IQE plc : Key CPV Solar Technology Process Transfer milestones completed - commercial production on track for 2013
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
Cardiff, UK. 6 December 2012. IQE plc (AIM: IQE, "IQE" or the "Group"), the
leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor wafer products and services to
the semiconductor industry, today announces the achievement of several key
technology transfer milestones that represent highly significant progress in its
commercial relationship with Solar Junction.
In February 2012, IQE announced an exclusive manufacturing and technology
transfer agreement with Solar Junction and laid out a series of milestones.
These milestones were designed to culminate in the delivery of full 3Junction
(3J) structures to Solar Junction based on successful installation and
commissioning of customized production scale MBE tools, and subsequent
technology transfer from Solar Junction. Completion of this was planned for the
fourth quarter of 2012.
IQE and Solar Junction are pleased to announce the successful completion of
these milestones and the delivery of full 3J wafers using the transferred
process to Solar Junction. Commercial production is expected to begin in the
first half of 2013, initially with customer product qualification quantities,
moving to volume production in the second half of the year.
Independently, Solar Junction has successfully qualified its cells to full IEC
specifications with several customers, and is strongly engaged with all leading
CPV systems houses.
Dr Drew Nelson, IQE Chief Executive, said:
"Our deal with Solar Junction earlier this year will significantly accelerate
our well established CPV strategy and position us to become the key epiwafer
supplier to the CPV market. The combination of Solar Junction's core materials
IP and technology, with its recently improved world record efficiencies of 44%,
together with our own IP and manufacturing capabilities, provides a compelling
route to significantly higher cell efficiency and cost effective, high volume
production for the CPV industry.
"That combination is now all but complete and we are on track to move to
commercial volume production during 2013.
"As we approach the end of our financial year, we are also confident that we
will meet our earnings expectations. The transformational deals completed with
Solar Junction and RFMD earlier this year are highly complementary and position
the Group for accelerating growth in rapidly expanding markets."
Contacts:
IQE plc +44 (0) 29 2083 9400
Drew Nelson
Phil Rasmussen
Chris Meadows
Espirito Santo Investment Bank + 44 (0) 20 7456 9191
Richard Crawley
Canaccord Genuity + 44 (0) 20 7523 8000
Simon Bridges
Cameron Duncan
College Hill +44 (0) 20 7457 2020
Adrian Duffield
Kay Larsen
Note to Editors
IQE is the leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor wafers with
products that cover a diverse range of applications, supported by an innovative
outsourced foundry services portfolio that allows the Group to provide a 'one
stop shop' for the wafer needs of the world's leading semiconductor
manufacturers.
IQE uses advanced crystal growth technology (epitaxy) to manufacture and supply
bespoke semiconductor wafers ('epi-wafers') to the major chip manufacturing
companies, who then use these wafers to make the chips which form the key
components of virtually all high technology systems. IQE is unique in being able
to supply wafers using all of the leading crystal growth technology platforms.
IQE's products are found in many leading-edge consumer, communication, computing
and industrial applications, including a complete range of wafer products for
the wireless industry, such as mobile handsets and wireless infrastructure, Wi-
Fi, WiMAX, base stations, GPS, and satellite communications; optical
communications. The Group also manufactures advanced optoelectronic and photonic
components such as semiconductor lasers, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers
(VCSELs) and optical sensors for a wide range of applications including optical
storage (CD, DVD, BluRay), thermal imaging, leading-edge medical products, pico-
projection, finger navigation ultra-high brightness LEDs, and high efficiency
concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar cells.
The manufacturers of these chips are increasingly seeking to outsource wafer
production to specialist foundries such as IQE in order to reduce overall wafer
costs and accelerate time to market.
IQE also provides bespoke R&D services to deliver customised materials for
specific applications and offers specialist technical staff to manufacture to
specification either at its own facilities or on the customer's own sites. The
Group is also able to leverage its global purchasing volumes to reduce the cost
of raw materials. In this way, IQE's outsourced services, provide compelling
benefits in terms of flexibility and predictability of cost, thereby
significantly reducing operating risk.
IQE operates nine facilities located in Cardiff (two), Milton Keynes and Bath
in the UK; in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Somerset, New Jersey, Greensboro, North
Carolina and Spokane, Washington in the USA; and Singapore. The Group also has
11 sales offices located in major economic centres worldwide.
This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of
Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that:
(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and
other applicable laws; and
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and
originality of the information contained therein.
Source: IQE plc via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1662951]
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 06.12.2012 - 08:00 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 210224
Anzahl Zeichen: 6327
contact information:
Town:
Cardiff,
Kategorie:
Business News
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