Peregrine Semiconductor Corp. announced that it recently shipped its half-billionth radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) based on the firm's UltraCMOS silicon-on-sapphire technology. UltraCMOS technology is a patented variation of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process that combines industry-standard silicon CMOS circuitry with a highly insulating sapphire substrate. The devices represent an environmentally friendly alternative to GaAs ICs used in high-frequency systems (GaAs has been classified as a toxic compound in the US, European Union, and in Japan).
According to Jim Cable, President and CEO of Peregrine Semiconductor, "With current worldwide sales of approximately 1.3 billion units per year, cellular handsets have become not only technology, business, and lifestyle drivers but also a leading contributor to eWaste. We believe that by providing a performance advantage with our UltraCMOS technology and by offering systems designers an alternative to arsenic-based RFICs, we are doing our part to help our customers and the environment."