional fabrication improvements and extensive device testing are underway to optimize the epitaxial layer transfer process and fully characterize enhancements that can be achieved in these new HEMT devices.

For more information about TriQuint defense/aerospace products and foundry services, including GaN-based amplifiers, transistors, high-power switches and integrated assembly capabilities, visit us at www.triquint.com/defense, or register to receive product updates and TriQuint's newsletter.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. (NAS: TQNT) press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The cautionary statements made in this press release should be read as being applicable to all related statements wherever they appear. Statements containing such words as 'leading', 'exceptional', 'high efficiency', 'key role', 'leading supplier', or similar terms are considered to contain uncertainty and are forward-looking statements. A number of factors affect TriQuint's operating results and could cause its actual future results to differ materially from any results indicated in this press release or in any other forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, TriQuint including, but not limited to: those associated with the unpredictability and volatility of customer acceptance of and demand for our products and technologies, the ability of our production facilities and those of our vendors to meet demand, the ability of our production facilities and those of our vendors to produce products with yields sufficient to maintain profitability, as well as the other "Risk Factors" set forth in TriQuint's most recent 10-Q report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This and other reports can be found on the SEC web site, www.sec.gov. A reader of this release should understand that these and other risks could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations expressed / implied in forward-looking statements.

FACTS ABOUT TRIQUINT

Founded in 1985, TriQuint Semiconductor (NAS: TQNT) is a leading global provider of innovative RF solutions and foundry services for the world's top communications, defense and aerospace companies. People and organizations around the world need real-time, all-the-time connections; TriQuint products help reduce the cost and increase the performance of connected mobile devices and the networks that deliver critical voice, data and video communications. With the industry's broadest technology portfolio, recognized R&D leadership, and expertise in high-volume manufacturing, TriQuint creates standard and custom products using gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) technologies. The company has ISO9001-certified manufacturing facilities in the U.S., production in Costa Rica, and design centers in North America and Germany. For more information, visit www.triquint.com.

TriQuint: Reach Further, Reach Faster™

Distribution Statement "A" (Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited)

TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc.
Media Contact:
Strategic Marketing Communications Mgr.
Mark W. Andrews, +1-407-884-3404
Mobile: +1-407-353-8727
mark.andrews@triquint.com
or
Infrastructure & Defense Products:
Research Sr. Director
Douglas H. Reep, PhD, +1-972-994-8323
douglas.reep@triquint.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America Oregon Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

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